Brushing wood: selection of brushes and tools, do-it-yourself wood processing

Using wood in interior design has always been a great opportunity to emphasize a unique style, add coziness to a room, or give a special mood. Brushing wood copes with all these tasks at once; in addition, artificial aging gives objects and surfaces a special character, adds solidity, and hints at a rich history. You can master such a technique yourself, just familiarize yourself with the technology and select the necessary materials and tools.

The essence of brushing

Tree trunks have a multilayer structure, which, when cut, forms a peculiar pattern of fibers of different thicknesses and directions. Brushing, which is sometimes called stitching due to a lack of understanding of the essence of the issue, is sanding a wood surface with brushes using special devices or equipment. The term comes from the word brush in English. The process has nothing to do with brochures, which should be taken into account in colloquial speech.

Thanks to the brushing tool, fiber is selectively, more or less, removed from the surface of the lumber, creating a patterned relief. You can enhance the aging effect by tinting or staining wood cuts. Decorative treatment with brushes attached, for example, to a grinder, is used when finishing the following wooden structures:

• flights of stairs;
• floor coverings;
• external parts of furniture;
• elements of the interior design of premises.

The best effect is achieved when brushing larches, various types of spruce, and oak. Wood with small fibers, such as cherry, birch, maple, oak, does not form a beautiful pattern when sanded with metal and nylon brushes, used as an attachment for an angle grinder or other tool. Even pre-firing or chemical treatment of such materials does not provide the effect of a layered texture.

What is brushing?

Chemical brushing can be called a special method of finishing wood. It is used to produce high quality lining. When processing lining or wood, the master uses a special tool that allows the materials to be better prepared for the floor or complete finishing of the house.

Wood brushing is a special sanding process using a special brush, when the master removes the top fibers of larch or other wood, which allows you to achieve the effect of highlighting the structure of the growth rings. Larch is used after achieving the desired effect when creating furniture for the home, when creating floors and in other cases. The master performs a similar effect for artificial aging of wood. In this case, the boards do not lose their strength, as during the natural course of the process in question. The method involves the use of a special tool, a machine with a special attachment, or a specific machine.

Surface painting

Depending on the customer's wishes, paint or varnish is applied to the wood. Many people prefer coatings with silver or golden pigments, counting on the strong fixation of shiny particles deep in the wood texture. If the paint is applied correctly, reflections will appear on the wooden product in sunlight.

Some consumers like surfaces with dark, deep cracks, which are obtained by patination using special dyes. Lightened ridges of fibrous reliefs look especially impressive against a darkened background. Painting is usually carried out with brushes or a sponge, carefully observing the condition of the surface. If, when applying paint and varnish products, the fibers rise, it means that the polishing process was carried out poorly and must be repeated again.

If you carefully carry out brushing, you can obtain beautiful wood products through simple procedures using an angle grinder or other tools with brushes.

Structure protection

The class of the surface after brushing can be significantly increased by coating it with a special substance. The brushing method allows you to achieve a beautiful effect, but at the same time the protection of the structure is significantly reduced. That is why you can improve the class of a product for the home by applying oil or wax using standard technology.

Oil or varnish makes it possible to make the structure protected from environmental influences. Firing makes it possible to give the floor an unusual look.

Rough processing

During rough processing, work is carried out with two main attachments - a roughing attachment and a disk plane. Grinder work with this type of disc is carried out with a protective casing, because pieces of wood may fly in different directions. The plane disk is used in cases where roughing is required, preparing fence supports, constructing a log house, etc.

Requires protection from flying wood chips, glasses, thick clothing, and tough gloves. The use of a protective casing is not necessary, because The disk is all-metal, its destruction is almost impossible. When sanding wood, a grinder is used only with a second handle; work must be done with both hands.

The process of trimming a workpiece, removing the hard top layer of wood, is carried out with a peeling disk. A qualified specialist is able to perform wood sampling using this type of attachment for an angle grinder. An angle grinder can replace a carpenter's ax if a log house is being built.

Processing principle and characteristics

The wood aging machine allows you to adjust the level of rigidity when processing the surface, aging parts made of solid wood or glued products. The brushing process is carried out taking into account the natural structure of the material and is applied to elements made of wood with varying degrees of hardness. Wood processing occurs in stages:

1. Chernovaya. Performed with steel brushes to remove soft fibers.
2. Finishing. Involves intermediate or final polishing of the product.

Roughing tools are usually plated in brass, and grinding wheels are made of silicon carbide and have a polymer abrasive coating with varying degrees of grit. The workpiece is fed by a built-in conveyor with pressure rollers equipped with devices to prevent shearing or jamming of the material. The choice of brushing tool depends on the pattern that is expected to be obtained as a result of processing.

Is an angle grinder suitable for working with wood?

The only operations with wood that can be performed with an angle grinder (angle grinder) without danger are grinding and roughing, and then using special attachments. Of course, you can cut wood, but it is strictly prohibited! The Internet is full of shocking photos showing what can happen when using an angle grinder as a cutting tool for wood.

The main arguments that can be made against using an angle grinder for sawing are as follows.

1. This machine is not designed for sawing wood.
2. Since wood has a viscous and soft structure, the saw blade can jam in it. As a result, the grinder is often torn out of the hands, and it flies in an unpredictable direction (in the leg, along the arms, in the stomach, etc.), causing deep wounds or amputation of fingers. Even fatal cases have been reported.
3. When cutting wood, the saw blade heats up very quickly, causing it to begin to lose strength. The slightest misalignment or excessive pressure may cause it to fly apart. Since the spindle speed of an angle grinder is high, tool fragments fly away at the speed of shrapnel and penetrate deeply under a person’s skin. The user will be lucky if the fragments do not fly into the head or eyes.
4. Despite the dangers of using saw blades with teeth, some angle grinder users ignore this fact and continue to install compass disks with large teeth or improved with carbide tips. If, when cutting wood, a hard knot or nail residue gets caught in it, the tooth or solder breaks off, gets caught by the next saw tooth and is thrown out at the speed of a bullet. One can only guess about the consequences.
5. Ignoring all the warnings, users of grinders install a circular saw on the machine with a larger diameter than the protective casing. This is the most dangerous option for using an angle grinder.

