The Painted Distressed Wood Panel Tutorial

I can tell you are excited about this tutorial! I’ve had more comments and compliments on the side panel on my kitchen desk and on the range hood.

They are definitely the details in our kitchen that make it personal. I got the idea after seeing Sarah Richardson’s kitchen, where she actually used reclaimed lumber on the side of her cabinets.

But, I knew finding the right distressed wood would be tricky. Plus, I always worry about the presence of lead paint. Instead, I decided to make it and fake it. As promised, I’m sharing the tutorial with you.

Materials:

• 1″x4″ boards
• Kreg Jig
• Tape Measure
• Finish Nails
• Hammer
• Nail set
• Gorilla Glue
• Wood putty
• Putty Knife
• Pencil
• 45 degree triangle
• Thin Plywood
• Jigsaw
• Palm sander
• Chalk paint (or acrylic paint) gray, white, and light blue
• Valspar Asphaltum Glaze
• My Secret Rustic Glaze Formula
• Rag
• Paint brush
• Gorilla glue
• Coins to use as spacers

Instructions:

Create a frame for the side of your desk (or cabinet) using 1×4″ boards and a Kreg Jig. You can follow this tutorial for making open frames with a Kreg Jig.

Attach the frame to the side of the desk using Gorilla Glue and finish nails.

Countersink the nails with the nail set. Fill nail holes and seams with wood putty. Let putty dry and sand smooth. Prime and paint the frame to match the rest of the desk.

Measure the inside of the frame. Transfer the measurements onto your thin plywood. Draw diagonal lines using the 45 degree triangle onto the plywood. (You may need to play with your panel sizes until you get even spacing and even corners.)

Cut the plywood pieces with a jigsaw and sand the edges smooth.

Test fit the pieces into the side of the frame. Make any cuts or sand down edges now. (I actually sanded the edges until I had  a gap in between the panels.)

Lay boards onto a drop cloth and paint them different colors. I used a very watered down paint to allow the wood grain to show through. Add a white wash on top by using watered down white paint or dry brushing.

Use the Valspar Asphaltum and/or my Secret Rustic Glaze Formula to lightly dry brush the edges and select places to give the boards some “dirty age.”  Wipe off excess with a rag. You can also put a small amount of glaze on your paint brush and knock it on another paint brush to freckle the boards. (Read this great tutorial if you want more aging and distressing ideas.)

Once you are happy with the distressed boards, get ready to glue them into the frame. Add Gorilla Glue to the back of the boards. Set them into the frame, use coins as spacers to hold the panels in place.

Once the glue has dried, remove the coins. And…admire!

And that my good friends is the way to create distressed boards for the side of a desk, range hood, or wherever you want to add visual interest. Please feel free to pin and share the tutorial with others.

I’ll be back later this week with the tutorial for building a custom range hood!

P.s. Because I know you’ll ask: The desk color is Copen Blue by Sherwin Williams. And the floor is golden oak and natural nugget cork flooring by Globus Cork.

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