# Aged/distressed wood.



## HauntCast (Jul 25, 2008)

I made a box out of new wood for my MIB. How do I aged or distress it without actually leaving it outside?


----------



## joker (Sep 25, 2007)

You didn't like my suggestion in the other thread?


----------



## BioHazardCustoms (Aug 5, 2009)

Thompson's Water seal makes a great stain the makes wood look weathered. It's called Sea side Gray, or something to that effect. I have a can of it, but an oversplash last year has made the second word on there fade out. I'll look next time I am in Lowe's, if you want me to.


----------



## HauntCast (Jul 25, 2008)

Joker, did I ask this question already. I've been so frigin busy with the show, my haunt, work I don't know what I'm doing.


----------



## joker (Sep 25, 2007)

HauntCast said:


> Joker, did I ask this question already. I've been so frigin busy with the show, my haunt, work I don't know what I'm doing.


You mentioned looking for ideas in the MIB thread

No worries just yanking your chain

Here was my suggestion


> For a weathered look you might try using MinWax's water based wood stain. It can be tinted to one of 68 available colors. I'm pretty sure you can get a greyish color similar to weathered wood. After that you could always add some black, green, brown, red, orange or whatever for the desired effect.
> 
> Here's a link to available MinWax colors


----------



## KimilyTheStrange (Jul 20, 2008)

You can use the Vinegar and Steel wool trick. I haven't tried this yet but it's on my list for when I run out of aged Cedar fence boards.

http://miniatures.about.com/od/miniaturebasics/f/vinegarwood.htm


----------



## Otaku (Dec 3, 2004)

KimilyTheStrange said:


> You can use the Vinegar and Steel wool trick. I haven't tried this yet but it's on my list for when I run out of aged Cedar fence boards.
> 
> http://miniatures.about.com/od/miniaturebasics/f/vinegarwood.htm


I've used that method - it works very well for darkening new pine boards. Wipe the wood with some strong tea first and let it dry. This increases the tannins in the wood. The iron acetate (vinegar/steel wool) will get the wood very dark after that treatment. The appearance is very close to actual weathering.


----------



## KimilyTheStrange (Jul 20, 2008)

Otaku - I will have to remember that for when I try it. Chris? Chrissss? Did we loose you again? Such the busy busy man.


----------



## Otaku (Dec 3, 2004)

I have some before/after pix if you're interested.


----------



## dflowers2 (Mar 5, 2007)

does that work on pressure treated wood?


----------



## HauntCast (Jul 25, 2008)

KTS and Otaku, thanks. I'll try tea on the wood first. I'll let you know how it comes out.


----------



## Demon Dog (Mar 30, 2009)

Otaku said:


> I have some before/after pix if you're interested.


Yes, please. I'd be interested in before and after shots.


----------



## HalloweenZombie (Jul 22, 2007)

Beat the wood with a heavy chain. Seriously.


----------



## Revenant (Mar 17, 2007)

For a final coloring, Chris, you can also mix a little regular flat latex paint into shellac. This turns the shellac cloudy with the tint of whatever paint you mixed into it. It doesn't actually mix so you have to keep stirring it but I found it gives a good effect. It's a trick I learned at a pro haunt I worked in.


----------



## KimilyTheStrange (Jul 20, 2008)

Otaku - Show us your pics!

Rev - Do you have any pics of the Shellac/Paint mix?


----------



## Otaku (Dec 3, 2004)

KimilyTheStrange said:


> Otaku - Show us your pics!
> 
> Rev - Do you have any pics of the Shellac/Paint mix?


I'll post them in the morning. They're on my machine at work.


----------



## HauntCast (Jul 25, 2008)

HZ, Should I use the same chain that I beat my kids with?


----------



## Otaku (Dec 3, 2004)

Here's a pic comparing the tea/iron acetate aging to a 30-yr-old piece of fence board. I used this method on the Buried Alive coffin I made last year.


----------



## Revenant (Mar 17, 2007)

KimilyTheStrange said:


> Rev - Do you have any pics of the Shellac/Paint mix?


Unfortunately, I don't have any pics of the Ghastly Glaze (a little nickname I made up for it heh) on wood... the wood aging I did was on the outside boards of the haunt I helped with last year, and we got zilch for pics. I've been using it to color other things like the http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/pjhawke/revenant/Projects/Wally%20skull/Done3qtr.jpg of my torso zombie and my monster mud blob. I use it for a lot of stuff because it makes good transparent/translucent layering of tints. On wood, it gives a varnish/stain effect thats very cloudy and dirty-looking.

Ithurt used it to http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e387/smileypie35/grab%20me%20gotcha/Picture061.jpg... as you see, since it's shellac it doesn't look so much like outdoor weathered raw wood, but like really old furniture with dirty, discolored varnish. If Chris's MIB is supposed to look like a shipping crate it may not be the method of choice and Otaku's way would be preferred. But if it's supposed to look like, say, a steamer trunk (which would have been stained and finished) I think it would be ideal.


----------