If you have to cut wood constantly, it is better to purchase a special machine for this purpose, or use a jigsaw. In extreme cases, the grinder can be used as a drive and made into a circular saw, securing the device rigidly to the frame.

With a candle

This is a versatile technique that helps give wood or wooden furniture an antique look. It can be used on both untreated wood and already painted wood and furniture. Suitable for painting in one or several layers.

Let's take a closer look at how to paint wood using this method, making three layers (brown, white and yellow).

Necessary materials:

• paint (brown, white and yellow)
• brush, candle, rag.

Step 1: First coat of paint

1. Decide on the color of paint that you will use as a basis. This will be the first, bottom layer of paint, which we will apply directly to the wood. In this case we use dark brown color.
2. Paint the wood with slightly chaotic strokes, without painting the surface completely and evenly.
3. Leave until completely dry.

Step 2: Use a candle

Take a candle and rub it on the surface of the wood in several randomly selected places (press the candle quite hard so that a clear trace of wax or paraffin remains on the wood).

• Step 3: Second Layer of Paint Select a color for the next layer and apply paint (we're using white here). At this stage, the paint can be applied evenly over the entire surface, and not in strokes, as with the first layer. Leave until completely dry.
• Step 4: After this, take a rag and wipe the surface, using some pressure. In those places where wax was applied, the paint will come off the surface. If two layers are enough for you, then you can stop there, but if not, move on.
• Step 5: Third coat of paint Repeat steps 2 and 3, but the last one using a different color of paint (here it will be yellow). After the paint has dried, you can apply a protective varnish. The latter is not necessary due to the fact that we deliberately gave it an antique look, so if the paint starts to lag a little over time, it will not be noticeable.

Design and principle of operation

In terms of ergonomics, grinders are very convenient because they allow you to perform operations for a long time without tiring the operator. For each type of work, be it preliminary cleaning, grinding or polishing with a brush grinder, the design provides the ability to change attachments. All tools of this type are electric, powered by mains or batteries.

A standard brush grinder has the following basic structural elements:

1. The case is usually plastic, on which handles are installed on top: one is the front guiding handle, the second is the pushing handle, where there is a button to turn on the device.
2. A brush-type electric motor is installed inside the grinder body, from which torque is supplied to the transverse shaft through the gearbox.
3. The front cross shaft also serves as a holder for the grinding cylinder; the shaft is supported by bearings.
4. On the bottom of the grinder body there is a wide support roller on one side of the grinding cylinder, at the rear; on the other side of the cylinder, in front, there is a second adjustable support roller. Rollers allow you to smoothly move the tool along the plane in different directions and adjust the force of pressing the tool to the surface.
5. The grinding cylinder is mounted on the cross shaft of the brush grinder using a special mechanism. The cylinder itself is made like a brush, the “pile” of which can be made of different materials, such as metal wire, nylon thread and others.

The operating principle of a brush grinder is very simple: when the engine is turned on, the grinding cylinder begins to rotate quickly; the tool is applied, supported by rollers, to a pre-fixed flat surface that needs to be ground, and with methodical movements the brush grinder is moved back and forth across the entire plane, visually assessing the quality of the treatment.

The evolution of artificial aging

Years change, technologies change, but the craving for antique accessories and utensils remains unchanged.
Now everyone can afford the luxury of living in an old Russian mansion, with cracked, seemingly shabby walls and beams, furniture from those times, wooden benches and a dining table made of natural aged wood. And all this thanks to the wood brushing process. We constantly feel a craving for something new, observing the natural, natural processes of aging wood, the visual end result, the demand for such items, people decided to achieve a faster process of extinction of the life of wood and invented their own technology of artificial aging with a fairly short period of time.

Mechanical aging of wood

This method is usually called brushing or texturing wood. The name comes from the English language, where the word “brush” means “brush”.

It is known that the structure of wood has soft and hard fibers. If you remove soft fibers with a brush, the surface becomes embossed.

Only tree species with an easily processed structure are processed mechanically: walnut, oak, spruce, pine, larch. Texturing does not work for maple, cherry, or beech.

Wood processing is carried out with two brushes:

• Brass wire brush - breaks soft fibers. They will “fluff up” and stick out.
• Nylon abrasive brush - smoothes the surface. The abrasive material is contained in the nylon hairs of the brush.

The prepared planed workpiece is processed with a grinder. At this stage of brushing, disc grinders destroy the soft layers of wood.

Brushing with a grinder

Use a metal brush clamped in the drill chuck to smooth out sharp corners and protruding fibers left behind by the grinder.

The metal brush is replaced with an abrasive version. A new brush is used to polish the surface, and at the same time highlight the structure of the wood.

In any case, the workpiece acquires an antique appearance only after being coated with varnish or oil. Unlike debugging, oil penetrates deeper into the fibers and can change their color.

A dark shade of oil visually ages wood. It is applied with a wide brush along the fibers.

To better absorb the oil into the fibers, rub it with a rag. The procedure of applying, drying and rubbing in the oil is repeated several times. They strive to give the workpiece an antique look.

In addition, to protect the oiled surface from external influences, it is covered with a layer of varnish or paint. A good result is achieved by coating with a glossy or matte water-based varnish.

As a result, the varnish flows into the unevenness of the wooden workpiece and a smooth antique-looking surface is obtained.

Staining or tinting brushed wood

Coating the surface of brushed wood with paint or a tinting composition gives it a special decorative effect. Painting is carried out with a brush or sponge. During the process, carefully monitor whether the fibers rise. If fibers are noticed on the surface, it is additionally sanded with fine-grained sandpaper.

The simplest painting option is stain treatment. It quickly penetrates into the soft layers of wood remaining on the surface without affecting the hard fibers. The result is a relief structure that is particularly decorative.

Wood coated with a golden or silver coloring substance has an original appearance. Pigment particles get clogged into depressions and microcracks, which subsequently glare in the sun.

