Paintbrush Method

• 1). Apply this finish on any kind of surface that you wish to look like wood; trim, cupboards and furniture work nicely. Prepare the surface by cleaning it with warm soapy water and a soft rag. Sand with fine-grit sandpaper and remove any dust or debris with a tack cloth. If you wish to use this technique on a shiny surface such as a melamine countertop, first apply a special primer designed to bite into the surface, which you can find along with a shiny surface primer at paint and hardware stores. Apply two coats of primer with a large paintbrush and allow each coat to dry thoroughly.
  
  
• 2). Apply two coats of yellow-tinted, oil-based paint to your prepared surface. Allow each coat of paint to dry according to manufacturer's specifications.
  
  
• 3). Use a wide bristle paintbrush to add one thin coat of oil-based glaze in a brown tint over the yellow basecoat. Spread the glaze evenly and thinly over the entire surface. You can buy this glaze already tinted, or tint it yourself with a small amount of brown oil paint. Add the paint slowly to the glaze, mixing it until you have your desired shade.
  
  
• 4). Use the same glaze to create veins in the wood. Because the previous coat was very thin, the veins will stand out due to their higher concentration on the brush when they are applied. Use the chisel edge of a flat brush to paint thin lines onto the surface. Occasionally flip the brush to the thicker side and create a zig-zag pattern all the way down the piece you are painting. Follow each line in the pattern, one after the next until you have many lines parallel to each other in the same direction. Paint small ovals with a thin brush in various areas to create the look of knots in the wood.
  
  
• 5). Use a clean, wide bristle paintbrush and very lightly pull the brush over the veins and lines you created, blending and softening the look of the wood grain. Take your time, barely touching the paint as you drag the brush over the surface. This will cause the paint to blend slightly into the background and create a realistic finish.
  
  
• 6). Use a clean rag, folded into a large square to lightly press on the surface before it dries, which will create the look of realistic ripples in the "wood grain" and add to its realism. Allow the paint to dry according to manufacturer's specifications.
  
  
• 7). Apply one or two coats of oil-based polyurethane, if desired, to the surface to protect your work.
  
  

Embossed Paint Rocker and Combing Method

• 1). Prepare the piece you are painting in the same manner as the paintbrush method. Clean, sand and apply a basecoat with yellow, oil-based paint.
  
  
• 2). Mix one part brown oil-based paint with one part oil glazing liquid and one part mineral spirits. Working in sections, apply the brown glaze mixture to your piece using a large paintbrush.
  
  
• 3). For a knotted look, drag a faux bois-embossed paint rocker, which you can purchase at specialty paint or hobby stores, through the glazed section, rocking from top to bottom gradually to create the knotted effect. A faux bois-embossed rocker tool has a faux wood grain imprinted on it.
  
  
• 4). To create a more realistic wood grain, use a combing tool to create a straight wood grain effect. Apply the glaze in the same manner as you applied the rocker tool, but instead, drag the combing tool through the glaze to create realistic wood grain. For an authentic look, alternate the rocker tool and the combing tool so you achieve an even distribution of knots and straight "grain" in the wood finish. You can also find combing tools at paint and hobby shops.
  
  
• 5). Apply one or two coats of oil-based polyurethane to the surface, if desired.