How to Give Plywood a Vintage Look
You can skip the high price of genuine antique wood by distressing new plywood yourself. The result mimics old, worn surfaces and lets you customize the appearance for your own projects.
By Taylor Evans5 steps
Give plywood a distressed, antique look with a few hardware-store finds.
Worn corners and scratched surfaces give old wood a narrative, yet acquiring that look typically costs a significant amount. You can avoid that expense by distressing fresh plywood to resemble aged material, and you'll end up with a finish that matches your own preferences. Whether you're making a decorative item or incorporating the plywood into furniture such as a table top or headboard, the technique can produce a weathered appearance convincing enough that people may ask where you found such an antique.
Step 1
Scatter medium to large pieces of gravel over a flat work surface. Place a sheet of plywood on the gravel, then step on the plywood to force it down into the stones. Lift the plywood and remove the gravel with a brush.
Step 2
Set the plywood on a flat surface with its marked side facing up. Create small indentations that look like wormholes by driving a nail into the wood with a rubber mallet.
Step 3
Blow out the gouges and holes using a can of compressed air. Clear away any loose debris from the wood's surface.
Step 4
Put the plywood on a drop cloth and put on latex or nyplex gloves. Using a paint brush or a piece of lamb's wool, apply a medium- to dark-colored gel wood stain across the whole surface. Wipe away the excess stain with a clean, dry rag. Let the stain dry following the manufacturer's instructions.
Step 5
With a paintbrush, coat the plywood's surface in satin polyurethane. Let it dry as directed by the manufacturer.
