How to Paint a Door Like Weathered Wood

Remove the door from the frame, and take off the hardware. Use a screwdriver to take off the hinges and doorknob. Set them aside.

Set up your work station in a well-ventilated area. Lay the door on two sawhorses, or prop it up against something sturdy, like a wall or shelves.

Apply two coats of primer to the door, and let it dry for 24 hours. Paint the door with the base coat. After the coat dries, apply another coat. Dry for 24 hours.

Apply a thin coat of whiting over the base coat using a cloth. Whiting is also know as gesso and acts as a paint binder and builds up slight texture on the wood. Use uneven swipes rather than smooth strokes.

Paint the door with a thin glaze. Immediately pull a mottling brush through the glaze, moving the brush from side to side in small, random patterns. Keep the strokes of the mottling brush going in the same direction to simulate the wood grain. Allow the glaze to dry for 4 hours.

Paint another thin layer of glaze over the door. Immediately pull a graining comb through the glaze in long, slightly overlapping strokes. Simulate the look of wood grain as much as possible, keeping all the strokes moving in the same direction and using natural shapes and soft, curved lines.

Add 1 tablespoon of vinegar to 2 cups of water. Dip your finger into the vinegar water, and dot it onto the glaze before it dries. Use a random distribution, with a few drops close together and other drops far apart. The vinegar will react with the glaze to form puckers and bumps that simulate natural imperfections in wood. Allow the glaze to dry for about 20 minutes, and then buff the surface slightly with a soft cloth. Allow the glaze to dry for 4 hours.

Dip a small artist brush into the glaze, and paint small lines to simulate wood grain. Follow the random patterns left by the brush, and outline the small puckers and bumps made by the vinegar water. Allow the glaze to dry for about 4 hours.

Seal the door using a clear paint sealant in matte finish. Allow the sealant to dry for about 24 hours. Reattach the hardware, and hang the door back in place.