An interesting coloring technique is the arrangement of tones, repeating the play of light and shadow on the relief. The recesses are painted in a dark tone, the ridges in a light tone. Painting is carried out as follows:

1. A richly dark varnish or paint is applied to the entire surface.
2. The coated surface is wiped with a sponge or rag, removing paint from hard fibers where it has not yet been absorbed.
3. If large areas are being painted, wait until the applied layer of varnish has dried, and then treat the surface with a petal disk with a grain size of 400 to 800. The bulges after this treatment are highlighted, then they are coated with colorless or light varnish.

Another coloring option is to cover the top tier with dark varnish and the depressions with light varnish. In this case, apply dark varnish to the surface and dry it well. Then apply the light composition and remove its excess with a rubber spatula. As a result, a dark substrate appears on the ridges.

With certain woodworking skills and using the right tools, you can do your own brushing and get excellent results. Products made from structured wood are highly decorative and give the interior an exclusive, expensive look.

Choosing wood for brushing

Not every tree can be processed using the brushing method. This is due, first of all, to the structure of the fibers. Soft or medium-hard rocks that have a well-defined annual ring structure are best suited. These types of wood include:

• Coniferous species.
• Larch.
• Oak.
• Nut.
• Ash.
• Merbau.
• Wenge.

After processing, the relief of such wood is clearly visible, the pattern is contrasting and expressive. The surface turns out to be quite rough, with a clear structure of grooves.

The harder the rock, the less pronounced the relief will be on the finished surface.

Some types of wood cannot be processed by brushing, these include:

• Teak.
• Maple.
• Cherry.
• Linden.
• Pear.
• Beech.

In these tree species, the fibers are insufficiently pronounced or there is no division of annual rings (in some tropical species).

Light brushing can be used on plywood or lining to make the surface more expressive.

Machine Applications

All three stages of finishing can be performed on special grinding machines or using other electrical equipment: grinders for smooth or angular surfaces. There are homemade brushing machines. It is difficult and expensive to make a full-fledged machine with your own hands, working like a thickness planer, so they use the same grinder with several metal and nylon attachments.

Full mechanization of work makes sense for large volumes of wood that require brushing. In such a situation, investments in the acquisition and operation of units will be justified. Common types of home repair and construction work can be quite successfully done with an angle grinder, which every craftsman has.

A couple of antique wood recipes

You can find many recipes for aging wood using improvised means, but all of them are derivatives of the processing methods already described. Let's look at some of them.

Using wax

Using regular wax you can achieve a good effect; you only need 2 types of wax (colored and regular), as well as a wood sanding machine. This method is convenient because it does not require additional steps such as brushing the wood or using acid to remove soft parts of the wood.

The technology for doing the work will look like this:

• first the board is sanded, and the direction is strictly along the grain;
• then colored wax is applied; at the previous stage, the pores of the wood have opened, so it will penetrate well. It takes about a day for the coating to harden;
• Next, you will have to apply colorless wax on top of the colored one, and some of the colored wax will inevitably be removed.

An example of wood processing with colored wax

Bleached wood

Bleached wood will look unusual in any interior. It costs a lot, but you can achieve the same effect with your own hands when painting wood. The main task in this case is to ensure that the white color does not completely “clog” the texture of the wood; ideally, the wood should have a slightly grayish tint and the wood pattern should be visible through the layer of white paint.

Bleached wood

You can get the desired effect using brushing technology, and the key point will be how to paint an antique board so that the wood pattern remains noticeable after painting.

To do this, you can use tinted and transparent varnishes, and painting will be carried out in several stages:

• if the wood is dense and does not absorb varnish well, then you can immediately treat the prepared surface with tinted varnish in a couple of layers;
• then a clear varnish is applied over it to protect the tint.

Tinted varnish from a renowned manufacturer
The same effect can be achieved using white paint, but here you need to take into account that it is easy to paint over the wood pattern 100%. Therefore, after applying the paint, you can carefully blot it with a sponge so that the texture of the board becomes visible.

Operating rules

The quality and speed of work depends on the correct choice of the required device. The following parameters influence the choice of the desired device:

• purpose and scope of use;
• frequency of use and volumes of planned work;
• type of food;
• price range;
• availability of quality certificates;
• country of manufacture;
• ease of use and ergonomics.

When working with a grinding machine, professional craftsmen recommend following the following sequence:

• connection to an electrical power source;
• holding the tool securely;
• turning on the device;
• warming up and gaining speed;
• surface treatment.

After finishing work, be sure to clean the device and lubricate all working parts. For complete dust collection, it is necessary to regularly inspect the dust collector.

To replace parts, you must choose products from the same manufacturer.

For long-term storage of the device, use only warm rooms with good ventilation.

When working with an electrical device, it is imperative to use personal protective equipment and follow safety rules that will help avoid injuries and damage to the tool.

It would not be superfluous to list the most common types of breakdowns of brushed grinding electric tools and how to eliminate them:

• oxidation of copper plates in carbon brushes - surface treatment with a rubber eraser;
• violation of the integrity of the winding - removal of the deformed part and installation of a new one;
• failure of the device control buttons - installation of new structural elements;
• deformation of rotor bearings and bevel gears - installation of new parts.

The time range for free elimination of defects is set independently by the manufacturer or seller. This service will not be provided if defects were caused by improper use, transportation or storage. When contacting the seller to solve a problem with a tool, you must provide him with all the documents, checks and receipts that confirm the purchase of the goods from him. The name of the service organization is indicated in the device passport.

To perform high-quality polishing, cleaning and grinding of various surfaces, modern manufacturers produce a huge range of grinding tools, which are widely used not only by professional builders, but also by home craftsmen. These devices significantly reduce the period of work completion and improve its quality.

Before you go shopping, you need to study all the features of this device and be sure to consult with professional builders.

Beginners should understand that a high-quality electrical device cannot have a low price.

See below for a detailed video review of the brush grinder.

Other original aging methods

Naturally, the list of answers to the question of how to age wood does not end there, since representatives of creative professions related to works of art contributed. One of the well-known methods has already been discussed: this is patination, which allows you to give the products an antique look. However, there are other options - both simple and complex. In this case, the effect is achieved by experimenting with a decorative coating, and not with wood: it remains in its “pristine form.”

