{"id":1607,"date":"2021-08-11T10:22:44","date_gmt":"2021-08-11T15:22:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/twomakeahome.com\/?p=1607"},"modified":"2021-08-11T10:27:14","modified_gmt":"2021-08-11T15:27:14","slug":"how-do-i-whitewash-varnished-knotty-pine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/twomakeahome.com\/how-do-i-whitewash-varnished-knotty-pine\/","title":{"rendered":"How Do I Whitewash Varnished Knotty Pine?"},"content":{"rendered":"

I say it quite often, I hate the look of knotty pine in a home. It became so popular for a while that manufacturers began to make paneling that looked like knotty pine. It likely makes your room look small, dark, enclosed, and outdated. For those who have real tongue-and-groove wooden knotty pine<\/a> on their walls, I\u2019m sorry.<\/p>\n

All is not lost, though. Knotty pine<\/a> can be changed with only a few steps and a little hard work. This usually includes painting and staining the wood. Have you considered another alternative that will brighten the wood but still keep it looking natural? You can whitewash your varnished knotty pine walls pretty simple once you know how. Many homeowners use this technique when they want to bring a nautical, farmhouse, or cottage feel to their rooms.<\/p>\n

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Whitewash has changed over the years. It used to be a lime-based wash that was put on wood in outdoor spaces, like barns and fences. It would actually bleach out the wood over time. This whitewash served two purposes: it protected the wood, and it had antiseptic qualities (making it perfect for places where animals lived). Today\u2019s DIYers usually are not looking to whitewash a chicken coop, but instead want to bring that classic, rustic look indoors. When we refer to whitewashing wood now, we\u2019re usually talking about thinned paint or a white stain.<\/p>\n

Step 1: Remove Old Varnish<\/h2>\n

If you\u2019re lucky, you may have some knotty pine on the walls that were never finished<\/a>. I say this is lucky because you can simply skip this step. Ideally, wood should always be conditioned, sealed, and finished as a final product. However, you may be the one deciding to add that knotty pine. I promise I\u2019m not judging. Whether whitewashing a wall or a piece of furniture, you\u2019ll need to remove the old varnish- the shiny topcoat covering the wood.<\/p>\n

There are primarily two ways to get rid of the varnish<\/a>: sanding or stripping. Sanding takes the longest but is also the safest. On top of removing the varnish, sanding will also remove the stain that was used initially and bring a brand-new layer of fresh wood to the surface.<\/p>\n

However, this takes time and patience. Also, if you have very thin wood, it may take off more wood than you would like. However, you really want to have the raw wood to properly whitewash.<\/p>\n

Using a chemical stripper is your other option for removing shellac and polyurethane. There are many kinds out there that will work, so if you know what type of varnish is on your wood, it will help a lot. Denatured alcohol and lacquer thinner work really well on shellac and lacquer.<\/p>\n

All other finishes will need a harsher stripper, which tends to be caustic (though many newer strippers are environmentally safe) and comes in a paste. For the thinner, you\u2019ll use a brush to get it on the wood, then use a putty knife to scrape the old varnish off. With the paste, use some steel wool to apply and scrape off the old finish (for both you\u2019ll want to follow the grain).<\/p>\n

Step 2: Prepare Your Whitewash<\/h2>\n

Select the type of whitewashing you\u2019d like to use. Again, modern whitewashing uses paints and stains, not the actual calcimine chemical. Do you want to use water or oil-based paints or stains? This is really up to you, but latex paint<\/a> is water-based and inexpensive.<\/p>\n

Whitewashing is also a general term for the lightening of wood, so many people will use grays and blues along with white. The primary point of whitewashing is to brighten a room while maintaining the natural grain of the wood.<\/p>\n

For the sake of this article, we\u2019ll consider whitewashing with white, flat latex paint<\/a>. Keep in mind, the stain does not require thinning, and oil-based paints will need to be thinned using turpentine.<\/p>\n

However, once you\u2019ve thinned your paint out using water, the process for both paint and stain will pretty much be the same. The common mixture for whitewash is one part water to two parts of paint.<\/p>\n

Step 3: Whitewash<\/h2>\n

The materials you\u2019ll need for whitewashing are basic:<\/p>\n