I’ve been working on wood trestle bridges. I’ve been Testing stains on pieces but can’t get the look I want! The bridge is complete. I’m trying to get a weatherer look, gray But not dark seasoned wood. I guess I should have stained it first. What would be to best way to get this clor without damageing the bridge?
Try Minwax Driftwood. Or maybe Minwax Driftwood diluted with Minwax Natural.
I used Minwax “Walnut” stain on one early trestle that got some positive comments from viewers. I treated my most recent trestle build with real creosote oil, but I probably could have let it soak longer because it was somewhat light. In the image, the timber abutment is acrylic-stained, and the bent frames and bracing/stringers/girts are all creosote stained.
For acrylic craft paints from Wally’s, Burnt Umber is a good safe bet. You can lighten or darken it easily with tan or black respectively.
If you want to portray a neglected trestle, then greys with india ink wash might work, or the suggestions from the previous poster. I have seen that diluted boot blacking or boot polish will impart a nice weathered look to wood.
Crandell
For light to medium gray weathered wood, I use a wash of black craft store acrylic paint mixed with 90% iso alcohol, but others use a wash of India ink and 70% iso alcohol.
Staining the wood before assembly helps avoid glue spots that repel the stain, and insures complete coverage. Even in hard to reach areas.
Hi southernnscale
It only works on some woods. but get some cheap vinegar and some steel wool.
Put some steel wool in a jar and pour the vinegar in the jar seal the jar leave it for a week or two.
Then get an off cut of the wood you wish to stain and give it a coat of the vinegar and leave it to dry
If bass wood is one of the woods it works on and colors it will hopefully turn a weathered grey.
If it does the bridge is best done out in the shed or out side the vinegar smell is quite overpoweringly strong.
For some strange reason the domestic authorities don’t like it stinking out the house.
Once made the stain does not last long before it stops staining so don’t leave it brewing to long
Once the bridge is done if you have any other wood you want stained do it it straight away and after that
don’t bother keeping the stain because next time you want it in all probability will be life expired…
So a fresh batch will have to be made.
Always do a test stain on a bit of scrap first as stated at the beginning it does not work on all woods.
regards John
DO NOT SEAL THE JAR TIGHT !!! The reaction of the vinegar & the steel wool produces hydrogen gas that is highly flammable. punch a few small holes in the lid of the jar and leave the lid loose. put the jar in a spot it will not get tipped over that gets plenty of air circulation.
The standard for grey weathering on wood iis alcohol and shoe dye (or india ink). Most of us have a staining jar that we keep around. Staining first is usually preferred so that you can avoid glue spots not taking the stain and to make it easier to get complete coverage. It is also harder to get a decent shade without letting the wood soak for awhile.
In your situation I would mix up a pretty strong mixture (test it before applying) and then paint the entire structure. Afterwards I would go in with some light grey paint and touch up the spots where the glue blocked the stain …Go easy on that initial first coat - you can always add more later… very hard to lighten the stain later…
Here is a gray colored bridge:
Here is a darker black creosote look:
Both were stained using alcohol and shoe dye. The bottom mixture was much stonger and the wood soaked a little longer.
Guy