Crackle (craquelure)

This is the most effective way to get not only an “ancient” tree, but also to change any material beyond recognition. Crackle is a method of creating a web of cracks on the surface of objects. The set for such creativity is quite modest. It includes PVA glue, paints of two shades (acrylic or facade) and a hair dryer. There is a special varnish (primer, paste) for craquelure, but here we will only talk about the folk recipe for cobwebs.

1. First, the surface is covered with dark-colored paint, then wait for it to dry completely.
2. Apply the next layer: this time it is PVA, and there should be a lot of it. But one condition must be fulfilled: the layer must be thick but uniform.
3. To speed up the process, the glue is treated with a hair dryer so that a thin dried film forms on the surface. Complete drying at this stage is not only not required, but it is harmful because it will not allow you to achieve the desired effect.

After obtaining the PVA crust, a layer of lighter paint is applied to the surface, which is also left to dry on its own. Then the glue is applied again in a thick layer. The last step is to dry the surface until the PVA film begins to crack. Thus, cobwebs will begin to appear on the surface, which is the best proof of the age of the product.

If traditional “wooden colors” are not used for objects, then you can swap the shades: first apply light paint, and then dark composition (contrasting).

Dry brush

This method was invented by artists, but now it is actively used by decorators who successfully use the dry version for “forced” aging of wood products. The work requires a minimum set - paint, a wide but thin synthetic brush and sheets of thick paper, which is necessary to rid it of excess mixture.

1. Use a brush to pick up a small amount of paint, then move it across the paper until the tool begins to leave thin lines on the sheet.
2. Then, with a brush, stripes are drawn along the growth of the fibers. Here, order is also contraindicated: the best results are guaranteed by erratic movements.

It should be noted that the “Dry Brush” operation is optimal for aging furniture or other products with convex elements.

Spray

These are droplets that age the product in a chaotic manner. This creates the image of an antique item that has passed through decades.

The spray looks nice and is textured to the touch. It leaves an impression of antiquity; a product with such decor brings coziness to the house. For processing you will need: a hard brush or toothbrush, paints, a glass of water.

Wood aging technology:

1. Wet the brush and pick up some paint.
2. Perform a test spray on a white surface to determine the droplet size. To do this, run your finger or a toothpick along the bristles of the brush.
3. If the brush is wide, then you can simply tap on it and the drops will fall.
4. The product should be placed on paper, which can then be thrown away so as not to spoil the table.
5. Spray the product and wait until it dries completely.
6. Cover with varnish. If there is a desire to achieve a three-dimensional effect of antiquity, the drops are sprayed in a second layer on top of the varnish. They will not look so bright, but they will age with a double layer of drops.

Spraying is combined with other techniques for aging.

Glaze

This is the application of two or more layers of paint, the first of which is brighter, and the subsequent ones are translucent. The advantage of this method is that it produces a non-uniform, iridescent, changeable surface. For such aging, you can use different types of paints. The largest assortment of colors is distinguished by acrylic compositions, watercolors and oils are a little more modest. Even strong tea leaves can serve as a “decorator”. Any wood can be processed. For glazing, use either a sponge or a synthetic brush.

The first layer is applied unevenly, trying to achieve the natural shade of the wood. If this does not work, then add another thin layer. After the operation is completed, the product is left to dry completely. When several tones are applied, they create an interesting translucent effect.

Advantages and disadvantages

Among the main advantages of this device, experts note the following:

• versatility;
• ease of use;
• high speed of work;
• expenditure of a minimum amount of physical effort;
• high quality of work;
• automatic removal of dust and other types of dirt;
• large range of models;
• wide scope of application.

Like any other device, a brush grinder has a number of disadvantages:

• the need to replace the brush depending on the type of work and the surface being treated;
• inability to process hard-to-reach areas;
• high price range;
• high number of fakes.

What it is?

A grinder or angle grinder is a tool often used in construction and during repair work. If your house needs minor repairs, there is no point in buying powerful and expensive construction equipment. But purchasing such a car would be useful and relatively inexpensive. The versatility of a modern tool is its main advantage: angle grinders are used to saw and cut, grind and level surfaces. The principle of operation of the grinder is simple: operations are performed by rotating attachments.

Discs are divided into three types - sharpening, cutting or grinding (grinding). The operations vary in purpose and complexity; sometimes one machine has to process materials of different hardness, as a rule, stone and steel compounds, as well as wood. Renewed and processed wooden parts, windows, floors and furniture are subjected to grinding.

The attachment on the grinder for sanding wood is a replaceable circle, similar to that for a circular saw. The roughing cutter for primary grinding is made of durable metal, has teeth and is selected according to the diameter for each angle grinder. The size of the teeth is determined by the thickness of the wood layer. The shape of the tooth also matters. Variables are suitable for all types of wood, and trapezoidal ones are used only for soft varieties. The material can also be roughly processed using discs with straight teeth.

Before processing, you need to saw the wood with other sawing cutters. They are monolithic, made of high-strength sheet steel. Some varieties are made with coating on the teeth.

How to age wood? Preparing the material

First, before aging the wood, it must first be prepared. First of all, for brushing, it is better to choose soft wood or medium-hard wood, which has a pronounced woody texture. This could be, for example, spruce or pine. These species are distinguished by the fact that their soft fibers are often formed in spring and summer, and during this period the tree’s growth rings grow fastest, so the fibers are more “loose.” Wood with a uniform and almost unexpressed texture, such as beech and maple, is not suitable for aging.

Before starting work, the surface of the wood must be carefully prepared. All dirt and possible defects are removed, these could be traces of grease, sweat, or other stains - the fact is that they can appear when applying the tinting solution. Any wooden products must be processed in disassembled form, regardless of their size - this way you will reduce time costs and reach with a brush in all places, thereby ensuring a uniform aging effect.

What kind of circles are there for cutting wood?

Processing wood with a grinder is a safe process, unlike cutting. The process is very dangerous, the tool is not intended for cutting wood

Soft woods are processed with an angle grinder attachment with extreme caution, because the tool may jam and be torn out of your hands

The cutting process at high speeds implies a high temperature effect on the disc material, as a result of which it can simply shatter into small pieces.

