How I Scorch and Paint Wood for a Distressed Effect

I sit here on this cool, rainy day staring at a wet woodpile wondering what I can do to be productive and I remember my blog. My poor little fledgling of a blog is probably feeling ignored and unloved, as he hasn't had an update since September (I think). So, in an effort to pay a little more attention to my blog, and to be productive today, I decided to teach you how I get a distressed look with scorched wood. This helps me move along on a project I'm working on, and being as there's not a lot I can do in the rain under a 10 foot canopy, it makes me feel busy.

Scorching is a really cool (well...hot....) way to distress something, and when done tactfully, can make really sharp lines that really really pop. Did I say "really" enough there? Obviously, when working with wood, fire, and chemicals, it behooves you to be exceptionally careful. No one wants a piece that looks like it actually was in a house fire, nor do they want one that smells like a house fire.

This sharp edge is what we're going for.

Here's an example

The first thing you need (assuming you have a piece of wood to work on) is a torch. No, not a lighter, or a pack of matches, but a good ol' blowtorch. The torch head is going to run you about $12 and the propane tank is going to be a little less than $4. You'll also need a "striker," also known as the "lighter thingy." He'll set you back around $3. They are very easy to find at Lowe's.

Visit Lows.com to find out more

(I uploaded a video to show you how to light a torch, but unfortunately my blog-site won't let me use it, I can only embed a Youtube link, which is just way too much trouble. Search "lighting a blowtorch" on Youtube to find help.)

Now, as a reminder, we are dealing with fire, wood, and potentially, combustible chemicals. Be safe. Read warning labels. Do not do this inside! Fire creates carbon monoxide and carbon monoxide creates dead woodworkers. It's best to do these kinds of things outside.

OK, that's done. The first thing you're going to want to do to your piece is sand it at least enough so that most of the little splinters and hairy pieces are gone from the edges you want to scorch. They tend to light on fire. After they're mostly cleaned up, feel free to light your torch. Once it's lit, it's business time!

From about six inches away, you're going to want to come in closer to the corner you are scorching just until you see it start to turn black. Remember, you're not lighting a campfire. Then, slowly move the flame, following along the corner until you reach the end of the piece you're working on. Repeat this on all edges you intend to scorch. Depending on the size of the piece, this can take anywhere from a few seconds, to several hours. But keep calm, it is not even remotely difficult. Just be careful what materials are around you and that you don't set anything on fire.

Subtle edges will do the trick.

The next step is to paint over all your work (gasp!!!). It's ok, you're not going to miss it for long.

For this project I chose to use a paint+primer spray to get the best coverage. Feel free to use the most appropriate product for your piece.

I find that white, and lighter types of colors work best with this technique. The contrast really shows up well. BTW - if you're starting with a really dark wood, or a dark stain, this whole process may be overkill. Use your judgement.

At this point we're really doing a fast and dirty coat. No need to spend a lot of time on the little details. Make sure everything that needs to be covered, is covered, and then walk away and let it dry.

After you give your masterpiece some time to dry, head back over to it and get ready to rough it up.

Grab yourself a piece of 80 grit (or around there, it's not really a science) sand paper and start sanding down those corners.

The scorched wood should show through immediately.

As you go over the entire piece, take note of places that you missed, or maybe don't "pop" as much as you like. You're going to hit them with the torch again.

After you've sanded all your edges, you'll find areas that you missed, or could use a bit more heat. In most cases it is safe to torch dry paint, and I have found that although there will be an initial discoloration (white turns yellow) if you burn it a second too long, it will go back to its original color in a few seconds, unless you scorch the paint. Then it turns black. That's bad.

OK, finally you are done sanding and you are happy with the scorch markings. Now it's time to....sand?? Yes. It is time to sand again, only this time you're roughing up the initial coat of paint so that a second coat goes on really nicely.

Time to clean up your big stupid mess. You don't want all that sanding dust to end up in your final coat, do you?

Now it's time to paint.....again. Yup, as I said, the second coat makes the piece look that much nicer. If you really don't have time or energy, you can completely paint it the first time, then sand the edges and be done, and it will look OK, I guess... but the best practice is to do it twice (some might even do it three times...nahhhh, that's just crazy).

Let. It. Dry.

Proof I painted it twice ;)

Now grab a higher grit piece of sand paper (I used 220) and fold it on quarters. Folding it in quarters does two things: First, it makes it much more precise, we don't want to scratch anything that isn't supposed to be scratched in this step; Second, it preserves the sandpaper and it will last longer.

Take your folded sandpaper and slowly and smoothly go down your painted corners. This will expose a thin scorch line that contrasts sharply with the paint. If you want a little more scorch, be a little more handsy with the sand paper.

If you are going for a nice, refined finish, be careful not to sand the piece too much. Going "full-distress" will be kind of redundant and absorb the scorching. This is a subtle technique.

Once your piece is competed, clean it up with a brush, vacuum or leaf blower and you can seal it and finish it.

Enjoy your scorched distressed look.

Also enjoy this gallery of the transformation of this piece. Stay tuned for the final pictures of the full piece completed (this is just the frame).