Hey there! Today, I am sharing how to paint a plain white door to look like wood. While our house was under the bathroom construction I had to stay home every day. After I was finished with all the Christmas decorating I found something else I have been wanting to do for years. I knew my husband would not mind me experimenting in this room because the door was pretty shot regardless. The boys used to have a basketball hoop set up over it and they banged the heck out of the door. So it was either paint it white or try my experiment. I am sure this has been done before but I didn’t even look up how to do it. I just winged it. It worked! The workers I had here happened to go in the room that day and they asked if I had done that. I said, yes, they were impressed lol!
This was not a hard project at all. In fact, I was really happy at how easy it truly was. Start with your basic supplies. This was the first time I ever worked with gel stain, and I loved it. No drip, no mess. I did use traditional Minwax stain to go over it and that is where the job can get a little messy. You want to be sure to cover your work area. The plastic drop cloths were great. NOTE: The only reason I went over it with another stain was for one, it was an experiment, and for two, I wanted to have a two-toned color, which in fact, I did achieve with using both the gel and regular stain:)
Here is the before:
Be sure to use your gloves. Stain can be messy. The nice thing about gel stain is there is no drip. However, there is a traditional stain that I used to go over it.
The door required two good coats of the gel stain. I then let it dry overnight.
The next morning I went over it with my color choice of stain with just a rag. I wiped in some areas to get the somewhat weathered look. The nice thing about applying the gel as an undercoat is that when I did wipe, it appeared as though it was real wood underneath. I did not use varnish or sealer. The doors have held up well. However, they are not used every day, so use your own judgment.
I changed the hardware too. There you see my goodwill table I made over a few months ago. Compliments the door nicely, I would say. That’s all there is to that project! I think this would look super on a pantry door as well.
Back in the day, I painted our pantry door red and loved it for years. That was up until this past year when we actually had a custom tobacco wood barn door. I love that rustic look. Plus, it takes the wear and tears that my boys tend to give everything around here.
I guess it was all about doors today! Now go tackle one.
You may also enjoy>>>>Our recent painted bifold doors with color HERE
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How to paint a plain white door to look like wood
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Your doors look amazing. I did the hall bathroom vanity in gel stain this year, it does look fabulous, however I thought it was a ton of work.
Really? I find painting furniture much more tedious lol. I didn’t thing it was bad at all. I will have to check out your vanity.
Debbie can u tell me which goes on first how long before u do ur stain please
Hi. Can I do this Technique on a laminate vanity top? I love he wood look.
I am not sure about that. I would say yes, but it keep in mind it will take a while to dry.
That turned out beautifully, Debbie! Love your tobacco wood door, too!
The door turned out fantastic Debbie and it looks like wood. Great job!
The door looks so nice Debbie. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you so much!
Debbie when doing the white doors for inside which goes on first I just bought 12 doors and the wood look is what I’m wonton to do I wrote down what to buy but can u tell me which goes on first and how long before I do the next step please here is my email
Angievickers28@yahoo.com (6066824376 ) or u can text me love ur doors a lot. Thanks so much
Two coats of GEL stain first and let completely dry over night. Then you can go over it the next day with a traditional stain of a varied color, then wipe as you go lightly to get that wood effect. I only did the outside of the doors, not the inside. Good luck.
Hi Debbie
I have the same question I’m wanting to do my garage doors do the stain gel first leave over night then the stain Tks for sharing yours look amazing
I am not sure if it would work on metal. I would google it gel stained garage doors. I don’t want to steer you in the wrong direction on such a big project. I am thinking it is out there somewhere.
Perfect timing! Exactly what I was planning for 2 doors in the laundry room but was unsure of where to begin. The gel stain is the perfect solution! Thanks!
Awesome Rita! Good luck. I didn’t think it was difficult. Just a little time consuming and you have to be patient. The look is perfect though I think anyhow.
Debbie I used gel stain on my stairs when I re-did them. Is there a reason you went over the gel stain with regular stain? Your doors are just beautiful – all of them.
Not really, I was just experimenting and wanted a two toneish color.
Do you think you could get the 2 tone using gel stain each time?
Yes I do. I would experiment on a plain board first to see the results.
How do you think this would work on my green front doors? Exterior is green, inside a nice wood.
Rosemary, I am not sure. I would perhaps sand it down first? to remove the green. And then I am sure it would work.
Good job on the door; love the somewhat weathered natural look. All of your painting projects have that natural touch. You are a pro Debbie. I think you should come to my house and do my kitchen cabinet. I’m afraid to tackle such a large project but it really needs to be done!
Beautiful, Debbie! Doors are not easy but you make it look so simple. Love that dark rustic look.
I agree, doors are not easy. I do not care for painting them all that much, but this was easier imo:)
It turned out great. I love the color of the stain. I’m loving the pantry door too.
Hi Debbie,
Great Job! Love your blog, such a talented lady 😉
I understand that you used 2 colors of stain on the project the first being ‘General Finishes’ Java in the gel stain done with 2 coats.
What was the second stain color used to get the 2 toned look on your particular doors? I know you mentioned it was regular liquid stain that you wiped in as an accent color.
Have a great day!
