How to make a patina effect on a tree with your own hands, a master class on the application
Initially, the patina was called an oxide film on a copper product of green or bluish color. Subsequently, this term began to be used to refer to any plaque that forms under the influence of time on a wooden or metal surface. Also, wood patina is called trend aging effect, which was used to decorate furniture and kitchenware.
General concept of patina
Patina is understood as signs of wood aging on various household items. The effect of artificial aging of interior details using a special substance is called slippage. This technology is often used in the decoration industry. Basically, it is considered a normal imitation of the natural color change of wood.
This technique is very common today. It allows you to change the surface of wooden objects at a lower cost. The advantage of this technology is that all the work can be done independently.
Today, golden or silver patina is used to decorate country houses and apartments in metropolitan areas.To achieve this design trick, you need wooden furniture.
Varieties of compositions for patinating furniture
It is allowed to weather the surfaces of furniture by various means. Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages.
Stain
This is the simplest and most common method of wood surface treatment, which helps to achieve the weathering effect. The stain penetrates into the deeper layers of the wood and provides protection against UV rays, humidity and pests. Compositions may differ in shade and, therefore, imitate a different plate. The color palette ranges from gray to green.
Depending on the formula, the following types of stains are distinguished:
- Water - used if you want to highlight the surface structure of the wood, as it lifts its fibers and makes it more visible. This material gives the surface the color of precious woods. No solvent is required for this.
- Alcoholic - has antiseptic properties that increase the life of wood. Thanks to the use of the substance, it is possible to avoid the appearance of fungi in the structure of the tree. The basis of such a tincture is considered to be a dye in ethanol. To achieve a decorative effect, it is important to work as quickly as possible. The fact is that the composition dries very quickly. In most cases, the material is applied to wooden surfaces using an aerosol can or spray gun. It is used for small surfaces.
- Oil-based - it's easy to apply and provides even coverage. The material does not lift the wood fibers, but allows the pattern of the solid wood to be emphasized. Ordinary white spirit is suitable for diluting the oil stain.
Dye is considered a very self-sufficient material.It is practically not associated with a golden or silver patina, as well as cracking.It should also be borne in mind that the substance is not suitable for application on chipboard or MDF.
Wax
This material is considered very practical. In most cases it is used as a finishing coat. A water-based wax paste or vintage wax is suitable for this purpose. Paints based on this substance dry for a long time and are easily erased. Therefore, they are usually used for embossed surfaces. Also, the material can be used even for unpainted wood. This helps to highlight its structure and create protection against water.
The paste is made by mixing natural wax and metallic pigment. This material provides excellent adhesion even on the plastic surface of MDF panels. Therefore, it is allowed to use it for wood without primer. The paste helps to give the furniture a golden effect. Also, with its help, it is possible to get a silver or bronze coating.
In addition, there are colorless waxy substances. They help to give the coating a pearly overflow and are actively used when repairing furniture. It is not difficult to work with such a substance. It should be applied to the surface and rubbed in well. After that, the area should be buffed and the excess removed. After 24 hours, the coating dries and the product can be used.
Acrylic
This material is suitable for patinating almost any coating - from solid wood to plastic MDF panels. A plus of acrylic dyes is their variety. They differ in shades and effects. With the help of such substances it is possible to imitate burnout, rust, darkening.
Acrylic is suitable for working on the entire surface or only on relief furniture parts. For this, the gilding or darkening effect is often used.
In addition to a simple application of paint, acrylic can be used in other ways. After applying and drying the substance, it is recommended to rub the surface with sandpaper. This will help to achieve the effect of scratches that have appeared over time. Then the furniture should be varnished.
For patina, the following shades of acrylic paint are most often used:
- White;
- money;
- gold;
- blue;
- black.
As a rule, when choosing a patina shade for painting, you should focus on accessories and other elements of the room.
Bitumen
Bitumen is based on a concrete polymer. White spirit, water, turpentine are used as a solvent. The ready-to-use bitumen mixture has a special texture, which greatly facilitates the application process.
Bitumen helps create the desired effects when painting or patinating. With its help, it is possible to easily achieve an imitation of an aged surface.
To achieve good results, the composition should be carefully applied to the wood. This must be done with a brush or a cotton ball. Then you can resort to accelerated drying with a hair dryer or a longer process at room temperature. In the second case, it will take about 6 hours.
There is also a wax-based bituminous patina. It helps to get rid of excess shine that occurs when gilding surfaces. It is necessary to apply the composition with a cotton ball. It takes 20 hours to dry such a layer.
Shellac
This type of paint varnish makes it possible to obtain a yellowish or reddish-brown coating.If you use shellac as an independent product, you will be able to maintain the main shade and the visible structure of the base. Most often, the composition is used as a cover layer for other compositions. It is often used for decoupage and coloring techniques.
