When I was renovating my office, I knew I wanted to keep the wood paneling but no matter what I tried I couldn’t get the red tones to match my style. I decided to transform it into this gorgeous light gray oak wash with gel stain and it turned out SO GOOD!

The first time I used this technique was at our old house when I transformed the front door into a gorgeous faux wood. I was BLOWN away at the result so when I was working on my office I knew this would be the perfect solution!

Materials:

• Paint (I used Harvest Brown)
• Gel Stain (I used Varathane Briarsmoke)

Tools:

• Paint Roller & Cover
• Staining Brush
• Broom

Step 1: Prep!

If you’re doing this method in any high traffic area you will get the best results by doing a light sand on the surface you will be transforming followed by a coat of primer. My office is a low traffic area, and I was so ready for this project to be over, so I went with a high quality paint + primer in one. Make sure you tape off all edges to get clean edges.

Step 2: Paint

After your prep is finished, you want to start with a full coat of the paint of your choice. I really wanted the gray oak finish so I found a combo that will work for that and I am using Harvest Brown paint. You want to get the coat as even as possible and let it completely dry before moving on to the next step.

Step 3: Add the Faux Wood Texture

This is where the magic happens! I’m using Varathane gel stain in the color Briarsmoke. I am brushing it on with a decking brush to achieve a thick coat of stain and then I’m following immediately with a broom to add the wood grain texture. It’s truly incredible how real this looks. I was blown away the first time I used this method and I’m still in awe!

This truly is such a quick and easy way to transform the look of the wood in your home! Let me know if you try it!

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A post shared by Amanda Vernaci | Come Stay Awhile (@comestayawhile)