Antique items invariably evoke admiration for their beauty and the skill of their creators. Rare items that have retained their attractiveness become an unattainable dream due to their high cost. Fans of antiques have found an affordable way to decorate their home and make an antique door with their own hands. There are several methods to decorate your interior in retro style or change your front door beyond recognition. All work is done independently; you don’t need to be an artist or cabinetmaker to do this.
Aging techniques
An old door can be made presentable.
The front door influences the first impression of the house, therefore, in addition to the reliability and strength of the locks, the owners are concerned about its appearance. Solid wood canvas, even after many years, retains its excellent qualities and natural living beauty. Scuffs and scratches, constant companions of time, make the door less presentable, but there are ways to correct the situation and give a quality item a second life. There are five main techniques by which the door travels into the past:
- applying stain;
- brushing with a wire brush;
- use of paint and paraffin;
- patination;
- craquelure varnish.
Even this one can be restored.
When choosing a way to make a door look like an antique, focus on the external features of the door, and in the case of interior doors, on the decor of the room.
With metal overlays
Imitation of antiquity is appropriate on swing doors; sliding or folding structures with such an effect look unnatural. Metal overlays attached to the corners and lock, as well as an unusual forged handle in the shape of a ring or an animal’s head will be an excellent addition to the decor. The style will be supported by massive canopies secured with nails with large brass heads.
External use of aged wood
This decorative material is perfect for decorating rustic-style facades. First of all, this is the German half-timbered style: the original decoration of the walls involves the use of wooden beams of rough texture, giving the building a characteristic appearance.
Country-style finishing also allows for the use of aged wood: the cladding itself, shutters, entrance doors, as well as decorative elements.
Railings, steps, support pillars at the porch - all this can also be made using the described wood processing methods. After practicing on small pieces, you will be able to handle any surface without much effort. Of course, large-volume elements, such as house trim, are not so easy to process manually, but there are special machines on sale for this purpose. The most important thing is to have the desire, and then everything will definitely work out.
Video - How to age wood
Video - Patination of wood
Video - Aging wood by firing
Video - Chemical method of aging wood
Over time, under the influence of natural factors - sun, moisture and wind - a grayish patina forms on old wood. It is impossible to achieve the same effect with paints or store-bought impregnations.
But you can try to reproduce the aging process of wood in an accelerated version using accessible and very inexpensive means.
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Among the many methods of tinting and chemically aging wood, this method, in my opinion, is the simplest and most cost-effective.
The infusion of table vinegar and steel wool soaks into the wood and draws out tannins (tannins), giving yellow pine the grayish hue of old, faded wood. Due to the deep penetration of the solution, the surface can be lightly sanded after treatment. The solution also dries out the wood.
But there is one catch - buy this very steel wool (it is also called steel wool). Finding it is not a problem, but it is not in Leroy. You had to go for it separately, and my main principle is not to waste time on the road and buy everything cheaply in one place .
After thinking a little, I decided to experiment with ordinary steel dishwashing sponges . They have the same composition - steel. The only difference is the size of the “fibers,” which affects the rate of decomposition and readiness of the solution. Whether it worked or not, read on
