How To Paint Furniture To Look Like Wood in 3 Simple Steps

Making a faux wood grain table top is easier than you think using this simple paint technique. No stripping or staining is required – in fact, this look is achieved with chalk paint and antiquing wax. In this How To Paint Furniture To Look Like Wood in 3 Simple Steps post I walk you through this easy paint technique!

About this Painting Technique

I first learned of this technique a couple of years ago and originally tried it on an old vintage end table that I picked up from the Facebook Marketplace. It was such a simple technique and 4 years later, the table still looks like the day I finished it. This little table sits on the end of our sofa and fits perfectly in this space. There are no scratches or stains and it has held up really well. The best part is that you would never know the top is a faux wood grain painting technique.

Recently I picked up two end tables to refinish for my vintage booth. The tops were laminate with a few marks on them so I knew this method would be the perfect solution to cover these imperfections.

Using these end tables, I will take you through the 3 steps to achieve the perfect faux wood finish!

Why You Will Love This Project

• Ease: No sanding, no priming (unless you want to) for this simple painting technique. Chalk paint is a breeze to work with however Valspar Antiquing Wax is the hero here! This antiquing wax goes on so smoothly and gives you plenty of time to get your finished look just right before drying and stay right in place! Doesn’t get better than that!
• Cost: Grab an inexpensive piece of furniture at your local thrift shop or on Facebook Marketplace and give it a completely new look for a fraction of the cost of new furniture using this technique.
• Look: Let’s face it, wood grain is timeless! One of the things I love about this technique is its faux wood grain with an artsy twist. From afar you wouldn’t know that the furniture isn’t real stained wood but up close you can see that it’s a hand-painted piece of art and a one-of-a-kind piece.

Supplies for this Project

*This post includes affiliate links, for more info on affiliate links visit here

• Piece of furniture of your choice
• Can of white chalk paint (enough to cover the furniture piece)
• Can of Valspar Antiquing Wax
• Minwax Polycrylic clear satin polyurethane
• Chip Paint brushes
• Chalk paint brush
• Frog tape -painters tape

Step 1 – Chalk Paint

The beauty of using chalk paint is that it requires very little prep. Make sure the furniture piece is clean but other than that you can go right in with your first coat without sanding or priming UNLESS it’s a darker older piece that may bleed through the chalk paint. The old cherry and dark mahogany pieces often do. For these types of furniture, I use 2 coats of B-I-N Shellac Primer first, let dry completely, lightly sand then go in with my first coat of chalk paint. Often chalk paint requires 2 – 3 coats but luckily it dries fast.

I did not prime these tables whereas they came to me with a white finish. I also have a lot of faith in chalk paint as I use it all the time! It has a sticking quality to it and I knew with two coats of chalk paint, followed by two coats of antiquing wax and to finish polycrylic – I thought – ya, we’re good!

Step 2 – Antiquing Wax

Once the piece (or pieces in this case since I have matching end tables) have dried, for the next step I begin by using frog tape to tape off the top to avoid getting the antiquing wax on the piece.

Next, I take Valspar Antiquing Wax (available at Walmart and hardware stores) and give it a good stir. Now before we go any further….erase what you have in your mind for furniture/chalk paint wax. This Antiquing wax from Valspar is more like a gel wood stain than wax, it is not greasy as you would expect a wax to be. It is so easy to apply and best of all you have plenty of time to get the brush strokes just right. In other words, it doesn’t dry fast allowing you time to manipulate the finish to your liking.

Using an inexpensive chip brush apply the antiquing wax to the top of the table. To achieve a faux wood look you will need to apply the wax and have your brush strokes head in the same direction. If the finish is too textured for your liking have a lint-free cloth handy to rub the antiquing wax for a smooth surface.

As you can see when you apply the wax the base coat of white chalk paint shows through the brush strokes. This gives the appearance of faux wood grain. It stands to reason that if you chose another base color you would have a different wood tone as a result. I tested this out on the outdoor table that I share below.

After the first coat, you will have a light finish (pictured below). You can stop there or add more coats using the same techniques. If you’re looking for a super light, smooth finish I recommend you apply the antiquing wax with your brush and then wipe it down with a lint-free rag.

