How to Pickle Beadboard Paneling

Beadboard paneling, or wainscoting, is made from strips of tongue and groove wood that are attached to a wall to create a protective and decorative finish on a bathroom, bedroom or any wall in your home. Once your beadboard is installed, you need to decide how to finish it. You can paint, stain or pickle your beadboard. Pickling is very similar to staining except that pickle washes add color to the wood. Pickle stains come in a variety of colors. White is the most often used color but pickling can add a subtle hue of color to any wood while still allowing the wood grain to show through.

Medium grit sandpaper
Fine grit sandpaper
Pickling stain
Whiting
Rags
Shellac
Denatured alcohol
Paintbrush

Instructions

- 1
  Sand your wood thoroughly with medium grit sandpaper. Remove all traces of paint or varnish so you are left with only the bare wood. Previously unpainted pieces do not require sanding. Wipe away any sanding dust with a damp rag.
- 2
  Mix whiting into your pickling stain according to the package directions. Whiting will fill in the pores of the wood and provide a more consistent finish.
- 3
  Dip a rag into the pickling mixture and rub it into the wood. Wipe away the excess with a clean rag. Continue applying and rubbing off excess stain until the wood is uniformly covered. Allow the stain to dry.
- 4
  Mix two parts denatured alcohol with five parts clear shellac. Shellac will protect the finish without yellowing.
- 5
  Brush on the shellac mixture in a thin coat. Let the shellac dry. Sand the wood lightly with fine grit sandpaper. Wipe off any sanding dust. Apply a second coat of shellac.

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