How to Whitewash Wood (4 Best Techniques Compared)

Whitewashing allows the beauty of natural woodgrain to shine through a light, bright finish. This step by step tutorial with a video will show you how to whitewash wood in four different ways with a comparison on different species of wood.

I love wood grain. The variation in natural wood can be absolutely beautiful, but there are times when I don’t want a natural wood color on a piece. Whitewashing allows the wood grain to shine through, while still maintaining a lighter color.

whitewashed plank wall with gray whitewash over stained wood

I’ve used various whitewashing techniques on furniture, wood plank walls, and smaller home decor projects over the years. Since each one produces a slightly different look, I thought it would be helpful to share the techniques side by side so you can decide the best method for your project.

There are four main methods for whitewashing wood:

  1. Diluted Paint Whitewash
  2. Whitewash Stain (oil-based or water-based)
  3. Paint and Scraper
  4. Wax Resist

Four Methods for Whitewashing

In each of the four sections below, you’ll find a step-by-step guide on how to whitewash wood using that method.

1. Diluted Paint Method

This whitewashing technique is the most commonly used method and works well on all wood surfaces.

Mix 2 parts white paint with one part water. The consistency will be thin, but still hold onto the bristles of a paint brush. This mixture works best with white paint in a flat, matte, or eggshell and will only work with water-based paint.

whitewashing wood tutorial using diluted paint mixed with water

Paint the diluted paint onto the wood in the direction of the wood grain. Then, use a lint free cloth to wipe away the paint in the direction of the grain of the wood, using long strokes across the length of the wood.

best tricks for whitewashing wood in different ways

You can add additional coats of the whitewash mixture if you’d like a whiter color. Or, you can also allow the whitewash paint to sit on the surface for a minute or two before wiping it away for a whiter color.

Just be sure the paint doesn’t start to dry on the surface! If it does, you’ll end up with streaky areas where the paint sticks too much.

Any color of paint can be used to make a colored wash. Tan wash has become popular on furniture recently, and I use color washes on many home decor items, like this washed finish in green on a wood towel rack.

You can also vary the ratio of paint to water. For a more intense whitewash that shows less of the woodgrain, up the ratio to three parts paint to one part water. For a lighter, more subtle whitewash, use one part paint to one part water for a more watered-down paint.

2. Whitewash Stain Method

Whitewash stains can come in oil-based or water-based and are manufactured by all major stain companies, include Minwax and Varthane. Whitewash stain is applied in the same way as a regular stain.

whitewashing wood using warthane whitewash stain or minwax whitewash stain

First, use a paintbrush or rag to wipe the stain onto the surface of the wood, in the direction of the woodgrain. Allow the stain to sit on the wood for anywhere from 1-3 minutes. Then, use a lint free rag to wipe off any excess stain from the surface.

different ways to whitewash wood with best tips for the correct way to whitewash wood

Whitewash stains only work on unfinished wood, as they are made to penetrate the pores of the wood. They do not work over finished wood as this type of stain is not made to stick to finished surfaces. Basically, you’ll have a mess on your hands if you try to use it on finished wood.

3. Paint & Scraper Technique

This method for whitewashing is actually quite fun, but also very messy. It does not work very well on vertical surfaces like wood plank walls nor does it work on rounded or wood with detailing. Basically, it works well on horizonal, flat pieces of wood.

how to whitewash wood using paint pour and scrape technique

First, pour a small amount of paint in a line across the length of the wood. Then, use a plastic scraper to pull the paint across the surface. This causes the paint to stay in any grooves in the wood, but less will remain on the raised areas of the wood.

how to whitewash wood using paint pour and scrape technique

Be sure to have a cloth or paper towel at the end of the board to catch all the excess paint that will be pulled off the surface of the wood from the scraping tool.

As you can imagine, this method produces beautiful results on reclaimed wood or wood with grooves, imperfections, knots or other variations. It really highlights those natural elements in the wood.

