Raw Farmhouse Barley Twist Side Table
- Danielle
- Jun 17
- 5 min read
Updated: Jun 27
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Beautiful traditional barley twist side table renovated to a classic farmhouse stripped back look.
We all know a stripped back wood, or raw finish is one of my favourite furniture finishes right now. I have been upcycling for quite a few years now and I never get bored of a stripped back piece of furniture with beautiful grain. And a raw look farmhouse finish is the one step by step process I get asked for again and again.
Raw Wood Farmhouse Furniture
I generally share, sell or gift a lot of my upcycles to make way for the next project. The ones I always end up struggling to part with are the beautiful grained pieces with a raw finish. So I decided the best way to over come this was to share how you can create this look yourself.
Upcycles often sound like they may be really complicated with lots of step and a huge reserve of tools needed to complete, but in reality? This finish is one of the easiest to replicate yourself.
Top Tip – The hardest step is stripping back to old finish and not rushing in with the fun bit. Take your time, the better your prep, the better and longer lasting finish you'll get.
I absolutely was not the first person to think of stripping back that old dark finish we so often see on vintage furniture, you can find this look in a lot of shops now, but I absolutely love it. Its such a beautiful natural looking finish that can really go with any home and interior finish. You just need a little patience and elbow grease.
Furniture
The most important thing with this raw look finish is having the right piece of furniture, you can’t follow these steps for a laminate piece of furniture, you need, ideally a solid wood piece of furniture or a piece with a nice veneer.
You can find great furniture on facebook marketplace, gumtree, eBay and 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 hardwax oil.
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 I'm 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.
Paint Wash – A paint wash is a painted finish using a 70:30 water to paint mix that is brushed on and wiped back to create a soft semi transparent finish
Stain – Stain in a finish that doesn't sit on top of the wood, it penetrates the wood to enhance the grain and allow it to show through.
Wax – Wax works to protect the wood or painted finish on furniture. You can get a variety of coloured waxes. some come in liquid form
Hardwax Oil – A hardwax oil is a strong finish that uses both natural oils and waxes to protect the wood and enhance the grain.
Refinishing
When refinishing this kind of look you need to be quite careful and make sure you follow each step. Make sure your piece is completely stripped of its old finish before you start applying your new finish to get an even overall colour.
I prep my pieces in several steps, I strip back the old finish with a paint and varnish stripper, clean this back with white spirits and then neutralise and clean again with a mild soapy water.
It can feel a little daunting taking on a whole piece of furniture, especially if its on the larger side. Break it down into more manageable steps, tackle a side at a time to help you feel like your achieving your goal makes it a lot easier.
Tips and Tricks
Honestly, I may be repeating myself but the best tip is patience, whether that be stepping away long enough for the varnish stripper to work its magic, or persevering to get an even finish on the wood before applying the new finish.
- 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
Farmhouse | Finish Barley Twist Table
Raw, exposed wood vintage furniture with a “washed” hardwax oil finish
Prep Time: 1 Day
Refinish Time: 4 Hours
Drying time: 6 Hours
Author: Rediscovered by Danielle
What You’ll Need
Gloves
Cheap brushes
Scraper
White Spirit
Wire Wool
Soft Soap
Sponge
Hardwax Oil
Brush
Instructions
1. With the old finish already flaking I used a carbide scraper to lift the old finish from the flat surfaces. Ensure you wear a good face mask.
Wearing gloves, Paint on a thick coat of paint and varnish stripper, leave until you can see the current finish lifting, test a section with scraper if unsure. Usually starts to work within 15 minutes, can be left longer but don’t let it dry out.
Once the Stripper is working use a scraper to scrape away the paint and varnish stripper with the old finish.
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. If there are any patches of paint/varnish left repeat previous steps or gently sand away
a. If sanding, ensure adequate face covering is worn
7. The wood should now have a lighter appearance
8. On the underside, or in an inconspiquous place test out your hardwax oils to find which works the best for your home.
9. Open your tin of hardwax oil, using a paint stirrer stir the tin ensuring any particles that have settled at the bottom of the can are evenly distributed through your tin.
10. Using a brush apply your hardwax oil, brushing with the grain. You can also use a lint free cloth to apply hardwax oil.
11. Allow to dry.
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