Paint Wash Effect Chest of Drawers
Updated: Oct 5
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Vintage Oak Chest of Drawers with a Paint Wash Effect
This vintage oak chest of drawers has been stripped back to reveal the beautiful natural wood grain before being refinished with a soft paint wash effect.
Paint washing is one of my favourite ways to update vintage furniture because it gives the wood a lighter, softer finish while still allowing the original grain and character to show through.
In this guide, I’ll show you how I created the paint washed finish on this chest of drawers, including how I prepared the wood, the products I used and the step-by-step refinishing process.
How to Create a Paint Washed Effect on Furniture
I love a paint washed piece of furniture, but I’m very conscious that some woods are prone to bleed.
When we talk about wood bleeding, this means that tannins in the wood come to the surface. If your finish isn’t properly prepared, they can cause discolouration in your finished piece.
The normal preparation for sealing and blocking these tannins is to use a stain-blocking primer. These work really well under a painted finish, but they’re not so great when you want to create a paint wash effect and still see the natural wood grain.
This is why I either use oil-based stains on my projects or, like on this chest of drawers, a “glaze”. This isn’t the only way to create a paint washed finish, but it’s the method I’ve tried and trust.
Choosing Vintage Furniture to Upcycle
Finding the perfect piece of vintage furniture for your project can feel a little daunting.
There are loads of places where you can pick up vintage furniture to upcycle. Facebook Marketplace, Gumtree and eBay can have some great treasures, and it’s also worth checking out local auctions.
When you’ve found a piece, give it a good once-over. Check for damage, woodworm or anything else that might need your attention before you start your upcycling project.
And remember, you can absolutely walk away from a piece of furniture. Never feel pressured into buying something if it’s not what you expected.
How to Create a Paint Wash Finish
A paint wash finish is quite easy to achieve, as long as you follow the right steps. The most important part is making sure the old finish is completely removed before you start applying your new paint wash. This helps avoid patchy areas and allows the finish to adhere properly to the wood.
If you have a completely stripped-back piece of furniture, it will be much easier to create an even overall finish while still allowing the natural wood grain to show through.
Prep is key. You need to strip back the old finish first. Sometimes I use a paint and varnish stripper, but for this solid oak chest of drawers I used a carbide scraper and then sanded the piece smooth. Once it was completely free of its old finish, I wiped the piece down with a lint-free cloth to remove any dust, followed by a damp cloth.
When applying your new paint wash finish, I suggest working in smaller sections. Always work with the grain and complete each section of wood before moving on to the next.
Paint Wash Tips and Tricks
Take your time! It can be tempting to rush a piece so you can get it finished and into its new home, but a good furniture upcycle that lasts won't be completed in just 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
How to Paint Wash a Chest of Drawers
Clean your piece with a sugar soap mixture. This will break down any grease and grime that could prevent your paint wash finish from adhering properly to the wood.
Working with the grain, use a carbide scraper to gently remove the old finish. Take your time. I found using a carbide scraper a little daunting at first, but once you get the hang of it, they are such a time saver.
Use your sander to remove any remaining finish. For a paint finish, I sand with 180-grit and then 240-grit sandpaper.
Wipe down your furniture with a tacky cloth to remove any remaining dust.
Mix your glaze. I work with a 50:50 ratio of paint to top coat. I use Polyvine Decorators Varnish for my glaze. It is a water-based acrylic which can also help to stop smaller bleed-throughs.
Once the glaze is completely mixed, spray down a section with water and brush on the glaze. I then use a cloth to wipe back any excess. The water helps keep the glaze workable for a little longer. This step can be repeated if you want a less transparent finish.
Allow the section to dry and repeat the process for each panel of wood.
Once each panel has been treated and dried, I use Polyvine Floor Varnish as a top coat over the whole piece to protect the finished chest of drawers.
Attach or reattach the hardware.
Looking for upcycled vintage furniture?
If you love the look of painted and refinished furniture but don't fancy tackling a project yourself, take a look at my latest upcycled vintage furniture pieces available in the shop.
You may find the answer to any questions that you may have on my FAQ page.
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