How to create easy faux Wood Grain - Faux Bois          

Wood Graining Effect

Simulated wood-grain, or ‘faux bois’, is a practical and economical way to create realistic wood treatments in the rustic environment. The treatment demonstrated here, a slightly exaggerated wood-grain effect, works well on cabinetry, doors, trim and objects such as boxes and storage containers. By varying the secondary glaze color from pale cream to dark brown you can quickly achieve a variety of authentic looking wood grain appearances.

Antique Glazes and Aged Finishes
Antique paint glaze

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Color Palette

Base color – Aged Pine

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Glaze color – Earthen Timber

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Step 1:

Prepare the surface as described on page XX. Apply the latex eggshell base color, Aged Pine, using a 3 inch brush and mini-roller for the larger areas. 


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Step 2:

Creating the glaze

Create the glaze solution by mixing Raw Umber, Burnt Sienna and Ultramarine Blue in a  6:4:1 proportion respectively. Combine these tint colors with Latex Glazing liquid and water in a 2.5 qt bucket. Mix enough glaze to insure you can complete your project. Typically a quart of latex glazing liquid will be enough for most cabinet or furniture projects. Once you’ve mixed the color and tested it, you can add water to thin it to the consistency of thick cream.

Step 3:

I like to begin glazing panels by working from the inside out. Start by apply the glaze in a straight vertical direction, form top to bottom.


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Step 4:

Add glaze to the upper, lower and side areas.


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Step 5:

Begin to refine the graining by wiping excess from your brush with a clean rag, then repeat the dragging motions, up and down, over the panel to emphasis the grain you are creating. 


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Step 6:

Using the graining tool

Generally a wood graining tool has two sides, one with wide ‘teeth’, the other with semi-circles over a curved surface. First, I’ll use the wide teeth to loosely drag over the panels removing some glaze and creating wider lines to supplement the thinner ones created with the dragged brush technique in step 5. 


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Step 7:

Next, I’ll flip the tool to utilize the rounded feature. Starting at the top, I pull the tool over the panel and begin to roll over the curved surface to vary the graining pattern. Immediate results can be seen. This step creates the cross grain and knotted appearance of pine wood. Continue along the upper and lower edge and along the sides. 


Step 8:

Apply a clear satin finish sealer over the panels to protect the wood grain finish.


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