Butter
The oil solution helps to advantageously beat the structure of the tree, giving it a more intense shade. The material resembles a shellac solution. However, it is forbidden to use it for the decoupage technique. The oil does not fix the paper, but dissolves it. Most often, the product is used to protect less persistent dyes.
DIY instructions
It is recommended to carry out the work outdoors, using personal protective equipment. It is recommended to prepare furniture or ordinary wood first. Only after that it is allowed to apply dyes.
If you plan to work with solid wood furniture, you must first clean it with sandpaper or a wire brush.
This will help get rid of old paint and varnish. Then, in the presence of pronounced damage, it is recommended to seal them with a putty on wood, dry them and sand them again. In the next step, apply a primer to the wood and let it dry for 10 hours. The exact time is indicated on the packaging.
Stain
Staining with stain is considered one of the easiest options for aging furniture. First, the surface should be brushed with a wire brush. This removes the soft fibers and improves the texture of the wood. Then you can apply the composition. It is allowed to do this with such tools:
- sponge;
- brush;
- roll;
- spray.
To achieve even coverage, you can use the following techniques:
- Dampen furniture with warm water and wipe with a dry cloth to remove excess. After that, you can proceed to applying the composition.
- Saturate the wood with a special conditioner. It is recommended to apply it at intervals of 20 minutes until the composition stops absorbing. Then you need to wait 30 minutes and then apply the substance.
The stain should be applied in 2 coats. Then you can apply a metallic patina to the protruding surfaces. The final result must be fixed with wax or shellac.
The classic way
This method is suitable not only for wood, but also for furniture made of MDF or LSDP. To make patina, you must do the following:
- Apply the first coat of acrylic stain. In the absence of specific requirements, it is worth making neat or, conversely, rough strokes. After application, the coating should be allowed to dry for a day.
- Remove a thin layer of dye with sandpaper. This will help achieve the old-fashioned effect. After that, the coating should be polished with a cloth.
- Apply another coat of acrylic stain. It may be the same as the first, or have a metallic sheen. This layer must be sufficiently thin. Therefore, it must be carefully shaded. If desired, it is permissible to use sandpaper. The coating must be dried within 24 hours.
- Apply the matte acrylic varnish and let it dry for half a day.
Crack
Crazing is considered an unusual patina technique. As a result, it is possible to get a cobweb from the cracks on the surface of the furniture. It is possible to achieve the desired effect in different ways.The easiest option is to use faceted varnish. It is a water-based mixture. Once dry, it cracks. The more coats you apply, the more cracks you get.
The faceted varnish can be transparent or colored. It can be applied to any type of furniture. This type of patina is distinguished by its surprising ease of application and its affordable cost.
First, you need to apply acrylic paint to the furniture and let it dry. After that, you can use crackle varnish and water-based flat stain. Then it is worth applying the topcoat. It should be as thin as possible. Otherwise, the resulting cracks will not be visible.
There is also a two-phase patina technique. To apply it, you need to apply 2-3 layers of shellac. In addition, each of them must be well dried. After that, it is recommended to cover the surface with crackle varnish. When it dries, the cracks that have appeared on the surface should be rubbed with bituminous wax, and all furniture should be covered with shellac. This helps to make the cracks more pronounced. However, they will stand out less by their structure.
Master class on wood patina at home
To obtain a full patina from the wood, it is important to be extremely careful. It is recommended that all actions be carried out as carefully as possible, clearly observing all the rules. It should be remembered that the work will take a lot of time.
The main thing is that the patina is carried out in stages. It is recommended to proceed as follows:
- Sand the wood with sandpaper.
- Prime the surface with a special mixture.
- Apply 1 coat of patina and dry within 24 hours.
- Apply short strokes of the next coat of dye. It must be done in different directions.
- Before the paint hardens, it must be rubbed with a dry cloth.
- Once the element is dry, eliminate the defects by local staining.
- Once the surface is dry, apply a coat of finishing varnish.
About special kits for patina
To facilitate the skating process, you can purchase a ready-made kit. They are sold in hardware stores. Thanks to the use of such a kit, it will be possible to achieve the following effects:
- antique gilding;
- cracks;
- scrapes;
- natural green patina.
Sets are usually versatile and suitable for different surfaces - wood, plaster, metal.
Working examples
Skating can be done in different techniques and shades. A popular option is the use of natural colors - brown and light yellow. However, the most popular solutions are considered gilding and silvering.
The patina of wooden surfaces can be done with different materials. Depending on this, the technologies for performing the work also differ. To achieve the desired result, it is important to do everything very carefully.