Give Your Windowsill a Reclaimed Wood Finish!

2 Materials
$35
2-3 Hours
Medium
If you love the look of reclaimed wood the way I do, this DIY windowsill project is for you! It is a stunning way to update a tired, outdated kitchen!
A reclaimed wood windowsill DIY!
We used pre-cut shelving board for this. It is made of thin planks bonded together, usually pine. Pine is perfect for distressing because it is soft and marks up easily.


We measured the width of our windowsill, and cut the wood to fit, leaving the wood about 1/8" narrower than the windowsill. We didn't want to have to hammer it into place! All cuts were made with a table saw, for the cleanest cut possible. If you don't have one, a handsaw is ok - just more work!
Measuring and cutting the width of the window
Then we measured our depth, allowing an extra inch for the thickness of the board being used vertically. Make sure at this point to decide which section of the depth you are ok with "losing." We wanted to keep as many knots and marks as we could!
Measuring and cutting the depth of the board
We cut the vertical section to the same length as the windowsill. Then we layed it all in place before distressing, just in case any additional cuts or sanding had to be done.
Cutting and measuring the vertical section
Next we distressed the wood! This can be done with hammers and garden tools, even a chain!
The board after being distressed
Once the wood had been distressed, we stained it with 2 coats of Minwax stain in Dark Walnut. This brought out all of the distressing in the wood and gave it a lived in look. What a difference!
Distressed and stained - the beautiful result
Once the stain had dried, we set the wood plank in the windowsill and lined up the vertical edge. We then applied a strong glue to both edges and glued the horizontal and vertical surfaces together. We used shims under the edge to ensure ample contact for the glue to adhere.
Apply the glue to the edges that overlap
The end result is a gorgeous, eye-catching focal point for any window!


For even more details, full before and after shots, and video of the wood distressing technique, head to my blog!


Enjoy your project!


Aubrey - Luscious & Lively
The completed reclaimed wood windowsill
Suggested materials:
  • Pine shop shelving   (Home Depot)
  • Minwax Stain in Dark Walnut   (Home Depot)
Aubrey @ Luscious and Lively
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
Go
Frequently asked questions
Have a question about this project?
Comments
Join the conversation
 4 comments
Next