Use scrapper to drag the paint across the board and fill in the wood grain grooves. Painting the inside should be your first step. For extra holding power, mix a small amount of Portland cement into the whitewash. For all techniques, consider finishing with a coat of polyurethane to seal in your hard work. There's more than one way to do it. Ordinary lime, or quick lime, is caustic. You may want to try out a few different shades of white or light gray or try different ratios of paint to water. Dip rag in mixture and apply it liberally to the wood as you would a stain, wiping over it with a rag to evenly distribute it. A simple whitewash formula for exterior brick uses hydrated lime and table salt in a 5-to-1 ratio, or 50 pounds of lime to 10 pounds of salt. My coop wasn’t going to look like a barn. Mix equal parts white latex paint and water, and apply the paint to the brick and grout using a paintbrush. Pour a bead of paint directly down the center of the board. As with all techniques, practice staining brick before applying the technique on a brick fireplace or wall. If you’re working on a large project, it may take more than one day to complete. You can dilute latex stain with water, but oil-based stain must be diluted with paint thinner or turpentine. The semi-transparency allows some of the base color to show through. Once the base coat is dry, cut a large cellulose sponge the same size as the bricks. So here are three easy steps to hopefully help you find great success with your whitewashing efforts. This works on all types of wood, and creates a chippy, vintage look. Love the look of whitewashed wood? The materials are inexpensive, and with the help of a partner, you can transform an entire brick fireplace in just a few hours. Begin Inside . Prepare your whitewash: a 50/50 solution of water to white latex paint, stirred to an even consistency. I selected a paint colour from the normal fan deck, and the paint store "pushed" the formula into a semi-transparent stain. We recommend our users to update the browser. As you work, have a partner come along behind you and wipe the excess paint off with a rag. Paint the entire surface with white paint and let it dry until tacky, about 15 to 20 minutes. Stay tuned for the first newsletter in the morning, straight to your inbox. How to Do Sponge and Ragging Effects on Walls, How to Paint With Glaze for a Golden Yellow Wall, The Yellow Cape Cod: White Washed Brick Fireplace -- Tutorial, Retro Renovation: Instead of Cleaning or Painting Brick -- Stain Your Brick Fireplace with Concrete Stain, Painted Furniture Ideas: Ways Tto Update Brick, Crafty Waffles: If You Don't Like It Then You Should Put Some Stain On It, Faux Painting Techniques to Use on a Brick Fireplace, How to Paint Brick for Home Remodeling Projects. How to Stain Unfinished Wood with Used Coffee Grounds. Starting at the top of the paint tray, pour a small amount of dark gray paint over the ribbed section of the tray. © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. This technique works best on surfaces with high texture, such as rough or reclaimed wood, and creates a more rustic, barn wood look.