Paint Wash Effect Chest of Drawers
- Danielle
- Aug 19
- 4 min read
Updated: Sep 8
*This post may contain affiliate links.
Vintage Oak Chest of Drawers with a Paint Wash effect
This classic look is definitely a favourite at the moment. And after over a decade of upcycling I will never get tired of stripping back old finishes and uncovering beautiful grain. This paint wash effect is seems to be the finish I get asked most frequently for product lists and step by step guides, so here it is.
Paint Washed Furniture
I love a paint washed piece of furniture but I am very conscious some woods are prone to bleed.
When we talk about woods bleeding this means that tannins in the wood come to the surface and, if your finish isn’t properly prepped, they can cause discolouration in your finish.
The normal preparation for sealing and blocking these tannins is using a stain blocking primer, these work really well under a painted finish but not so great when you want that paint wash effect.
This is why I either use oil based stains on my projects or, like this one a “glaze”.
This isn’t the only way to create this look, but the one I have tried and trust.
Furniture
As always finding the perfect piece of furniture for your project can feel a little daunting.
But there are loads of places you can pick up vintage furniture. Facebook marketplace, gumtree, ebay, always have some great treasures, but its also worth checking out local auctions. When you’ve found your piece of furniture give it a once over, check for any damage, wood worm or anything else that may need your attention.
You can absolutely walk away from a piece of furniture, never feel pressured into buying something if its not what you expect.
Refinishing
A paint wash finish is quite an easy finish to achieve, as long as you follow the right steps. Its really important the old finish is completely removed before you start applying the new finish. You don’t want to end up with funny patches on your furniture or places where the finish wont adhere.
If you have a completely stripped back piece of furniture it will be a lot easier to create an even overall look.
Prep is key. You need to strip back the old finish. Sometimes I use a paint a varnish stripper, but for this piece, as it was solid wood, I used a carbide scraper and then sanded the piece smooth. Once it was completely free of its old finish I wiped the pieces down with a lint free cloth to remove any dust and gently wiped it back with a damp cloth. You don’t want to get any dust clumps in your new finish.
When you get to applying your new finish, I suggest breaking it down into smaller sections. Always work with the grain and complete each piece of wood as one.
Tips and Tricks
Take your time! It can be very tempting to rush a piece, to try and get it finished and straight into its new home but take your time. No good upcycle that lasts will be done in a few hours.
- This is my favourite carbide scraper
Paint Washed Chest of Drawers / Raw look Oak Drawers
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
Sugar Soap
Carbide Scraper
Soft Soap
Sponge x2
Furniture Paint
Instructions
1. Clean your piece with a sugar soap mixture. This will break down any grease and grime that could stop your paint finish adhering to the wood.
2. Working with the grain use a carbide scraper to gently remove the old finish. Take your time, I found it a little daunting using a carbide scraper to start with but once you’ve got the hang of using a carbide scraper they are such a time saver.
3. Use your sander to remove any remaining finish. For a paint finish I will sand with a 180grit and then 240grit
4. Wipe down your piece with a tacky cloth to remove any dust
5. Mix your glaze. I work on a 50:50 paint to top coat ratio. I use Polyvine Decorators finish for my glaze, it is a water based acrylic which will help stop smaller bleed throughs.
6. Once the glaze is completely mixed I spray down a section and brush on the glaze. I then use a cloth to wipe back any excess. The water helps keep the glaze open a little longer. This step can be repeated if you are wanting a less transparent finish
7. Allow to dry and repeat for each panel of wood.
8. Once each panel has been treated and has dried I then use Polyvine Floor Varnish as a top coat for the whole piece to keep it looking its best
9. Attach / Reattach Hardware.
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