4. Wax Resist Method

In this method, a piece of wax is used to mark places where the paint won’t stick and can be wiped away. I find this method to be the most time consuming as it take three steps to create the whitewashed look.

First, use a white candle, white crayon, or any piece of wax to rub on various areas of the wood. Anywhere you rub will be a place that paint will not stick well to.

Then, paint the surface with white paint and allow to dry. After the paint has dried, use a damp rag to wipe across the wood. The paint will rub away from the areas you applied the wax, leaving more of the woodgrain showing through in those places.

This method works best on wood that has natural variation in texture or woodgrain. I would not recommend using the wax resist method on a smooth textured wood, as the finish ends up just looking fake.

Tip: This wax resist method is the same one you can use if you want to have a base color of paint show through a painted piece of furniture.

Whitewashing DIfferent Types of Wood

how whitewash looks on different types of wood side by side comparison on oak, pine, cedar and poplar

Whitewash can look quite different on different species of wood. A lot depends on the tightness of the graining or the hardness of the wood. I used the first three methods on five different types of wood to show you how each technique looks.

Tricks When Whitewashing Wood

Time matters – The longer you leave the paint or stain on the wood before wiping it off, the more color penetration and the whiter your wood will be.  However, if you let it sit for too long, the paint will start to dry and you won’t be able to wipe it off in a natural way. If this happens, mist the surface with water and use a rag to dry to wipe it with one long stroke.

If you wipe it off too soon and have a lighter color than you’d want, you can always do a second coat of whitewash. I prefer to play it safe and wipe it away sooner than later, and then add a second coat if I want a lighter finish.

Work in the direction of the wood grain – When you brush the paint on, be sure to brush in the direction of the grain, and to complete the brushing on the whole project at once.  If you’re painting planks, you’d want to paint the entire plank before starting to wipe it off.  

tricks for whitewashing wood

When wiping the paint or stain back, or when scraper the paint over the surface, always move in the direction of the wood grain. Long, even wipes across the whole length of the board produce the most natural finish. 

You can wipe off more or less in this step, so sometimes leaving a little extra paint on the edges or in a certain spot gives it an interesting finish.

Whitewashing Stained Wood – Color Comparison

You can whitewash stained wood in the same way you would whitewash raw wood, but the end color will be different depending on the color of the base stain. When applying whitewash to stained wood, you always want to make sure the stain is fully dry before applying the whitewash.

Important Note: Using one of the paint methods over stained wood will cause the white to yellow over time, especially in the places where there is graining or knots. (For a look at this yellowing, look closely at the first picture in this post.)

If you do not want this slightly discoloration, you will need to apply a water based topcoat over the stained wood. Then, apply your whitewash over that.

Any of the whitewashing methods will work well over stained wood. I did a side by side comparison of stained wood with a whitewash using five different colors of stain. You can see that the different colored stains all look slightly different once they’re whitewashed.

comparison of whitewash over stained wood natural, pecan, gray and mahagony

I also tested out how whitewash can look different over unsealed versus finished wood. You can read more about my tricks for whitewashing wood with an existing finish below, but from the photos you can see the slight difference in the half that has a clear coat versus the half that doesn’t.

On the bare wood, the whitewash absorbs into the wood grain, lightening those areas more than on the finished pieces, where the pores of the wood grain can’t accept the white wash.

Looking for the differences in color with the best wood stains on oak? This post gives a side by side comparison.

How to Whitewash Finished Wood

Although it won’t give the same look as whitewashing on raw wood, it is possible to whitewash finished wood that has already been sealed in some way.

It’s important to note that if you are whitewashing over an oil-based clear coat like polyurethane, the white paint will yellow over time as the polyurethane yellows and penetrates the paint.

Applying whitewash over water-based clear coat is the best way to avoid yellowing and keep the white finish you originally created.

I’d recommend using method 1 (diluted paint), method 3 (paint and scraper) or method 4 (wax resist and paint). No matter which of these techniques you choose to use, the best type of paint to use here would be a chalk paint.

