07/22/2026
In the farmstand, we’ve used mostly reclaimed wood, but we’ve had to buy some new wood, too. So to make it match the reclaimed wood, we found the coolest trick.
Here’s what you need:
🔨 Steel Wool – Grade #0000
🔨 White vinegar
🔨 Black tea bag
🔨 Quart mason jar
Tear 3/4 of a pad of steel wool into small pieces and submerge in 2.5 cups of vinegar. (I know, I accidentally said 2 cups in the video!) Add your tea bag.
Punch three to four small holes in the lid of your jar, and then leave it in a cool, dark area for at least 24 hours.
After 24 hours, paint the solution onto your new wood and let it sit. Trust the process. It won’t look like much is happening, and then bam! Your wood changes color.
If you don’t have a tea bag handy, don’t let it stop you. Without it, the wood will just be a bit more grey than brown, but it will still look stained and old. To add to the finish even more, you can mess around with sanding, adding nail holes, burning, etc. If you don’t use the entire jar of solution in one sitting, that’s fine. I’ve left mine in the shed for weeks and the results are still lovely.
Save this for your next project!
