Restoration Hardware inspired wood growth chart :: DIY

i’ve never met a piece of wood i didn’t like.

i made a makeshift wooden deck around the kids’ playhouse last spring.

there was a 6′ piece left. i knew i’d use it. someday. somehow.

today was mr. woods’ lucky day.

Ecowood Treatment is pretty nifty.  But what I’ve found is that on smooth wood, it doesn’t soak in as well.  So I sanded the wood to help the Ecowood penetrate.

within 10-15 seconds, you’ll see the wood change from raw and new, to old and rustic looking.  sort of like the reverse of botox.

orange love.  so easy.  just mix the powder with water.

i bought two yard sticks for the measuring portion of the height chart.  using my new Black & Decker mouse sander, i sanded the Lowe’s logo and other marketing stuff off.

clever Lowe’s.  i paid you a buck and you reminded me to buy gloves, sandpaper, and masking tape.  i’m a sucker.

I hand-wrote in the #s from 37 – 72, trying to match the marketing yard stick as closely as possible.  not perfect, but it’s made with love.  don’t hate.

after the Ecowood, i brushed on a water-based Minwax gray, wiped off.  then dark walnut mixwax stain mixed with a glaze and wiped off.  did several layers to achieve the layered look i wanted.

it was only 85 here in so cal today…yes, Oct. 28.  so this puppy dried in just a few minutes!  

i used wood glue to attach the yard sticks, then finished it off with pewter upholstery tacks at each inch marker.  LOVE.

i applied a little Annie Sloan chalk paint (paris gray) with a smal piece of burlap over the stencils.  then a bit of ASCP dark wax quickly wiped off.  i love the imperfect stencil look.

GROW seemed appropriate and hopefully will have a long shelf life.  better than ‘eat yer veggies’ or ‘tall,’ cuz let’s face it, if you know us, chances are our kids won’t be tall!

i finished the piece off with Annie Sloan’s clear wax, giving it a good buff.

luxuriously smooth.  

i started the measuring stick at 5″ as i’ve installed it above the baseboard.  just something to consider if you’ve got baseboards.

the french door on the right is one of the first pieces i refinished.  it was my very first craigslist curb alert.

the mirrored door on the left was an antique store find from 10 years ago.  we installed safety mirror should a baseball ever fly into it at mach 3.  not that that would ever happen.  ever.  when i’m home, anyway…