Because you’ll be painting over a slick surface, you want a paint with natural gripping power. Chalk paint is the best for adhesion, so this will ensure that your whitewash sticks to the finished wood. Additionally, a light sanding with 220 grit sandpaper before applying the whitewash will also help the paint to stick, but it’s not necessary if you’re using chalk paint for the paint.

Dry Brushed Whitewashed Wood

To create a whiter, weathered look over whitewashed wood, you can also add a quick drybrush application over the whitewashed wood.

After the coat of whitewash has dried,  dip the tip of your brush in white paint. Then, wipe off almost all the paint from your brush. Quickly glide your brush over some places on the wood.  After the paint is dry, sand off more of the white to give the wood a more weathered, rustic look.  

miss mustard seed artissimo and french enamel

On the beadboard in the frame above, I used this exact technique over wood that was first stained with a dark mahogany stain.

How to Topcoat Whitewashed Wood or Furniture

The final step after whitewashing wood is to apply a topcoat to protect it from water or stains. Water-based clear coats or a clear wax are the best choice for finishing whitewashed wood.

If you use an oil-based topcoat like polyurethane over whitewash, the top coat will yellow over time, turning your bright whitewash to an off-white or even yellow color.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are a few FAQs I’ve received from readers about whitewashing, in the order from most frequently asked to least.

Can I whitewash wood paneling?

Yes, it is possible to whitewash wood paneling that has already been finished (or that is faux wood). If you want a whitewashed look on finished wood paneling, you’ll need to use the diluted paint method (#1). When you whitewash finished paneling, you aren’t actually “whitewashing” because the paint isn’t penetrating the wood. Instead, you’re applying a diluted paint that will allow some of the wood to show through.

There are four tricks that help to successfully whitewash sealed paneling:

  1. More paint than water: It’s best to make a wash with a higher ratio of paint to water than normal. I’d recommend using one part paint to one part water.
  2. Use chalk paint: Make sure to use a paint that has strong adhesion properties. Chalk paint works best because you need the paint to stick to the finished wood, even once it’s watered-down.
  3. Lightly sand: Lightly sand the wood paneling first. If you’re using chalk paint, you can get away with skipping this step, but sanding first does help with adhesion of the whitewash paint.
  4. Use a dry brush technique: After painting on the diluted mixture, use a dry brush (instead of a cloth) to brush away some of the paint. If you use a cloth like you would with unfinished wood, it will pull most of the paint right off the slick wood. The dry brush removes some of the paint, and adds a little texture to the look of the paint that is similar to the look of whitewash.

Do I need to sand before whitewashing?

Sanding lightly with a 220-320 grit sandpaper will help the wood to accept the whitewash mixture in the most even way, but it’s not a necessary step. The whitewash will stain penetrate unfinished wood, even if it hasn’t been sanded.

Do I need to apply a topcoat over whitewashed wood?

It’s best to apply a topcoat over whitewash wood in most cases. When wood is whitewashed, the paint or stain is penetrating the pores of the wood to add color, but it is not sealing the bare wood. When you apply a topcoat over a whitewashed surface, the topcoat will seal the pores of the wood and prevent water damage or future staining.

If you leave a piece unsealed and it’s exposed to any liquids or moisture, that water will just penetrate the wood. Additionally, the wood will also stain quite easily from any substance that’s left on the wood. So, unless your whitewashed wood is in a place where no one will be near it, I would highly recommend applying a topcoat.

What’s the difference between white stain and whitewash?

White stain products are sold “premade” at any home improvement store whereas a whitewash finish is something you create with white paint. The two top stain manufacturers, Varthane and Minwax, both make a few different varities of white stain in both oil-based and water-based finishes.

Overall, manufactured whitewash stain is going to penetrate into the wood fibers more than a water-down paint whitewash. They give a more muted whitewash that shows more of the wood grain with one coat, but it’s easy to apply additional coats to lighten the color. Because they are manufactured products, they contain more solvents than a whitewash paint mixture (especially the oil-based versions).

