This is such an easy technique and I am sure you are gonna be a wood painting fool after this post. Just promise me that if you make a project with this finish, you will tell me, tag me, post a billboard on 85N and let me know because the true measure of success is if OTHERS can do your project, ya know?!
So here we go – one way to paint wood to look like metal just like we did with my brother’s console table legs…
Yup – those legs might look like metal or aluminum or brushed steel but they are actually 2×2’s. And the technique is super simple. It requires only a few products and a little bit of time.
Rust-Oleum was so excited that we used their products for this finish that they asked us to make a video – you can see it now on the Creator’s Studio site!
CLICK HERE TO GO SEE THE VIDEO!
You can also submit your questions over there and see bloopers 🙂
Since you saw the video and I obviously didn’t have a ton of time to give you all the info you may need – here are some tips to help you if you tackle this at home.
- the Rust-Oleum Specialty Metallic in silver spray paint is a oil based spray paint and does not need priming
- after filling any knots, holes or obvious cracks in your wood and sanding your wood smooth, the spray paint may still bring out grain and you can eliminate this by sanding LIGHTLY with 400 grit and respraying. You can repeat that process anywhere from 2-8 times depending on how grain-less you want the finish
- wood that has finer grain will show less and require less prep than a larger grain wood
- you can buy a $1 brush at the Dollar Tree to keep the overall cost down! This will be your new dry brushing brush if you just dab all the stain out and you can reuse it!
- CLICK HERE to see the dry brushing technique
- a cut up tshirt works great for buffing the extra stain off
- spray paint lightly with a sweeping motion – do a very liberal finish coat on the piece
- stain with a light hand – you can always add more later
- always brush with the grain
Happy finishing y’all!
Oh and thank you to everyone who is following along on our adventures in Texas this week! We love posting our updates on Instagram (@bowerpowerblog) and today we are hitting up Waco! Maybe if we are lucky we will be able to run into Chip and Joanna 🙂
The link takes us to your ‘dashboard’ but there does not seem to be this video there?
I can’t seem to get the video to work. It just shows me a Rustoleum commercial. If you meet Chip and Joanna you will be living my dream!
i love this table, i showed my husband and he said “oh, i can make that” so maybe we will give it a try!
http://www.katelynryan.com
As much as I don’t want to sign up for anything else online or give my email address out, I did. Only for you Katie, only for you! Haha! But then disappointment struck when I clicked the link, logged in and didn’t see a video…only a discussion. Where’s the vid?
For some reason I can’t find the video on the Creators Studio website. I may not be painting any wood to look like metal, but I do enjoy your videos.
Thanks for the technique! I like that different metallics could be done, it opens up a lot of options! I’m in a very gold and copper place in my life right now 🙂
That’s weird! Try this:
https://creatorsstudio.chaordix.com/topics/65-ask-the-expert-with-bower-power#search/s:most_recent
Hi Pam. Try this link:
https://creatorsstudio.chaordix.com/topics/65-ask-the-expert-with-bower-power#search/s:most_recent
Hi Evelina. Try this link:
https://creatorsstudio.chaordix.com/topics/65-ask-the-expert-with-bower-power#search/s:most_recent
Hi Elaine. Try this Link:
https://creatorsstudio.chaordix.com/topics/65-ask-the-expert-with-bower-power#search/s:most_recent
Is there any way we can watch the video without having to create an account?!
Send me a link or tag me when you do! I’d love to see it!
xo – kb
I love the look of this table! Definitely going to try at some point!!
twentysomethinginthe2010s.com
It turned out beautifully.
Seems like they’re making me sign up to see the video. Haven’t gotten it to work yet. 🙁
Never been to Texas, hope you have a great time, like I know you all will!
Bummer! Can’t see a video unless you sign up for their website :-((
I like this table, but those legs aren’t selling me on the metal. They look like distressed/dry brushed wood. It is beautiful, but I’m just not seeing metal. Maybe it looks more metallic in person and the pictures aren’t capturing it? I might still try it, I’ve been wanting a console table like this for my entry.
Here you go Laura!
xo – kb
How many cans of spray paint did you need for the base?
I had two but honestly I probably could have just done it with one.
xo – kb
Hi – What sheen (?) of polyurethane did you use?
Thanks! The table looks great.
I used gloss 🙂
xo – kb
This looks awesome and exactly what im looking for. What shade of stain did you use? Couldn’t hear in the video. Thank you.
Kona by Rust-Oleum.
xo – kb