Despite the fact that the grinder is not suitable for cutting wood products, manufacturers offer various cutting discs for use. It is recommended to use the grinder as a stationary station when sawing wood.

Circular saws

Circular saw attachments are dangerous when using an angle grinder. The diameter of the circle must be selected based on the parameters and dimensions of the tool in order to be able to use a protective casing.

There are more expensive modifications of circular nozzles; they have anti-jamming protection. The design has teeth set in different directions, smaller in size, the price of such a device is different, but you should not save on your health.

Chainsaws

The chain type of nozzles has a safer design. The sawing disc, which uses a chain from a chainsaw, eliminates jamming of the tool and reduces the risk of injury during work. The design has a system that allows the main element, which is attached to the angle grinder, to continue rotating, and the chain can remain stationary.

Chain disks come in many different modifications, with the help of which it is possible to carry out gardening work or use it for collecting small firewood. A disk of a chain design can be used instead of a peeling disk for cutting out cups in a log or removing a layer of bark.

Saws with few teeth

Increased safety when working with wood is achieved by using discs with a small number of teeth. Small discs usually have 3 teeth, those with a diameter of more than 180 mm - 4 teeth. This type of cutting disc is used for cutting both along and across the grain of wood. The saw wheel makes it possible to cut grooves and make tenons of various shapes.

It should be understood that when working with an angle grinder, you must adhere to technical regulations. There is no need to install larger diameter discs bypassing the protective casing; smaller discs can be used without loss of cutting properties.

Tungsten carbide discs

Tungsten carbide cutting discs have been produced relatively recently and are popular when working with an angle grinder. The universal tool is not equipped with teeth; instead of cutting elements, there are cutouts in the disk. The operation of the tool is most safe when cutting wood; it eliminates jamming when nails or thick rods of wood hit. The appearance is similar to a diamond blade for cutting concrete, the purpose is indicated on the packaging or instructions.

The price of such a disk is high, but it is justified. It is worth overpaying for a modified tool rather than going broke on the sad consequences of using a regular saw blade.

Features and benefits of brushing

Brushing (from the English brush) is essentially nothing more than structuring wood through additional rough processing. The latter consists of removing soft fibers from the surface of the material; the annual rings acquire additional texture. The technique got its name due to the fact that brushes are used to give the desired structure to the wood.

A similar aging effect is observed in wood sandblasting technology, when soft fibers are removed by a powerful sand stream. Unlike brushed wood, sandblasted wood is smoother.

Types of brushing directly affect which brushes are used:

• Deep – brushes with thick metal bristles are used.
• Light - created using brushes with synthetic hard bristles.

Brushing wood can be done with your own hands; most often this method is used for small amounts of work, since it is quite labor-intensive and time-consuming. Brushing of massive elements (parquet, stairs, large boards) is most often done in a factory, where special machines with replaceable brushes are used, and the process is as automated as possible.

There are several brushing methods, but the most popular are the following:

1. Manual - brushes and abrasives are used. Manual processing is of great decorative value, but is more labor-intensive and is suitable for small elements.
2. Electromechanical - an angle grinder or brushing machine is used for the appropriate materials, as well as suitable attachments for a drill or grinder.

Natural aging of wood is a long process. Under the influence of external factors (ultraviolet radiation, temperature changes, precipitation, wind), the tree trunk wears out. The surface literally crumbles, leaving only the hardest fibers in place. There is a decorative effect, but during natural processes the material loses its basic properties: it becomes less durable, susceptible to destruction and rotting.

The advantages of brushing wood include:

• Improving the original properties of wood. The material becomes stronger, less friable, and resistant to external factors, mold, and fungi.
• High decorative qualities based on noticeable contrast and brightness of the texture after removing the soft layer of fibers. Such materials and decorative elements are universal, fit into almost any interior, making it more solid and exclusive.
• Large selection of wood for subsequent processing.
• Wood tinting can be done in several colors at once. For example, the base is painted in a light shade, and the pores in a contrasting dark or bright shade.

The only disadvantage of brushed wood is the difficulty of processing; the process will take a lot of effort and time.

By the way! After brushing, the wooden surface can be varnished, stained, waxed, oiled or tinted using impregnations. Decorative coating is necessary to emphasize the texture of the product; without this, the wood will not look expressive enough.

There are many possibilities for using brushed wood, especially since the finished product can be given almost any look, based on the general style of the interior. It can be a monotonous or combined color, the effect of a dusty or moldy surface, imitation of chips, cracks, gold or silver embossing.

Stages of work and tools used

To give a relief structure to a wood surface, you need a special set of brushes with bristles of varying density and hardness.

First stage of processing

At the first stage, a brush with hard bristles made of steel alloys or brass is used. The thickness of the fibers varies significantly among different products. You need to choose a brush in which the diameter of each metal hair will be approximately 10 times thinner than the diameter of the soft fiber of the wood being processed. Straight bristles of a brush are good at removing loose components from wood, which are cut with metal scissors before attaching them to the grinder adapter to increase the efficiency of brushing.

If necessary, double brush products can be used, providing much greater speed and efficiency. If the bristles intended to remove soft wood fibers are rounded, the process will be worse.

Working with a nylon brush

At the end of the first stage of processing, the wood surface has a rough, rough appearance. To give a decorative effect and level out all excess relief, nylon brushes for brushing wood are used, mounted on an angle grinder. They are available for sale in a wide range.

Nylon fibers differ in length, density, number or absence of abrasive particles pressed into the polymer

If abrasive grains are attached to a nylon base, you must pay attention to their grain size, hardness and compare the characteristics of the brushing brush with the density and structure of the wood

Most commonly commercially available nylon products have hardness numbers ranging from 120 to 600. Values ​​of 120, 180 and 240 are ideal for hardwood; Products with numbers 400 and 600 in the marking should be purchased for brushing soft wood lumber.

