Wood Graining A Handrail In Knutsford
Wood graining: Working on a job in Cheshire, I suggested wood graining a handrail on their staircase, to get it as near as possible to the same as the new wood-effect flooring. Working from a good sample, I started the matching process.
– I painted the handrail in Pale Stone, an old Ratcliffes colour.
– Once dry I used French Walnut as a first graining colour thinned with white spirit to aid flow. Using a paint brush, I brushed out the medium to an even colour, then with a mottler and a clean rag worked a grain into the wet medium, creating a series of wood lines, if you like, varying the pressure.
Tips for wood graining
I worked along the rail until I reached the end, then left it a minute, to allow some of the spirit to evaporate. Before softening it with my Badger softener brush with the softest of touches.
Working my way around the rails, it’s important to try and not get repetitive, and keep each piece different.
I let the main figure grain dry over night. All it needed was over-graining.
Over-graining
With the same mix as before, and a bit of black added. You brush more medium over the rail and flog it out with a flogger brush.
The older floggers used horse tail as the bristles, which produce the dark dapple marks in some hardwoods.
After another night left to dry, it needed a couple of coats of protective varnish to finish the process.
The spindles and newel posts could then thoroughly prepared and painted.
There is no limit really to what can be reproduced in paint. This is definitely one approach.
There can be a big difference between knowing how it is done and being able to do it yourself, you can contact me for projects in the North West Specialist kitchen & furniture painters JS Decor is a founder member of the HPKUK group. We are the first port of call for graining, marbling and hand painted kitchens. From South Lakes, Preston to South Cheshire.
Jason has been hand-painting kitchens since 1993, trading as JS Decor.