Can I whitewash over oil-based polyurethane?

If you apply whitewash over an oil-based finish, the whitewash will turn yellow over time. Oil-based finishes naturally yellow as time goes on, so it will seep through the white paint making it take on this color throughout.

Whitewash Wood Furniture

If you come across a piece of vintage furniture that is unfinished, or that you strip down to the natural wood, applying a whitewash finish is always an option to lighten up the piece while maintaining some of the wood grain. Check out these 15 different whitewash furniture makeover ideas. Plus, here are a couple of the small projects I’ve used whitewash on recently.

Once you’ve given whitewashing a try, you’ll find that it’s a simple process that is actually pretty fun! You can change up the color and look with different techniques, amounts of paint, coats of whitewash, or using it on different species of wood.

Give it a try on your next project and let me know how it goes. I love it when readers send me photos of their completed projects!

how to whitewash wood with paint or stain in four different ways on oak, pine, poplar, cedar and knotty pine
Jenny at Refresh Living (dev.refreshliving.com)

Post by Jenny Leads

Jenny is the voice behind Refresh Living. She has a passion for helping people to create a home they love without spending a lot of money.

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27 Comments

  1. I’m in love! Pinned and tweeted! Thank you so much for sharing this with us at our linky party. We hope to see you next Monday @ 7 because we can’t wait to see your new creations! Happy Friday! Lou Lou Girls

  2. Perfect timing! I’m working on a plank wall for a client. They want to whitewash it themselves, so I’ll be passing this on for a super simple tutorial! Thanks.

  3. Your wall and whitewashing looks so incredible! Thanks for sharing; I will be trying it out myself! I want to create a framed accent wall with a few shelves behind my TV.

  4. Love the bathroom!! I just wanted to verify, in the photo the planks look grey, do they in person? We are wanting a grey look. Thanks!

  5. Sorry for the late question on the bathroom wall did you stain it dark first or just the white wash ?

    1. Don’t worry! I stained it with a dark walnut stain (I think?) and then white washed over that once it dried. I hope that helps. Let me know if you have any other questions!

  6. I have a wall I would love to send you a picture to see if you think it will work to white wash – love the look and hoping that is the easiest way to do it –

  7. What type of stain. Oil base? Does wateredvdiwn latex go over oil base stain okay? I built a console table, dark stained top, whitewash legs, and old wood for lower shelf.

    1. Good question, because often it’s not recommended to use latex over oil-based. Yes, the stain is oil based, and the watered down latex does work fine. However, that’s why it gives a gray look – some of the stain is actually coming through and changing the color of the white paint. If you were to topcoat the stained wood, the whitewash would look more white in color than gray. But, if you’re looking for a gray look to the whitewash, then this method should work well.

  8. Thanks for this post. You inspired me to whitewash my nightstan. Hopefully the result will be satisfying. Or at least it will keep me busy all weekend)))

  9. Hi Jenny,

    What did you use to fix the planks to the bathroom wall? Looks amazing

    Jesse

    1. I used paneling adhesive and then nailed in each board with finish nails into every stud. Because I used 1/4″ plywood, each panel is very light-weight. Best of luck on your project!

    1. I used just a regular white (I know, that’s a very vague answer!). It was just a non-tinted white that you’d buy right from the shelf. But, you can use any shade of white you’d like. They’ll all give pretty similar looks since the color is diluted as a wash.

