Cocktail Cabinet Farmhouse Finish
- Danielle
- Jul 11
- 4 min read
Updated: Aug 19
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Vintage Tallboy Upcycled to a timeless raw farmhouse stripped back look.
A stripped back look is a timeless classic and one of my go to finishes at the moment. After 10+years of upcycling, I never get bored of an exposed wood finish with stunning grain. This raw wood look is the one step by step process I get asked for again and again.
Raw Wood Furniture
Most of my upcycles are sold, shared or gifted on, but this one was my favourite in a while, so after struggling to part with it, I rearranged our home and found a space for it that allowed the beautiful grain to shine.
But when I don’t sell these pieces on, it does mean I need to explain how you can get this look too.
People are often intimated and put off upcycling because it feels like such a big job. The best advice I can give is to break the project down into nice manageable bite-sized pieces and then the job isn’t so big and in reality there are very few steps to this raw look.
Top Tip – The longest step is stripping back to old varnish, not rushing in with the fun bit is sometimes really hard. But take your time, get your prep right and you’ll have a beautiful finish that lasts.
There have been lots of people who have stripped back furniture before me. Removing that dead, dark finish to let the beautiful grain breath again makes a great project. This natural finish really does work with any home and can lean in to that cottage core and farmhouse interior that is popular at the moment.
Furniture
Finding the right piece of furniture for your project can make a huge difference. A solid wood piece or something with a strong veneer will work best.
Vintage furniture can be found on facebook marketplace, gumtree, ebay, its also worth checking out local auctions. When you have your piece of furniture, I always recommend giving it a once over, check for any damage, wood worm or anything else that may need your attention.
Never be scared to walk away from a piece of furniture, if something isn’t as it was described you aren’t under any obligation to buy it, don’t feel trapped, the perfect piece will find you.
“Paint Wash”
I went for a classic “washed” look on this piece but in reality have actually used a gel stain
I have been upcycling for many hears now, and still worry about bleed through. This is where the tannins (oils) in your wood bleed out and can affect the colour of your finish. Tannins are more of an issue in darker or knotty woods, but if im putting in time and effort into a project I want it to look its best for a lifetime.
This is why I don’t tend to wash furniture with paint, I use stains, waxes or hardwax oils.
There are some beautiful tinted hardwax oils available that offer a great finish to your piece with just the one coat.
Refinishing
To get the best raw wood look you need to ensure your piece is completely stripped of its old finish. This will give you an even base when you start applying your new finish.
I prep my pieces in a few different ways, I generally strip back the original finish with a paint and varnish stripper, you can also use a carbide scraper to help lift an old finish, or you can sand it back.
Tips and Tricks
The best tip is patience, sometimes you need to step away and stop faffing to see how something dries.
- I use these cheap brush for applying the paint and varnish stripper
- I use this paint and varnish stripper
- I use this scraper for removing the stripper, the curved edge comes in handy
- Test the paint stripper after 15 minutes, don’t be afraid to leave it a little longer, but be careful not to let it dry
Raw Wood | Cocktail Cabinet /Tallboy
Raw, exposed wood vintage furniture with a “washed” finish
Prep Time: 1 Day
Refinish Time: 4 Hours
Drying time: 6 Hours
Author: Rediscovered by Danielle
What You’ll Need
Gloves
Cheap brushes
White Spirit
Wire Wool
Soft Soap
Sponge
Voodoo Gel Stain
Brush
Hardware
Instructions
1. Wearing gloves, Paint on a thick coat of paint and varnish stripper with an old brush, leave until you can see the current finish lifting, this can work really quickly even as you are brushing it on. Test a section with scraper if unsure. Usually starts to work within 15 minutes, you can leave it longer but don’t let it dry out.
2. Once the Stripper is working use a scraper to scrape away the paint and varnish stripper with the old finish making sure to dispose of the product.
3. Using wire wool and white spirit gently rub the piece with the grain to lift any residue
4. Wash the piece with warm soapy water and a soft sponge
5. Leave to dry
6. The wood should now have a lighter appearance. On the underside, or in a hidden spot, place test out your voodoo gel stain colour to check it works the best for your home.
7. Working on a panel at a time, spray the piece down with water. This will ensure the gel stain isn’t instantly absorbed into the wood and allows working time
8. Squeeze some of the gel stain onto the wood and using a damp cloth move it around working with the grain and wipe away any excess.
9. Allow to dry and repeat for each panel of wood.
10. Attach / Reattach Hardware.
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