Cool Effects for Salvaged Wood Tables

Bright Stains

• Consider staining your salvaged wood table in an unexpected color, such as lime green, bright orange or hot pink. Wildly colored wood stains let you add a bright pop of color to your room without covering up the beautiful natural grain of your table's reclaimed wood. Stain your table one color, or if it's is made of multiple planks or random pieces, consider staining different pieces randomly in different colors and leaving some planks unstained.

Distressing

• While your salvaged wood table probably already has a certain amount of distressing, a heavily distressed piece makes an eye-catching focal point. Add nail holes in random groups and patterns, make dents by beating your table with a hammer or large piece of heavy chain, and sand edges and areas that naturally get the most wear. Don't worry about removing stain or chipping paint. This adds to the distressed look and the charm of your salvaged wood table.

Crackle Finish

• A crackled finish is another way to add even more texture and interest to your salvaged wood table. Paint or stain a base coat, apply crackle medium, then apply a top coat and watch as it crackles, revealing glimpses of the base coat underneath. When choosing base coat and top coat colors, you can go traditional or as wild as you like. Experiment on wood scraps to find the color combination you prefer.

Decoupage

• The beauty of salvaged wood often lies in its imperfections, grain, fading and markings. If, however, you're not crazy about the overall look of your table's bare wood or if it has undesirable stains, burns or marks, you can cover all or parts of the wood with decoupage. For a modern look, use pop art wallpaper, gift wrap or postcards. For an antique look, scour antiques shops for old photos, maps or engravings taken from books.

Stenciling

• The industrial look and salvaged wood go hand in hand. If you love that look but your table is lacking it, add it yourself. You can always use an expected phrases such as "this side up" or "special delivery." However, the unexpected is always more fun and original. Find a single word or phrase that has meaning to you or is an inside joke among friends or family members. Numbers, especially when preceded by the abbreviation "No.", have an authentic vibe. Stencil your words or numbers with paint or stain, and sand when dry to give it a worn look. Incomplete words or phrases placed in an out-of-the-way spot on your table look most authentic.