Sondra
It was some I had left over in the cabinet outside. I want to say the color was Java. You can use any color you want depending on the tone and look you are going for.
what paint color is that green wall?
Debbie..I love following you and your projects, we have similar taste. I LOVE rustic and my husband recently made wood shutters for all our outside Windows. Also adding some wood corbels for architectural interest. My question is…does the gel stain work over painted wood and over metal doors?? Thank you?
I don’t know if it would work over a metal door. Over painted wood I assume so. However, you want to obviously choose a color that would be darker than your painted wood that exists.
I did my metal extrior door with the Gel stains .. However I painted it with a flat paint called copper pot first.. It turned out great.. still very nice even without a top coat and that was 3 years ago..but it did take along time to dry.. before it wasn’t tacky anymore. I love it so much I really want to do the bathroom cabinets which are a moss green I just don’t know if I have to repaint or if I can leave the green and just use the gel..
Can u post a pic of ur metal door. I really wanna do mine.
I don’t have a pic of a metal door. What you see is what I did:)
Hey Debbie,
I know this is an older post, but I saw the way you’d stained this painted door and fell in love.
I’d like a lighter stained door than yours, but the technique you used is wonderful.
My question is which stain did you use first? Did you go lighter then darker? Or darker gel and then lighter normal stain?
Thanks in advance for your help!
CJ
Hi Cj, I used the darker first, then the lighter on top. You can do it whatever way you like. Just pick a lighter gel color. Good luck.
Thanks, Debbie.
I can’t wait to try this! I’ll let you know how it goes!
CJ
Love this! Did you have to use a wood conditioner/primer before you stained it?
No primer before.
I love this and want to do this? How much gel stain did you need? Is one small can enough, or did you need to purchase a large can?
I bought the medium size can and it was more than enough.
WoW !! Your CRAFT ROOM looks fantastic. The INDUSTRIAL curtain rods are
a perfect touch… the unexpected. I have always liked that style of hanging light.
I was going around your site and found your industrial look shelving A.N.D. your
painted door !! Luv it !! –thank you for sharing.
🍁hugs. -Linda
I have peeling white painted doors. The previous owner painted latex over oil based causing all 15 doors to peel. I cannot sand them much because they are the grained finish, not smooth type doors. I was told to lightly knock off the peeling and use a good primer to prevent further peeling then paint. Can I do your technique and stain over primer? Seems much easier than painting all 15 and love the look!
I don’t see why not,however I would just do one test area first to see if you like it.
Hi looking to do just this project myself, I am very much a step by step person LOL and video is great but I don’t see any step by steps here no worries I am going to be adventurous but just wondering what the cheese cloth is for? Wish me luck!!
I used the cheese cloth for in between wiping the gel to get more of that wood look with variations of color.
Loving your doors! I made a shelf out of recycled wood. Some pieces have a little red paint, but most of it is not painted or varnished. Some pieces are chipped, so I have to put puddy on it. Do you think I should paint it all one color first? Or do you think putting gel stain on will cover it?
If it were mine I would probably do the gel stain, wipe, and sand. You want it to look rustic I assume. I think the red paint showing through and little roughness would look great.
Well, well, well…. look who’s tutorial popped up when I googled wood grain door. We have to do something to our rental house front door, so paint it or fake it?
WOW, that is awesome!
What color stains did you use?
I used Java for the gel stain and a lighter color to go over it. I believe the other color was like a oak.
Was this a wood door? the door I want to do this to is metal (I think) I know it’s not a wood door do you think it’ll work the same. I realize this post might be old hopeing you’ll still get to respond thanks.
I do not think the technique will work on metal. The stain will not dry right.
We just had bead board installed and stained in our tray ceiling inserts in our hallway. They came out splotchy and devoid of the wood grain look I expected. I wanted it to mirror the wood floors below. Do you think it would be possible to use gel stain over this first stain to get the rich Grain look you achieved?
Yes, I do think it would work out fine. I would do a very small test first though.
Hi! Wanting to do this to my pantry today! Did you do any sanding or prep work before using the stain? Yours looks wonderful!
No I did not. I did the sanding after.
I tried this technique. I can’t get the gel stain to rub off and show any white when I applied regular stain and wiped it off?
Did you do it while the gel was still somewhat wet? You have to rub hard and give a little elbow to it. You can do it!
I absolutely love this! My home is decorated in the Farmhouse style and all of my furniture I painted my self (all white). Now I am looking to redo the tops but didnt want to sand them all down and stain. This is the perfect alternative! Will this work over Chalk paint sealed with polyurethane? Thank you so much for sharing this! I’m so excited to try it!
I am not sure about that Becky. I think it will because the gel stain is pretty thick and adheres. I would recommend however, giving everything a light sanding before you start.
I am wanting to take my white kitchen cabinets back to an 80s oak look. Wondering if this would work? And would I need to seal with something since it’s a high traffic and use area?
It should work. I would probably recommend a poly, to finish them. Depending on if you want high gloss or matte. They make both.
Could you please tell my which colors you used for the gel stain and the mini wax and which was the darker color. I am looking for almost the exact finish that you had
Java was the gel stain and then I used an oak stain. I can’t recall the exact color but it was lighter. Java was the base.
What colors (gel stain and Minwax stain) did you use on your white doors to get the look?