distressing a new piece of timber

[tommo1974]

i have rescently built myself a new fireplace ,using reclaimed old style bricks,....i want the 6" x 3" softwood planed timber that i have for the mantle piece to look as old and as in keeping with the age of the bricks and the style of the house in general as possible...any ideas would be very much apreciated....

 

[masona]

You would be better off getting a reclaimed railway sleeper which is ideal for mantle shelf. My local timber merchants are selling them for £15 each, not a bad price.

 

[Tom.]

Soot mixed into linseed oil?

 

[TexMex]

A method I have used (with some success) is blow torch, sandpaper, and woodstain. You put apply the blowtorch to random areas, rub down with some pretty aggressive sandpaper, (this will remove the scorched surface and distribute the soot and ash over the rest of it). Finally apply the stain.

 

[2scoops0406]

Obviously depends on how distressed you want it, but I have seen wood distressed by flogging it with a motorbike chain, honestly ! The other methods are more to do with the colouration, but as, if not, more valid than the above suggestion. Good luck

 

[Diyisfun]

You could threaten to burn, that would distress me.

 

[petewood]

I have a flail made from different types of chain fixed to a piece of dowel for a handle. Attack the wood with this in a random way but more on corners and areas of natural wear. Then stain, then apply sealer or first layer of finish. Then I spray on black patina which dries like a powder and is then rubbed off with wire wool. You can rub off as much as you like, leaving it in corners and indentations etc. Then finish with topcoat.
If you can't get patinating spray in cans I'm sure some other kind of dark finish could be applied and rubbed off when dry, but make sure you put a sealing coat on first as it is extremely difficult to rub stain out of the grain of bare wood.

 

[kozzymodo]

Would not recommend railway sleeper as they have been boiled in tar and will continue to leak for years...

At the reclamation yard get some reclaimed timber - It will be already distressed and aged = no more work to do!

 

[masona]

Would not recommend railway sleeper as they have been boiled in tar and will continue to leak for years...

Yes you're right, I should've mention it, at my local timber merchant the railway sleeper are already clean though a sawmill.