Enhance the Beauty of Real Wood in One Simple Step

The beauty of real wood is the grain. The warm, natural look wood brings to a home comes from pleasing variations in the wood grain, which vary from species to species. But as most do-it-yourselfers know, staining wood can be a messy and time-consuming proposition.

Design expert Kathy Peterson says for simple projects such as unfinished wood furniture and accessories such as shelves, candleholders, and lamp bases, there’s an easier way than staining to get a great look – new, sheer-colour spray paint.

For stripped or unfinished wood projects, Peterson recommends Crystal Color™ from Krylon, a new spray paint that imparts transparent colour so the wood grain remains visible, while the surface is enhanced with colour and protection from moisture. “Krylon offers some very innovative finishes,” Peterson says. “Crystal Colour provides the look of stain in a one-step spray paint, so it’s easy and less time-consuming to finish your project,” she says.

“Since each coat provides just a hint of colour and dries in only 12 minutes, you can apply more coats to achieve the exact depth of colour desired. The use of colour is important in today’s home, while the natural beauty of wood grain has timeless appeal.”

In addition to wood, Peterson notes the transparent finish is ideal for wicker, glass and other surfaces, and for transforming flea market finds into unique items of interest. “Interesting effects can be achieved by spraying over previously painted pieces,” she says. For example, candle finials can be made from old, recycled porch rails found at antique shops and flea markets.

“Just wire brush or sand off the loose paint, and leave the remaining cracked but firmly- adhering old paint in place. The result of spraying over this variegated surface is an interesting, alligator-skin effect,” she notes. “Armed with a couple of cans of spray paint and a little creativity, there’s no end to what you can create.”

Peterson notes that today’s spray paints are very different from the old spray paints many of us grew up with, which were often primarily used to fight rust. “There are so many interesting decorative textures and trendy colours available now that almost anything old can be made to look beautiful and new again.”

High-quality spray paints today dry faster, are easier to apply with greater control, and are more durable than spray paints of the past, she says, making them a quick and easy solution for many projects. “Spray paint is perfect for today’s busy DIYer,” Peterson says, “particularly for pulling together furniture and accessories with coordinated accent colours to give a room just the right look.”

For more do-it-yourself project ideas, visit the Krylon website at www.krylon.com.