Today I am gonna show you an easy fun project for a bit of old world charm in How to Dry Brush a Door

I am never short of a project here. Whether it be inside or out, there is something that I want to put my hands on in an attempt to transform. This property is 70 years old and yet not quite as old as I would like, but she has great bones and massive potential.

I am undoing the updates and taking this house back to its earlier years. This means I have to redo everything that has been “updated”. It has come a long way since moving day however there is so much more work to be done.

When attempting to “date” your home. To turn back the clock within your walls in terms of your home decor, you have to think of all the little parts. How people would have lived, how things wear over time, and what would they have decorated within those times?

The doors suddenly struck me as too modern. Crispy white. So with a quick re-staining, I have an appearance of worn wood with a very minimal effort. The idea of dry brushing a door sounds much more complicated than it is.

Before

I simply purchased a wood stain. A good brush. And began to paint it directly over the paint already there. No sanding. I will say, I did wipe the door down to get the dusty bits off before starting. After applying the stain, I allowed it to dry just a bit but not all the way. Using a towel I wiped it away, then brushed it with the stain again. Running the brush over areas until I had the right amount of light and dark.

can of wood stain and a paint brush for dry brushing

When you do a project like this, the thought of how the door would be worn or where it should be worn most is helpful. I wiped the stain off more so in those heavily trafficked areas of the door, near the lock and deadbolt. I do wish I would have gotten more process shots but below I will share with you my best tips for success!

Tips for Dry Brushing

Wipe down the door and scrape off any debris before starting
Remove the knob and lock and use painter’s tape to protect the door hinge.
In between applications be sure to allow the stain to dry for a few seconds before adding another coat. This will help give it those strokes we are going for.
Use the towel to wipe over the almost-dried stain. This helps to remove obvious brush strokes.
Wear gloves and protect your clothes because wood stain will not come out of anything!
Don’t be afraid to go against the brush strokes. I use vertical and horizontal strokes over the same are.
Dry brushing is very forgiving so if you mess up by adding too much stain simply use your towel to wipe off and redo the area.
Allow the door to dry completely before replacing the knob.

What You Will Need

a towel you don’t mind damaging
a water-based stain
a paint brush for staining
a screw driver to remove the doorknob
plastic gloves to protect hands (optional)
painters tape to protect the trim (optional)

After

an upclose shot of a dry brushed door — The door directly after dry brushing

a dry burshed door — You can make the door as light or dark as you’d like

Stepping back from this project, all I could do was smile. On a 15-minute break during a homeschool afternoon, I warmed up the room and brought in a worn wood element to both the living room and the kitchen.

a dry brushed door that looks distressed — The brush strokes reveal just how forgiving this project is

Did I also mention this project cost me 20 bucks??? I’d say it was worth every cent. Remember on a project like this, the mistakes make the door look better. So don’t go for perfection. It is more about a worn look. Think of where the door might be more worn over time if it was authentic. I allowed for more dabbing in those areas near the knob that would likely be more worn over time.

These photos hardly do this project justice but I wanted to share them because so many people ask me about these doors in particular. It was one of the simplest, most affordable projects I have done so far and it has made a major statement in these rooms.

If you love old-world style as much as I do, be sure to check out these posts, in particular, Ways to Create Old-World Charm and Best Home Decor Books For Old-World Style.

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Water Based Wood Stain

4 x 12 Reusable Drop Cloth

Stain Paint Brush Set

Printable Instructions

Yield: N/A

Dry Brush A Door

An easy way to make the doors in your home appear old or worn. For an old world look.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Active Time 10 minutes

Additional Time 5 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Difficulty easy

Estimated Cost $20.00

Materials

You will need a water-based stain, I suggest Behrs Fast Drying Water Base Wood Stain
a good paintbrush for staining purposes
an old towel to wipe
A drop cloth or another old towel to protect the floor and painter tape to protect the frame (optional)

Tools

screwdriver to remove hardware from the door
paint brush staining
painter's tape (optional)
gloves (optional)
drop cloth or old towel to protect the area around the floor (optional)
old rag for wiping the stain

Instructions

Make sure to protect the floor and area with an old towel or drop cloth beforehand.
Remove door hardware for a cleaner look.
Wipe the door down to get the dusty bits off before starting
. Apply the stain in an up-and-down motion and then side by side. over the same area. This will create a more worn look as the brush strokes clash over one another. Brush briskly over stained areas.
Allow it to dry just a bit but not all the way.
Using a towel wipe the stain away lightly,
Take the brush and reapply the stain the same as before until you get the desired dept.
Continue wiping it away, applying more, and allowing it to dry a bit.
Make sure to do back and forth and then side by side as you apply to continue creating that worn look.
Once the desired look is achieved. Allow the door to completely dry before adding the hardware back

Notes

Wipe down the door and scrape off any debris before starting
Remove the knob and lock and use painter's tape to protect the door hinge.
In between applications be sure to allow the stain to dry for a few seconds before adding another coat. This will help give it those strokes we are going for.
Use the towel to wipe over the almost-dried stain. This helps to remove obvious brush strokes.
Wear gloves and protect your clothes because wood stain will not come out of anything!
Don't be afraid to go against the brush strokes. I use vertical and horizontal strokes over the same are.
Dry brushing is very forgiving so if you mess up by adding too much stain simply use your towel to wipe off and redo the area.
Allow the door to dry completely before replacing the knob.

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