Create The Look Of Faux Wood Using Paint And An Unexpected Tool

A beloved piece of furniture doesn't need to be discarded once it starts to fade or go out of style. With the right paint color and a trusty pet hair remover, fixtures can be updated with a realistic wood look that is timeless and beautiful. A project including faux painting techniques can make a big difference in your home. On her Salvaged Inspiration blog and YouTube channel, host Denise documents DIY projects, involving easy ways to revitalize thrifted furniture with paint. She thrifted an old console table years ago that she then decided to paint a light color complete with a white glaze finish. When it was time for a modern upgrade, Denise set out to give the same table a classic, yet rustic makeover by repainting it to look like faux wood. New paint, a darker glaze, and a realistic wood grain visual was applied to give a fresh, refinished look to the surface. She shared the full process in a YouTube video and used a tool designed for cleaning up pet hair to perfect the look of the glaze.

An important step to take before painting woodwork is to pick the right color of paint, especially if you want to illustrate the look of healthy wood grain. Denise selected the color "Mud Puddle" as the base coat to paint the tabletop, which she described as a "taupe-y beige" with pink and tan undertones. She then created a darker colored glaze to go across the top of the base coat, making the wood visual look vivid in a more noir shade.

After the base coat on her tabletop dried, Denise applied a thin coat of glaze on top. The secret to the perfect wood visual was the use of a pet hair removal brush to create realistic grain lines within the glaze. By adding lines to the glaze, Denise added more texture to the console table, making it look like it was professionally refinished to preserve the wood's visual properties. She immediately used a rubber pet hair remover brush to make lines in the wet glaze mimicking an authentic wood grain. Denise used the pet hair remover brush by LandHope for this project. The bristles are a soft and gentle silicone which moved seamlessly across the surface. The brush itself is light, compact, and portable. Plus it's affordable, running around $5 each on Amazon. 

The best thing about Denise's faux wood project is that to create realistic hardwood character, the painting doesn't need to be exact. It's okay if the amount of coverage varies a bit or if there are brush marks, because it will replicate the knots and imperfections of hardwood. She advises running the brush over the glaze as many times as it takes to get the lines to your liking. Once the lines are done, it may be helpful to run a soft paintbrush over the glaze to soften the finished look. And for those without furry friends that don't want to spend money on the pet brush, Denise said a whisk broom can be used to complete the job in a pinch.

Denise got the inspiration for her project from Shannon of Black Sheep House on YouTube who discovered the pet hair removal brush hack. When Shannon attempted the project, she pointed out that the glaze is designed to dry slowly so you have enough time to turn the visual into your desired look. She described the finish as "so forgiving. It makes painting more fun not to stress about a perfect finish ... It's supposed to have the essence of wood." After using the pet hair removal brush, Shannon smoothed out the glaze by going over it with a deck staining brush.