Primitive Wooden Box Project

Primitive Recipe Box

Recipe Box

Many people enjoy collecting older items to use in their home decor. It is difficult to find an affordable, authentic piece from the colonial period to fit into a decorating scheme. Early colonists made many of their items from wood including kitchen utensils, scoops, spoon stirrers, mallets and other small wooden items called, Treenware. An alternative to purchasing a distressed piece is a do-it-yourself project. You can distress anything made from wood such as tables, chairs, chests, recipe boxes, and trays.

 

 

 

 

Necessary Items

Wooden box

Fine to course sandpaper

Cloth

Flat black acrylic paint or color of choice

Paintbrush

Sealer

Soap and water clean-up

 

Instructions

1. Wipe finished or unfinished box clean using a clean, soft cloth.

2. Sand the box lightly with fine-grit sandpaper.

3. Paint the whole box and allow drying time. Acrylic paint dries within a few hours.

4. Apply a second coat of paint. Allow to dry overnight.

5. Follow the grain of the wood and sand the edges down to the wood.

6. Pick random areas on the box and sand these to the wood. This gives the box a rubbed appearance. 

7. Wipe the wood clean with a soft cloth to remove sawdust.

8. Apply a water based acrylic or polyurethane sealer.