Craftsmen who have extensive experience working with grinders will improve surface treatment technology and use not one, but several nylon brushes. Sometimes, to save money, they buy previously used polymer brushes for brushing and attach them simultaneously to the adapter of the grinder. A similar technique can also be used when using new products, although it will cost much more.

Thanks to the expanded area of ​​the fibers of several brushes mounted on the rotating shaft of the angle grinder, it is possible to thoroughly perform a large amount of work in a short time.

Nylon hairline can be fixed to a metal or polymer base. Experience shows that the plastic disc at the base of the brush creates fewer preconditions for hair breakage and ensures their flexibility, so these products last longer.

Finishing sanding

After two stages of processing, the wood needs to be slightly dried, and then the formation of the decorative surface is completed with brushes with wool or sisal hairs. If the master prefers manual work at the final stage without using a grinder, it can be done using sandpaper flaps with small abrasive grains. Upon completion of proper brushing, the surface will acquire a perfectly smooth, beautiful appearance.

Basic information

Antique decorated chest

Brushing wood with your own hands or using special mechanized equipment is a process during which soft fibers are partially removed from the surface of lumber, while harder fibers remain unchanged. As a result of this processing, the impression of old wood is created.

The term “brushing”, less common “brushing”, is a transliteration of the English word “brush”, which means “brush”. In Russian there is a term of similar meaning, “structuring a wood surface.” In both cases, the natural structure of the wood remains intact while the soft fibers are cleaned out.

Important: The optimal structuring result is demonstrated by rocks with a pronounced structure. Species with an undefined structure, such as beech and maple, are not suitable for brushing.

The lumber processing technology includes the following stages:

• rough structuring, during which soft fibers are selected with a wire brush;
• polishing the resulting texture with a soft brush or polymer abrasive;
• final polishing of the texture using a sisal brush.

Structuring wood with your own hands or using mechanical devices provides the best result if the lumber used is harvested in the spring. It is in the spring, thanks to the growth of growth rings, that soft, loose fibers are formed, which can be easily cleaned by hand using a stiff brush.

Since wood structuring is based on the removal of soft fibers, it is advisable to use hard wood species such as oak, cherry and larch as the starting material.

Important: Most often, wood structuring is offered by companies engaged in the production of parquet and floorboards.

Brushing floor coverings, as is fashionable today, should not be done for two reasons:

• Firstly, dirt will accumulate in the relief texture, which will not be easy to wash out.
• Secondly, the grooves of the relief, unlike a flat surface, will wrinkle under the weight of the furniture.

Along with mechanical structuring, there is chemical brushing, during which certain chemical compounds are applied to the surface of lumber. As a result, loose fibers are etched away, while harder areas of the surface remain unchanged. (See also the article Leveling wooden floors: features.)

Artificial aging of wood is not difficult

Do you want to know how to paint brushed wood? Of course with acrylic paints

Brushing is one of the most accessible techniques that allows you to artificially age wood in such a way that it looks as natural and realistic as possible.

The maximum resemblance of the result obtained to a truly old tree is ensured by painting the brushed wood gray, followed by smearing the still wet paint from the relief surface. With the right approach to artificial aging, lumber products will look as if they had stood in the open air for at least 10 years.

In order for the wood to look naturally aged, in addition to structuring the fibers, the texture can be highlighted with color. To do this, the surface treated with a wire brush is cleaned and then unevenly painted.

We paint the depressions from which the soft fibers were selected with a darker color. We cover the surface of the texture with a light shade and thus make the relief more noticeable.

Applying stain along the grain

Tip: The simplest and at the same time effective way to highlight the texture of wood is to paint brushed wood with stain and then smear it with a foam swab.

As a result, the stain is quickly absorbed into the depressions, since the fibers there are loose. In the upper part of the relief, where the unselected fibers are hard, the stain does not have time to be absorbed, and light areas remain there. (See also the article Painting a wooden staircase with your own hands: features.)

Mechanical Tools Overview

This is what a brush attachment for brushing wood looks like

Structuring the surface of lumber with your own hands is a simple, but labor-intensive process that takes a lot of time. In order to save time and effort, a special tool for brushing wood is used.

Let's look at the main types of both hand and mechanical tools:

• Hand-held metal brushes with varying thickness and stiffness of bristles. The stiffness of the bristles depends on the length of the wire. The longer the wire, the softer the bristles, and the lower the price.

Wire hand brushes

Using a brush involves moving the bristles along the fibers in one direction. As a result, the hard fibers remain undamaged, while the soft fibers are carried out by the bristles.

Brushes are sold with different widths of the working part. As a result, you can choose the tool that will capture the required area of ​​​​wood.

• Sandpaper with a coarse abrasive grain allows you to highlight the texture of the wood. The method of using sandpaper is generally similar to the process of using a brush. The sandpaper is applied along the grain with strong pressure. As a result, grooves remain on the surface, imitating the structure of fibers. By correctly selecting the grain size of the abrasive, it is possible to ensure that the grooves are deeper or, on the contrary, less pronounced.
• A hand chisel allows you to apply not even, but curved grooves of varying depths. With skillful use of this tool, the greatest realism of the artificial texture is achieved. However, there are also disadvantages. Firstly, applying relief is a labor-intensive process. Secondly, working with a chisel requires sufficient skill.
• An angle grinder (“grinder”) with special disc brushes is a device that allows you to speed up the aging process of wood without compromising the finished result.

In the photo there is a machine with a brush attachment based on a grinder

The optimal choice for mechanized brushing are angle grinders with the ability to regulate the speed. On such a tool, the minimum number of revolutions is set, as a result of which the texture looks realistic.

The realism of brushing is also influenced by the selection of brush heads. The thinner the stubble, the better.

Wood brushing attachment mounted in an electric drill chuck

Important: Polymer and metal brushes that are similar in appearance to attachments intended for use with angle grinders can be used in combination with an electric drill. Such nozzles, instead of a mounting hole in the center, are equipped with a shank that is tightly clamped in the chuck.

• A brush machine for brushing wood (stripping milling machine) is equipment designed for structuring fibers on large surfaces.

Wood brushing machine Makita 9741 with one brush

To obtain high-quality results, this equipment provides several replaceable brushes. By replacing the brushes according to the number of passes, you can gradually clean out the soft fibers, achieving maximum realism of the resulting texture.

