Old World French signs aged with bio-based wood stains

We had so much fun creating these Old World style French signs! The salvaged wood scraps we discovered at a tag sale were the perfect size for our Small Alphabet stencils. We started by painting them in a couple coats of pale grey paint.

The next step was to brainstorm a few French words and phrases that would fit on the wood pieces.

Once we mapped out our phrases onto the boards, we stenciled the letters, alternating between each end of the board. This way, we could continue working on our sign without waiting around for each of the letters to dry.

When we completed our stenciling and the paint had dried completely, we did a light sanding with fine grit sand paper to distress.

We then brushed on a quick coat of wood stain in Java.

With a slightly damp lint-free shop towel, we immediately wiped back the stain, working in just one direction.

The stain gave our signs a beautifully rustic appearance and a flat, matte finish.

We think they look just as if they’ve been weathering above the door of an old building in the French countryside for centuries. Don’t you?

As demonstrated here, wood stains do more than beautifully stain raw wood. They can be used to create a myriad of paint finishes too! Environmentally and human friendly, these stains are safe to use indoors, even without ventilation!

While we were creating our signs and playing with the wood stains, we experimented with 2 of the four stain colors layered over our grey paint finish. The top example is the Java Stain while the bottom is Dark Walnut. These stains create a durable, water resistant finish. Although Artisan Enhancements Clear Topcoat Sealer could be applied for additional durability, in most cases it is not required.

Here at Artisan Enhancements we are beyond excited about these wood stains and the possibilities they bring to the table!

Please remember to hashtag #artisanenhancements in your project shares on social media! We can’t wait to see what you’re working on!