how to make new wood look reclaimed

When I decided to frame my doorway I knew I wanted it to look like old rustic beams. So, how do you make new wood look like old wood? Well, it is actually pretty easy. And kind of fun. I went and got the boards I needed, made the cuts, and then beat it up. I used a few really easy techniques you can do with tools you have on hand. So, I’ll show you how to achieve this look.

select wood with character

Reclaimed wood is old, beat up, and damaged. You may have to filter through a ton of boards, but it will be worth it! You DO NOT want warped boards. I always lay them flat on the ground to make sure both ends lay flat. But, you do want boards that have a little damage. The main ridges and deep crevices in these pieces were already there. I also look for knots (avoid black knots that go all the way through the wood). The more knots, the better. I like pieces that have ridges and some roughness. All these details really come out once you stain.

Tools and TECHNIQUEs

The tool is used the most was a hammer. Any ole’ hammer will work. I hit the wood with the hammer face to make shallow dents and the back of the hammer to make the gouges. I also hit the edges of the wood with the back of the hammer- just enough to make it look old, but not enough to make it too splintery to touch.

I used the tip of the screw to make multiple tiny holes in the woods. Once that stain goes on you’ll be glad you did. It’s supposed to resemble bug marks…old wood has seen bugs.

I also hit the screw head with a hammer for the little notches at the bottom right and the screw part for the markings in the center.

I made these lines by laying a flathead screw driver on the board and hitting it.

I used a power drill to make all of these spiral tracks. These are also supposed to resemble tracks left by bugs. I also pressed the drill bit in to the wood to give it little notches.

Prepping for Stain

I actually don’t do much to prep for stain. Typically you want to use a wood oil before you stain to prevent blotching. But, I wanted some blotching and imperfections. So All I did was sand the edges well. Old wood is worn, it doesn’t have sharp edges. You can see the blotchy perfection in this photo

Stain and Polyurethane

Wood gets darker with age so I prefer to use a medium to dark stain for “old” wood. My favorite stain color is special walnut from minwax. I use semi-transparent and apply with a cheap flat brush so I can toss it when I’m done. A brush works better than a rag for this project since the wood is a little rough and rags and foam brushes will snag. I did 3 coats of stain on this wood. Remember to stir you stain really well and get the gunk off the bottom. Do not shake stains.

I let the stain dry overnight and then applied 1 coat of polyurethane. I once again used a cheap flat brush to toss. I used a semi-gloss polyurethane. I typically prefer a matte finish over shiny ones but I always prefer the semi-gloss on wood. This is also going in a high traffic area so semi-gloss will make wiping it down easier. Stir your polyurethane very well before using it, scraping the bottom as you stir.

Making new wood old is really simple. You can get really creative when aging your wood. There’s really no right or wrong way. Hopefully these tips will help!