Antique doors can become a real decoration of the interior, and you can do the aging work yourself, without resorting to expensive help from specialists.
The process of aging wood consists ofmechanical surface treatment and subsequent work on applying paint and varnish coatings. This process involves the initial mechanical treatment of the product surface and subsequent work on applying paint and varnish coatings. At the first stage, the surface is finished with a steel brush, which will allow the method of applying scratches to reveal the natural texture of the material. The above process is called brushing, since it involves the use of a brush (from the English brush - brush). A rough solid door is perfect for this, which is able to convey the true beauty of the real material. It is not worth using a product made of wooden slats for this, since it will not be possible to achieve the desired effect.
Material preparation
If you decide to decorate your doors in an antique style, thenThe use of brushing technology is welcomed on soft wood, medium-hard wood is also suitable, since this material has a pronounced texture. Surface preparation consists of eliminating defects, this can be grease and other stains. Then you can begin to form roughness, the depth of which can reach 2-3 mm.
Perform wood aging workit is necessary to wear protective gloves. During operation, wooden products are exposed to insects, this effect can be achieved, but before the start of finishing, you should use a drill or a drill. It is permissible to apply simple patterns in the form of braids in this way, which will allow you to decorate the door in a Scandinavian style. If you plan to process the doors in the whole house, you should rent a grinding machine that can provide the appropriate feed rate of wood. In addition, the tool involves the removal of wood dust. You can also use a brush machine for this, but the easiest option for grinding will be a grinder or a drill. It is advisable to use a tool that has the ability to adjust the speed. To carry out the work, you will need to prepare:
- respirator;
- gloves;
- glasses;
- brushes;
- sandpaper;
- varnish.
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Grinding technology
The brushing process requiresthree main stages, the first of which is a rough selection of soft fibers, the second is grinding, the last is polishing. Each stage should be carried out using a separate brush. Rough selection is carried out using a steel brush - wire brush. But after its use, small scratches are formed, getting rid of which will not be so easy, so you should follow certain rules. The brush should be moved exclusively along the fibers, otherwise there is a chance that the annual rings will be damaged, and the natural pattern will be spoiled.
Wood sanding diagram.The steel brush should be moved at a certain speed, without increasing or decreasing the intensity of pressure, otherwise you can make holes. The light source during processing should fall from the side at an acute angle, the light beam should be directed across the fibers, which will provide a good view of the surface. Do not press too much on the base, since this overloads the tool motor and there is a risk of breakage. If you plan to use a new brush, then you will first need to "run it in", otherwise the wood will get a base with a huge number of burrs. When processing a door, the speed of the brush should not be more than 3,000, the most suitable option is 2-2.5 thousand revolutions. During grinding, it is necessary to use safety glasses, and put on gloves on your hands. Respiratory organs must also be protected by using a respirator. It is recommended to work exclusively in one mode of the tool, which involves rotation. Whereas it is preferable not to use the reverse, as this will contribute to damage to the steel brush. You should not start treating the surface of the doors if their humidity level exceeds 15%, as a higher humidity level will contribute to the formation of a “shaggy” surface.
Sanding wood will not leave dirt or grimedust to get into the wood fibers. If the work involves doors made of hardwood such as oak or larch, it is necessary to get rid of dust, since dust particles of this kind are carcinogenic and can provoke the development of certain diseases. In order to get a better finish and get rid of excess "pile", you should use a grinding disc brush made of polymer-abrasive material. An abrasive brush will allow you to clean the surface after processing with a steel brush. The technology for carrying out work with this tool is the same as that used with a metal brush. However, the number of revolutions should be reduced to 1500, which will extend the life of the brush. Return to contents</a>
Aging Features
Before you age a door, you should rememberthat it is not recommended to sand the edges and corners of the canvas at all, which is especially true if the craftsman plans to varnish the product after processing. This is due to the fact that this will subsequently cause nicks and small chips.
Types of colors for wood tinting.If you plan to install the door in the kitchen, it is not recommended to make an excessively deep relief on the surface, since fat will certainly settle on the door leaf and dirt will appear, which will be extremely difficult to get rid of during cleaning, the space between the fibers will be difficult to clean. In order to prevent dirt from getting between the fibers and to prevent rags from getting stuck during cleaning, the surface must be additionally treated with fine-grained sandpaper. The last stage of brushing will be the use of a sisal or other synthetic brush. For this, you can also use a fine abrasive sponge or steel wool. After this stage, dust must be removed using a wide soft brush and a vacuum cleaner. Return to contents</a>
Carrying out tinting
The door should be mechanically processedprotect it so that it will serve for a long time. This stage involves tinting, with its help the shade of the material changes by several tones. After that, it is necessary to carry out patination, where special solutions should be used for this. You should also cover the door with your own hands with craquelure varnish, which will allow you to get the effect of cracked paint. The most natural aged look of the material is given by varnishes of dark shades. Those areas of the canvas that have soft wood in the composition can be unevenly covered in darker colors, as for the depressions and pores. While elements made of hard wood are covered in lighter tones. However, the color arrangement can be changed.
Drying and painting of wood is carried outoutdoors. If you want to limit yourself to a simpler technology, you can do the tinting by first covering the surface with a generous layer of dark-colored stain, and then immediately wiping the surface with a wide rubber spatula; you can replace the tool with an ordinary rag. However, if you decide to opt for a more complex aging technique, you should wait until the stain dries completely, treating the ridges with fine-grained sandpaper. Finally, the wood will need to be treated with varnish or a special colorless impregnation, which will protect the top layer of wood. Another alternative is to use paints of contrasting shades. To do this, first paint the base with the first color and only then proceed to apply the second. While the second layer is drying, you should run a wide spatula over the wood, which will get rid of the excess paint, exposing the ridges of the first layer. Return to contents</a>
Alternative variants of aging
Can be used for aging andchemical method. Its essence is that ammonia must be applied to the sanded surface. It will promote darkening of the wood and manifestation of the structure. There is an option for using the thermal method, it involves the use of a blowtorch, here it is also necessary to carry out the treatment until the structure of the wood appears. After that, the base should be cleaned with a hard brush. The same effect can be achieved if the wood is covered with black ink, and on top - with shoe polish. The ink will penetrate inside and give the material a black color, while the shoe polish will protect the canvas from fading. You can also prefer a mechanical method, for this the door should be shot with small shot or the canvas should be treated with an awl. This will allow you to get the effect of a surface that has been eaten away by bugs. An antique door, decorated with this method, looks amazing. The aging process cannot be called simple, but as a result you will be able to obtain unique, hand-made decorative items that contain a piece of the master’s soul, the beauty of history, and are also distinguished by a high degree of durability.</ ul>
