Asked on Oct 27, 2018
How to best seal Pallet wood & keep look of 'scrap' ?
by
Spikecatz
+2
Love the holes, stamps, scuffs & different coloring found in working with pallets. The extensive variety of types & textures of the wood planks, make working with it a challenge After getting a design pencil stenciled on- couldn't just paint it in without color seep. It seems to 'spread out' into the wood, not keeping or adding charm. How or what is used to seal it, that with additional work and a top coat-will help retain the look of the original ? Think I complicated that Q trying to explain it! Thanks for advice.
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Are you asking how to seal pallet wood? Don't really understand the question. Why not just use paneling cut to size that looks like pallet wood.
You could use a light coat of polyurethane to seal it a bit before you do anything to the wood. I would look for something in a flat finish so it doesn't make it look too shiny and keep with the authentic look.
Pallet wood is the cheapest pine you can get. It is a soft wood. You need to prime it first or seal it first with a polyurethane.
Pallet wood often has a roughness that you might want to smooth but still keep that worn look. You can age it using some coffee and/or tea instead of a commercial stain. Another good way of staining is to dilute a grayish/ash colored craft paint...or a raw umber (more brown) and rub it down. Start very diluted until you get the color you want. Experiment on the wood you are going to use...if it looks bad, that side can always go next to the wall! You might also try distressing it some by beating it a little with a link of chain. That way, the stain will be darker in some places. (If you want a more flawed look, you may want to sand off some of the sharpness on the edges.)
Also, adding a little color here and there (maybe white...very diluted...or a greenish...whatever color you like for accent.) Here is a link to a lot of choices.
https://www.google.com/search?q=stained+pallet+wood&rlz=1C1GGRV_enUS751US751&oq=stained+pallet+wood&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l5.9791j1j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
Once you have what you want, you can clear coat it with a varnish so it does not collect dust!
You can seal it first if you'd like but there are also products at art supply stores that allow you to mask out areas in an effort to keep paint from seeping. It might be tough on pine though but try it on a sample piece first.