When the first coat is dry (this takes approximately 2 hours), you can go in with your second coat using the same application process. You will see your furniture piece get darker and more blended with each coat.

Step 3 – Sealing with Polycryllic

Let the faux wood grain finish dry overnight and then add a top coat of polyurethane to protect the finish. And that’s it! No sanding, no multiple applications of several different paints – very straightforward! We like that, yes? For these end tables, I decided to switch out the drawer knobs. I love these little wired flower knobs that I had on hand from another project.

Frequently Asked Questions

Variations and Other Considerations

Other base paint colors: I think about this a lot – probably more than I should! The base paint color for the end tables above is white so when you use the dry brush the white paint is what shows through. This “under” color impacts the outcome greatly. You can use soft yellows or oranges like the outdoor table below for a warmer, more blond wood tone. For a cooler finish consider using gray.

Sample boards: If this is your first time using this technique or you are using a color you haven’t used before I highly suggest you make a sample board. Grab a spare piece of wood and paint it the base coat followed by the antiquing wax. This way you will know exactly what to expect. You can also determine if you like the texture of the brush strokes or if you want a smoother more blended finish using a rag.

Distressing techniques: Chalk paint and distressing go hand in hand. You may want to take a light to medium grit sandpaper to the legs of your table to give it some character. For more information on distressing visit my best paint for distressing furniture post, I share tips on how to distress furniture including 4 different distressing techniques.

Other Projects using this Technique

I used this technique to refinish an outdoor table that we got on FB Marketplace last summer. This thick sturdy table with matching benches was a steal at just $200. We placed it in our outdoor under-deck space to create an outdoor dining space. I loved the black legs but wanted to try my hand at a faux wood finish top. Below are my real wood inspiration (left) and the results of my DIY wood-look table top (right).

For this table, I first painted it with Benjamin Moore exterior latex paint in Seagull gray to match the color of our home. I then went in with a more orangey exterior latex because I was hoping to match some natural rattan chairs we have (seen in the background in the photo above). The plan was to have the wood-like finish be warm. I used a wood grain tool on this table. I simply rolled on the orange-tone paint and dragged the tool through stopping and rolling to create faux knots on the table. The result was….well awful! But I wasn’t done yet! Valspar antiquing wax to the rescue! Here’s the before Valspar saved the day!

Thoughts on the Wood Graining Tool: I thought I would like the wood grain tool more than I did. I found the pattern to be too big and prefer the more blended look of a dry paintbrush. (Note: I linked similar as the exact one I used is currently unavailable)

The finish before the Valspar was super choppy and the colors together looked terrible. I knew going in that by using Valspar antiquing wax for the top coat I would have a more blended look that would closely resemble my real wood inspiration table. For this application, I took a t-shirt rag and rubbed the antiquing wax onto the table and finally my vision came to life!

I sealed this table with outdoor clear decking sealer since this table is somewhat open to the elements here in Massachusetts. I’ve had a lot of questions about the antiquing waxing holding up in the heat. Due to the fact that it resembles more of a gel stain than wax, I have had zero problems with it in the heat.

You can see more views of this table in this Simple Fall DIY Dining Table Centerpiece Idea post. Here is a photo of the table in our outdoor dining space.

I also used this same technique with a dining table that I refinished for my booth. I used Fusion mineral paint in this beautiful green color (Bayberry) for the skirt and the legs, white chalk paint as the base coat on the table top, and then Valspar antiquing wax to create the faux wood table top. For this project, I used a lint-free rag instead of a brush to give it a more blended finish.

Lastly, I refinished this entryway table using the same technique as the original project. Did mention this look sells well at my vintage booth? This table was a Facebook marketplace find for $25. The legs are painted using cream-colored chalk paint and the top is my 3-step process for a wood-like finish.

I love DIY projects that take an entire piece of furniture and give it new life! This finish is so easy to achieve and Valspar antiquing wax is the way to go when looking for a faux wood finish.

Thanks for visiting the blog today. I loved sharing How To Paint Furniture To Look Like Wood in 3 Simple Steps with you! For more fun DIY projects be sure to check out my furniture refinishing projects including this adorable DIY dog bed!

Keep creating friends!