  10. Hello I just used water base weathered gray I sanded my table I put three coats but it still has yellow I wanted no yellow can I white wash it without sanding my kitchen table again or should I sand it I can really use your advice thank you
    Suzanne

    1. Hi Suzanne! To hide the wood bleed through, you can use a clear shellac over what you’ve already painted/stained (Sorry, I don’t know if the weathered gray was a paint or stain, but either way, my recommendation should work just fine). There’s Zinsser BIN Clear Shellac primer which can be used over paint and will block any wood bleed through on your next coats. Paint a coat of shellac primer over what you’ve already painted in the gray. Follow the dry time on the can, then paint one more light coat of the gray and once that has dried, add your whitewash layer over the gray. I hope that helps. Let me know if you have any other questions! (Even if you sand, you’ll still get the yellow showing through because it’s the wood tannins coming through the paint – the clear shellac primer stops this from happening!)

  11. I would greatly appreciate some advice … on white washing my new off-the-grid cabin’s inside walls and ceiling.

    I’m using 500sf of 1”T x 10”W rough sawn clear white pine tongue & groove boards ;

    My boards will have been air-dried in stacks at the sawmill ;

    I hope to white wash individual boards and let dry before installation ;

    I want a light white finish, flat not shiny at all, (NO yellowing EVER!!!) with the natural pine wood and rough un-planed sawcut giving me a rustic-looking board ;

    I will not be pre-sanding any boards.

    If possible, I want to avoid having to apply a finish protective coat — but have been advised that’s the way to go to improve protection from smells, stains, etc and limit dust collecting on the rough board (I will use a soft brush head on vacuum pole to clean very rarely!)
    I am in my early 60s so I want no maintenance — that will be my children’s’ problem!

    Is there a ‘whitewash picking stain’ you recommend ? (Here is advice from one supplier for a picking 1 or 2 coats and then a satin finishing application — but I’m looking at almost $500 just for 2 gals of each to treat 500 sf twice each)

    Or do I just I use a flat white paint and mix 1:2 or 1:3 with water like in your videos?

    Thanks!
    today.

    Perma-Chink’s Lifeline Interior Stain https://www.loghomestore.ca/product/lifeline-interior/
    and Perma-Chink’s Sure Shine Interior Clear Coat https://www.loghomestore.ca/product/sure-shine/

    1. Hi Kevin. Sounds like you have any amazing project on your hands! Based on the info you gave me and your hope to have no yellowing (EVER!), I would recommend going with a whitewash stain instead of a diluted paint. No matter what, the tannins from raw wood will show through any whitewash, especially as the wood ages. I find that the yellow tannins of pine do show as more yellow under a bright white diluted paint whitewash as opposed to a whitewash stain. (This is often because those pickling stains have pink undertones that help mask the yellow undertones better than a paint would.) However, even then there still might be those yellow undertones in the wood grain (I can see them in the whitewash picture in the link you provided as well.) For brands, I’ve found Varthane Whitewash stain to give the best coverage in two coats and mask yellow undertones better than others. I’m guessing that would be cheaper than the links you provided (but I also don’t think it offers the UV resistance as the company you linked does).

      It’s really the topcoat that I’m worried would cause the entire board to yellow over time, though. I see a lot of companies that claim their topcoat doesn’t yellow, but I’ve heard from many painters that say when topcoated over white, it’s impossible not to get some yellowing (but often it’s not even noticeable unless you were to hold up a freshly painted white board). So, I don’t want to recommend a product to you here without having tested it. However, I can say that if I was doing your project, I probably would want to spray or brush on one coat of a flat (or satin) topcoat to protect the whitewash finish, even if it did mean there was some overall color change over time. I really don’t think it would be that noticeable over a whitewash (I’ve never noticed yellowing on my projects, but again, I’ve never compared them to a freshly whitewashed surface either, so maybe they are yellowing and I just don’t notice it.) Any waterbased topcoat should do the trick for your purpose. I hope that helps at least a little bit! Best of luck on your project. It sounds like it’s going to look amazing!

      1. Thanks!
        I think I forgot to mention that the room has 3 walls of glass — all in patio doors — and in a wide open space with water on 3 sides and in a area where we get lots of sunshine AND faces North so all morning and all afternoon fun!

        Which is why the UV protection was recommended.

        But I’m likely to follow your suggestions anyway!