• A wood brushing machine is the most productive industrial equipment used for preparing production materials and subsequent furniture assembly.

Machine in action

The device allows you to lay a wooden product on the frame and fix it there. As a result, vibrations are eliminated when brushes pass over the surface of lumber.

The use of machines allows you to simultaneously process wood with 2-3 brushes, one of which selects the fibers, and the other smoothes the texture. The rotation speed of the brushes is manually adjustable, so you can work with hard and soft wood.

Chemical structuring of wood

Microrelief of an “aged” board

Chemical brushing is used less often than mechanical treatment. This is explained by the fact that the use of chemical compounds requires additional qualifications from the master. In addition, the ingredients for preparing structuring compositions are not easy to obtain.

Important: Sulfuric and hydrochloric acids can be used to prepare wood before subsequent mechanical removal of soft fibers.

When carrying out chemical brushing, aggressive substances such as sulfuric and hydrochloric acid, ammonia, alkalis, etc. are used.

The instructions for aging the surface of lumber are as follows:

• the surface is sanded and cleaned of dust and dirt;
• a chemical compound is applied to the surface to be treated in a thin layer;
• as the chemicals evaporate, they must be reapplied;
• Residues of chemicals are washed off from the surface under running water with a soft brush;
• The wood is dried, after which you can begin painting.

Vibration grinder

Vibration grinder

Sanding pad

Another name is surface grinding

car. The working unit of this tool is a rectangular base on which a sheet of sandpaper is attached. Grinding and polishing is carried out by fast back-and-forth movements of the sole (about 20,000 vibrations per minute (333.3 Hz) with an amplitude of about 2 mm). The most common two methods of attaching sandpaper are:

• Using a pressing mechanism on both sides of the sole.
• Using Velcro - the paper is simply applied with its base to the sole, which has this feature.

The sanding sheet and pad have several holes to drain dust from the work area into a dust container or vacuum cleaner. The main purpose is grinding and polishing.

Delta grinder

It is a type of vibration grinding machine. The delta sander is distinguished by a delta-shaped (triangular, like an iron) sole shape, which allows you to work in hard-to-reach places - in corners, among protrusions and other similar places. The universal cutter can perform the functions of a delta sander when installing the appropriate equipment (a triangular sole with a sticky base) and a sanding sheet).

Types of brushing

There are two ways to process a tree to reveal its structure:

1. Mechanical. The wood is treated with a special tool that removes soft fibers and devices for polishing the surface.
2. Chemical. It involves treating wood with special compounds (alkalies, acids, etc.) that corrode soft fibers.

The use of these types of brushing allows you to achieve different results. The mechanical method produces a textured surface, while the chemical method produces a smoother surface.

One of the techniques used by craftsmen is a combination of chemical and mechanical processing. The wood is rough processed using a chemical method, removing soft fibers. Further finishing and polishing is done mechanically.

Burning

One type of brushing is burning wood to remove soft tissue. The wood is burned with a blowtorch or gas torch, then washed and coated with oil polishing compounds.

With this brushing option, there is no need for subsequent tinting of the product, since the wood acquires a dark shade. If desired, burnt wood can be coated with colored stain.

Wood that has gone through fire and water becomes not only beautiful, but also more durable. It is practically not subject to rotting or damage by insects, so it is often used for finishing facades and building fences. There is no need to paint such a fence, since the burnt boards do not change their quality for decades.

Modern designers use fire-treated wood for interior decoration and furniture making. Not everyone likes things that look like they were left after a fire, but they look stylish and very unusual.

Preparing for work

Different types of wood can be aged using different methods. A number of methods are not suitable for working with certain varieties.

Table 1. Aging methods and types of rocks that can be subjected to the techniques.

The result of aging a pine board using brushing and a solution of vinegar and steel wool

Effects on the surface using special compounds can be divided into techniques:

• using a dry brush;
• patination;
• glaze;
• spray;
• crackle;
• technique for creating scuff marks (Shabby Chic);
• etching (use of compositions such as stains).

Bark beetle - a technique for applying a pattern that imitates the movement of a bark beetle larva along a tree (you can use a denture drill with a large attachment)

Processing with physical impact on wooden planes is also possible:

• brushing – a technique using brushes with metal bristles (cord brushes);
• roasting – the use of fire or metal heated to a high temperature;
• in hot sand.

Other methods are also possible - for example, imitation of natural damage, which is achieved using an awl, sandpaper and other tools.

Master Class. How to age wood?

Types of brushes for brushing

In the brushing process, there are three stages of work - primary (roughing) processing, intermediate processing and polishing (grinding) of wood. To perform correctly, brushes of varying degrees of hardness are required, and this statement is true for both manual and electric tools. Also, aging devices vary in size, which determines their cost. Some of them are suitable not only for special brushing machines, but also for grinders due to the presence of an adapter sleeve.

Metal

Designed for rough (initial) processing of wood. The best brushes have bristles made of brass-plated steel wire. A cheaper option is all-steel brushes without brass coating. For hard rocks, you can use any product; for soft ones, you should choose brass brushes. Also among the metal tools you can see copper ones, but they are not suitable for the first stage of brushing and are intended for polishing and finishing lumber.

Brass wire brush heads

Synthetic

At the intermediate stage of brushing, nylon brushes are used. The surface after roughing remains rough and rough, and nylon fibers allow you to even out the relief. Products of various shapes and sizes are on sale, some of them are suitable for mounting on a regular angle grinder.

Nylon tools differ in the following bristles parameters:

• length;
• density;
• quantity.

Nylon bits for wood processing

Some models have special bristles, into the material of which abrasive particles are pressed. The grain size of the latter also varies: the more thorough the processing must be, the larger the size of abrasive grains should be selected. The hardness of nylon brushes is displayed in numbers from 120 to 600. Products with numbers 120-240 are suitable for hard breeds, and 400-600 for soft breeds.

Nylon fibers are fixed to a plastic or metal base. Despite the high strength of metal, it is plastic products that last longer. The hairs on them practically do not break, remain flexible, and therefore retain good performance characteristics for a long time.

