Wood Aging Experience
The last owner of the place we bought left us this table in a state that it cannot be used. We put it outside of our door for many months (about 30 months) before I even started to think what to do with it. I always said that it should be use to put some plant on it and be done with it until one day I decided I am tired of seeing it like that and I will use it to learn how to work with resin and use my extra beer bottle caps (instead of letting them stay in the bag and collect dust).
Steps
Step 1
Black Tea - I got an Earl Gray black tea (the taste doesnt really matter as I didnt plan to drink it). I boiled 1 little of water and used 15 tea bags(as instructed in every video clips and site I saw), waited about 10-15 minutes (until the water where warm enough to touch). I used a brush and put thewater on the wood, 1 (or 2) layer/s and waited 24 hours to see the end results.
Step 2
I wanted to check how the vinegar alone will effect the wood, it was a surprising and interesting result. I got a white vinegar 5% that you can buy in anysupermarket and I used a clean brush to put 1 (or 2) layer/s, waited 24 hours to dry.
Step 3
Vinegar + steel wool. I put the steel wool in vinegar for 5 days (the more days you leave it the darker the color should be).I used a clean brush and put a layer (with very generous hand) and waited 24 hours to dry.
Step 4
Last test: Black Tea + (steel wool + vinegar) The process was that I put the Black Tea first and than the mix of the Steel wool + Vinegar (5 days waiting).I used a clean brush and 1 layer. I waited for 24 hours to see the results (it was very dark and off my original intentions but hi, you test things and learn).
Step 5
Vinegar (+ steel wool,waiting 5 days) + Black Tea
Conclusions & Remarks
- It was an interesting experiment to do. I saw that the more days the vinegar + steel wool are left alone the darker the color will have. I have noticed that the type of wood will effect the color (you can see it in the pictures). You cant control the color (not completely any way) but you can aim and it is better to test run first on a specific wood you are planning to use in your project until you get the effect you want. If you want complete control on the color than you dont have a choice but use a commercial paint.
1 - Black Tea
2 - Vinegar (with steel wool, waiting few hours) + Black Tea
3 - Vinegar
4 - Vinegar (+ steel wool), waiting 5 days
5 - Vinegar (+ steel wool,waiting 5 days) + Black Tea