Faux Bois Glaze Technique

A few weeks ago, someone on my Facebook page suggested I share how I create the faux bois (fake wood) technique I have on a few of my pieces.  It’s really pretty cool and something I was intimidated by before I got the hang of it.  I ended up watching a ton of YouTube videos about the technique.  Leave it to Martha Stewart to make the supplies I would need, available at my favorite store – Home Depot!

A client happened to stop in last week looking for that technique on her little 3-drawer stand, which worked out perfectly so I could blog about it. 

I gave it one coat of primer and three coats of purple paint.  Once it was all dry, I got started faux bois-ing it.

The supplies I use:

-Martha Stewart heart grain rocker

-Martha Stewart Metallic Glaze – comes in several colors

-old paint brush

I start by covering the whole surface with an even coat of glaze.

Depending on the width of the piece I’m working on, I make several “passes” with the rocker.  It’s called a rocker because you drag it through the glaze as steady as possible and rock it to form the wood grain.

I then go over it again with more passes until the whole thing has wood grain.

I won’t lie.  More often than not I mess it up and have to start over.  But that’s the beauty of the glaze – it doesn’t dry fast.  If a pass with the rocker isn’t to my liking, I just brush over it and go again.  Although, I do have to fight the tendency to make each pass perfect.  I could make myself crazy if I went down that path.

It's a pretty fun and funky way to spice up a piece of furniture - I'm just cautious not to overdo it.  Too much can be overpowering.  

So what do you think?  This little purple stand will certainly make a statement in a room!