Sisal

Such instruments are made from thin sisal fibers or from sisal fabric and cords. Externally, they can look like rings, circles, wheels for electrical appliances, or resemble ordinary paint brushes. Most products are impregnated to increase wear resistance and efficiency of use: impregnated fibers do not break at high rotation speeds. Sisal brushes are used at the final stage of brushing wood - during polishing.

Sisal brush for an angle grinder

Buying a good brush for artificially aging wood will provide a significant percentage of success and will seriously increase the chance of obtaining a high-quality product. There is no need to save money: it is better to choose a tool that will be easy to use and will last for many years!

Processing methods

Manual processing method

The highest surface class can be achieved by manual brushing. A brush is used for this. The brush is used to remove fibers layer by layer. It is important to note that broaching without process automation makes it possible to achieve a higher class.

Periodically, after removing each layer, firing can be carried out. Firing allows you to change the structure and change the color of the base. The brush is selected taking into account the type of solid wood.

It is advisable to use the manual method of removing fibers when creating decoupage. Decoupage is a special decoration method that allows you to create beautiful things by hand. In this case, decoupage is coated with oil or varnish to give a special effect. The surface is often fired to achieve a unique result.

The manual method is rarely used to produce floor boards. Only expensive, high-end floor boards are made by firing and manually removing the fibers.

Mechanized processing

Decoupage can only be obtained by manual processing, but in other cases an angle grinder is used. This is due to the fact that decoupage requires painstaking work, and angle grinders are used only for large amounts of work.

Features of using an angle grinder include:

1. a tool called an angle grinder - an angle grinder, which is rarely used when creating decoupage, but has become widespread in mass production;
2. The angle grinder has replaceable attachments that can be selected according to the type of wood. They can be changed quickly;
3. As a rule, an angle grinder operates from a household voltage network. There are versions that can be powered from a built-in power supply;
4. in some cases, an angle grinder is used to perform the primary stage of surface aging. After this, manual removal of the layers can be carried out. Therefore, in some cases, materials for decoupage are also initially processed by an angle grinder;
5. the tool allows you to significantly speed up the process, which reduces the cost of its implementation;
6. The quality of the result obtained is somewhat lower, but often it is sufficient.

Mechanization also makes it possible to fire or coat the surface with oil. The surface should be coated with oil or varnish because the fibers are very susceptible to temperature or humidity changes. Firing provides less protection to the structure. Often firing is a preliminary step before coating the surface of a nylon or other base. You can change the appearance by using a paint and varnish product.

Description

A brushed hand sander is a universal tool that makes it possible to remove old paint, varnish and traces of corrosion from various types of wood and metal surfaces, as well as to refine a wooden structure. This device has a high level of performance and is used in conjunction with other grinders. The weight of one device does not exceed 5 kg, the number of rotations can reach up to 3000 revolutions, and the roller diameter is 120 mm.

To perform this task, manufacturers suggest using a nylon cylindrical brush. The brushing attachment makes it possible to artificially age the wooden material and remove all loose layers. After treatment, the work surface not only changes its structure, but also its color.

On the shelves of specialized departments of construction stores you can see two types of grinders.

• A tool with a wide body, behind which a shaft with attachments is hidden. The main feature is the presence of two handles and a start button.
• An instrument that has common features with a grinder. Distinctive features are the presence of a cylindrical brush and a handle, which is located parallel to the working shaft. The disadvantage is the lack of ability to adjust the processing depth.

This device consists of the following parts:

• engine;
• charger or wire to the electrical network;
• platform;
• pen;
• regulation and control system;
• working disk.

Two types of brushes are used for surface treatment:

• nylon;
• metal.

The brush has the shape of a cylinder that makes circular movements at high speed. To perform non-standard types of work, experts recommend replacing brushes and special rings.

To perform brushing, cup nylon brushes with abrasive grain on polymer threads are used, which can be attached not only to grinding machines, but also to a conventional drill.

To make work easier, the designers have provided two handles, and special pipes are installed to connect the device to the vacuum cleaner.

The number of revolutions depends on the diameter of the brush surface.

The adjustment system allows you to process products at a high level and at the same time adjust the cleaning depth.

Nozzles can be changed using a hex wrench.

Most grinding machines have auxiliary parameters:

• adjustment of the number of revolutions;
• automatic speed control;
• grinding depth adjustment;
• protection against unauthorized start;
• presence of a dust collector;
• possibility of quick replacement of deformed parts;
• additional protection of the engine from contamination.

The device may include an organizer, a set of metal, abrasive, polymer and nylon brushes, as well as a charger.

How to age wood

Things from the distant past are quite popular these days. This did not bypass the design sphere either. The design of the house, which contains notes from the past in the form of old wooden furniture, floor beams, and various antique wooden decorative elements, gives it a chic and expensive look. You might even think that the owners inherited from their great-grandfathers a luxurious house that was centuries old.

In fact, everything is much simpler. The fact is that with the fashion for everything old came the concept of imitation of the old. The same thing happened with wood, because in any construction or furniture store you can find decorative elements made to match the old style. Of course, the prices for such items are quite high, so rarely anyone can afford them.

Antique wood processing is done using 3 common methods, namely:

• brushing;
• burning;
• alkali.

At home, great preference is given to option 1.

The first step is to select the wood that we will process. If you want to artificially age boards or timber to further create various objects and furniture from them, then you can choose materials with various defects (chips, small cracks, potholes, knots). After proper processing, such defects will only improve the result. If you choose ready-made furniture for aging, then you need to use pieces that look like they were made by hand in past centuries. Before processing, the furniture must be completely disassembled so that it is possible to reach hard-to-reach places.

You also need to prepare the necessary materials, such as:

• hard metal brush;
• softer wire brush;
• paint brushes;
• acrylic paint, varnish, wax or stain;
• sandpaper.

It doesn’t hurt to practice a little on unnecessary, small pieces of wood before working with the prepared material.

Some operations can be harmful to health (when fired or using chemicals), so it is better to carry them out in the fresh air and in compliance with safety rules.