DIY Faux Elm Stool Tutorial | How To Age Wood Tutorial

Have you noticed these types of benches or stools popping up in decor lately? I have been loving them and was lucky enough to find one for a steal, under $70. But, I've been wanting to actually make one ever since. May not be old or antique...or vintage, but I knew I could make it look like that! 

Instead of building one, I saved some time and decided to grab a stool I find at the thrift store all the time. This stool was $8... a little high truthfully for a thrift store find, but I was glad to take it. I grabbed the worse for ware one there was available. Here's the before: 

Do you remember those from the early 2000s? I swear almost every house I went into had some either at their table or island! Let's change this ugly thing into something of beauty! 

Step 1:

I sanded what I could. This varnish was thick! It had taken some time, and was a bit difficult to get the legs, so that lead me to the next step. I used a low grit to help completely strip the paint.

Step 2: 

I used a paint stripper to finish the rest. This was so much faster and save my hands from sanding. It did the job for the most part.

Step 3:

I then went back to sanding to get the rest of the black off, especially in the corners and joints. It was easier at this point to use just a sheet of paper. 

Step 4:

I then took a hammer and started pounding the heck out of the sides with the end. I chipped away at various areas...some more than others to get the worn look. 

Not shown, was the use of a jigsaw on some parts! I was able to make the straighter sides not so obviously straight therefore making it look a bit older.

Here's the after at this point:

 I then went a couple of steps further, sorry, also not shown! You can see all the steps in the video below. These next steps are

Step 5: 

I used dark walnut by Minwax on the whole thing, in as light of a coat as I could. 

Step 6: 

I then sand the whole thing again back to it's original wood. This kept the worn areas a little darker to give it a more aged appearance. 

https://youtube.com/shorts/NDR9f5gID7w?si=1XNsLYqBYyGDk9TM

Using the jigsaw, I was able to cut into the top piece a bit to give it a cracked looked. Here's a close up to show the wear I created along with how the staining helped.

I love how this turned out and the character it adds! You can use it as a stool, because it's still really sturdy! I'm using it here as a side table. If I didn't need the storage in my bedroom, I would use it as a nightstand for sure! I love how this turned out to look just like an old vintage elm stool. 

I'm going to warn you though, this project requires a lot of sanding! ha! It was worth it considering if I bought one off of ebay or etsy ... or even an antique store, I would be paying over $200.