# Making paint look like stain



## Jim McClain (Dec 2, 2006)

I have a wall with pine plank paneling. All the other walls are painted. I would like to use a darker shade of the wall color to use like a stain on the planks. I was thinking I could dilute the paint (a semigloss dark green color) with an amount of water and use a rag to rub the paint mixture into the wood, wiping most of it off with a damp rag. The next step I would do would be to coat the dry result with a water based urethane so it would preserve the effect and make it easy to clean.

Am I headed in the right direction? I realize there are green stains available and I know how to apply and finish them. This is not my question. I would like to know if the method I describe above will work and what I can do to make this a successful finish that will look like the wood was stained a darker shade of the room color and be easy to clean. It may not look exactly like a stain, but if the grain of the wood and the knots show through, I think it would look very nice.

Thank you for any thoughts or advice on this.

Jim


----------



## mark942 (Feb 2, 2008)

I am guessing your pine is bare wood?
From the looks of your posting your aware that your Semi gloss paint will dull out because of the dilution. Hence the poly final. 


Try it out on a piece of scrap. ( Might have to try a few coats ) But from what you have typed it looks like some thing I have tried in years past. Just with a different wood species.
Good Luck :thumbsup:


----------



## Bob Mariani (Dec 1, 2008)

What you are doing is a method of glazing. You can do this with paint, but not the way it would normally do it. Glaze will fill in the lower grain lines accenting the darker color as you are attempting to do. It is more controllable than the painting method you are using. I would make sample boards of the effect you want first documenting each step until you get your desired result. It will be okay to do it your way if that look is okay with you. Test first!


----------



## user1007 (Sep 23, 2009)

Glazing is the idea and you want to use a clear acrylic material/medium for the purpose to thin the paint, not water or you will start destroying the chemistry and could end up with a nightmare. The paint store will also have glazing kits. Your art store may have more options but it will get pricey. Definitely practice on sample pieces or sections first.


----------



## Jim McClain (Dec 2, 2006)

Well, after testing this out, it looked like ca-ca. Just didn't look natural. Maybe something else will work.

Thanks for all the help and advice.

Jim


----------



## Rcon (Nov 20, 2009)

The only way to do this is to tone the wood with a transparent dye stain & lacquer/urethane combo. This will allow your wood grain to show through, but his cannot be brushed on. Diluting the paint and rubbing it on like a glaze won't work, and will never stick to the wood panelling. Don't topcoat it with urethane, you'll have to rip the walls out and reinstall new wood panelling if you don't like the finish. A finish like this has to either be sprayed (which will look the best), or you could go to home depot and try to get them to match a polyshade for you, which you then apply by brush. 2 or 3 coats should get you to a close color. Do a sample first, because once the polyurethane is cured you'll never get it off.


----------



## Jim McClain (Dec 2, 2006)

*update on the backsplash*

I know it's been a while, but I work really slow. :wink: The backsplash is finished. It's not perfect, but for a guy working on less than a quarter of normal lung function, I am very happy with what I accomplished.

I painted the wall a dark green because there are knots, cracks and gaps that will expose the wall behind the pine planks. The color scheme of my apartment is green. Then I applied the planks in a staggered pattern with finish nails anchored in the studs.

Click any image for a full-size view.
​
Once all the planks were nailed in, I diluted the off-white trim paint (gloss, color Warm Room, by Regency) with water - 1 part water, 2 parts paint. Then, using a damp terry cloth rag, I rubbed the paint on the boards like a whitewash so the grain and knots would show through.

I let the paint dry over night and then started applying water based spar varnish (low VOC). I applied 4 coats. Then the counter tops were installed (I made those too) and the trim was put on.

 ​
It was quite a project and I am pleased it turned out so well. The kitchen is rustic elegance, influenced by the Craftsman style. It's a far cry from what this converted garage used to look like at that end of the apartment:

​
R'gards,

Jim


----------

