Happy Monday friends! Hope you all had a great weekend! I had a fabulous time working on some projects, spending time with a friend who came to visit and relaxing at the beach 🙂 Can’t get better than that!
So if you follow me on Instagram, you may have seen the photo I posted on Saturday of a little something I was working on. A couple of you guessed it was a headboard, which of course put new ideas in my head, but I’m here to reveal to you it’s true identity!
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DIY FAUX DISTRESSED WOOD BACKDROP
As many of you know, or if you’re new around here, we rent a little apartment with not much natural light. Our living room is also painted a not so pretty brown that I just never put the effort into painting. Honestly, I’ve never been truly happy with any place in our apartment that I stage my photos. Yes, I’m probably being too picky, but I can’t help it!
So when my blog got it’s new look last week, you may have noticed the wooden background, which I LOVE. This got me thinking…why don’t I make a wall similar to the background and use it as a backdrop to take my pictures against! BRILLIANT!
STEP 1: GATHERING AND PREPARING THE WOOD
At first I thought about making it out of pallets. I scrounged up about 4 of them and totally forgot about how much of a pain they are to take apart. The hubs has a broken pinky right now and isn’t very useful. So, I recruited one of my friends to come over and help me.
With hammers and crowbars and a lot of sweat, we got most of the wood off of 3 of the pallets. Taking a look at the pile, I knew it wasn’t going to be enough, and really didn’t want to deal with taking more of them apart.
I’d gone to Home Depot and looked around for wood there but really didn’t see anything that would work for what I wanted. I ended up going to a local lumber yard and explained what I wanted and placed an order. I probably should have asked to see the wood first because when we went to pick it up later, I realized they’d given me 2x4s. Just a wee bit thicker than what I needed.
The hubs was not amused. I’d already payed for the wood and at this point I just wanted to get this thing built. We loaded up the car and headed home to start building!
STEP 2: BUILDING THE WALL
Since this was just going to be leaning up against a wall, it didn’t need to be super sturdy. We used more 2x4s as the support beams and simply nailed the others as shown in the photo.
Pretty sure our neighbors hate us with all the hammering we’ve been doing lately. Oops 🙂 Once I had them all nailed in, we propped it up against the wall on our porch and I’m pretty certain it won’t ever move from that spot haha. This baby is HEAVY. I’ll worry about what I’m going to do with it in the winter when the time comes 🙂
STEP 3: STAIN
To achieve the distressed look the next step was to stain. I used Minwax’s Dark Walnut.
STEP 4: PAINT & DISTRESSING
I actually really like the way it looked stained, but that wouldn’t match my blog’s background, so I carried on. So, I grabbed some white and light grey paint that I had laying around and a large paintbrush. Using a VERY small amount of paint on the brush, I lightly brushed it on.
I did about 3 coats and was planning on doing some extra distressing with a sanding block, but it was just taking the paint off so I left it as is.
And that my friends is my new pride and joy! It turned out even better than I imagined and hopefully now everyone will understand why I wanted to build a wall 🙂
It may not match my background exactly but I’m ok with that and can’t wait to have my own little photo studio. Even if it is on our front porch 🙂 Neighbors DEF think I’m a crazy person.
Paula@SweetPea says
I need to put this on my “to do” list! I really like this!
brepurposed says
It was the best decision I ever made! 🙂
Geoff says
What are the rough dimensions of the wall I am trying to talk my wife into letting me build one of these for her side business.
Mary Beth|Cupcakes and Crinoline says
This is such a great idea and such a smart use of space! I have a small house and I’m always having to move things out of the way for pictures. I am adding this to my ‘must-make project’ list and pinning. AWESOMENESS!
brepurposed says
Thank you so much Mary Beth! I can definitely relate 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
Michelle from Weekend Craft says
I have plans to do something similar just smaller scale! What a great Tut! Thanks so much for linking up last week at Creative Spark Link Party! Hope you stop by again today! http://bit.ly/1vvIGjo
brepurposed says
I’d love to see yours when it’s done! Always love linking up at your party 🙂
Lisa at Mabey She Made It says
I love this Bre!
Carrie This Home says
I love how this turned out Bre! It’s such a great way to decorate when you’re renting. Thanks so much for sharing this at Frugal Crafty Home Blog Hop–this is going to be one of my features at our next party!
brepurposed says
Aw thank so much, Carrie! Hope you have a great weekend 🙂
5redherrings says
Love this!
brepurposed says
Thank you!!
Melissa @ Simply Sweets by Honeybee says
I so need one of these in my life! It’s gorgeous!!!
Rachel says
Love it! How did you get the new 2x4s to have not straight edges (it looks like the unfinished ones have some character on the sides)?
Justine Y says
Looks great! I love pallet/wood backdrops! And pallets ARE a pain to rip apart, I did an accent wall in my son’s room adn it looks awesome, but it took a LONG time to collect and take apart all those pallets!
brepurposed says
Thank you! Oh my gosh, yes they are a pain! Good for you for sticking to it and doing a whole wall!
katjeter says
Beautiful! I’m pinning this and adding it to my (ever-growing) to-do list!
brepurposed says
Thanks Kat! It doesn’t take long at all 🙂
Lauren @ The Thinking Closet says
Wow! What an incredible finished piece. The combo of staining and white-washing gives it such a weathered vibe – – I would have never guessed that this wasn’t reclaimed wood. Well done, my dear! Looking forward to seeing this action in your blog photos to come!
brepurposed says
Aw thank you so much, Lauren! It turned out even better than I expected and was so easy to “distress” 🙂 You’ll be seeing lots more of it around my blog!
Erlene says
Looks fantastic. I really like how it came out when you “distressed” it.
brepurposed says
Thanks Erlene! It turned out even better than I imagined 🙂
Jillian says
LOVE this project! Definitely adding it to the to-do list 🙂
brepurposed says
thanks Jillian!!
shonee says
Looks awesome! I totally want to make one now 🙂
brepurposed says
Thank you, you should!
Nicole B. says
This is a fabulous idea!!! And I love that it kinda matches your blog background 😉
brepurposed says
Thanks Nicole! I tried to match it as close as possible, good enough for me!
Havalah says
that is awesome! I’m pretty sure our last neighbors thought I was crazy too. I’ll do anything for the best light and inside just doesn’t cut it sometimes. I definitely need to make one of those. So happy to just find your blog, I love it everything about it!
brepurposed says
haha I know right?! My husband thinks I’m pretty crazy too, but you gotta do what you gotta do! So glad you stopped by and thank you for the kind words!
jarrahjungle says
This looks so good, Im really into the wood look. Hey it even matches your blog background!
brepurposed says
Thank you! That was the whole idea 🙂
Selene Galindo says
I need to make one of these ASAP!! I love the look of distressed wood and it would make one fabulous backdrop!!
brepurposed says
It certainly does, I’m loving it!!
Kelly @ A Side of Sweet says
This is AMAZING! I might steal this idea to make a new blogging backdrop! So, so awesome.
Btw, found you via the social media challenge for #SITSblogging! 🙂
brepurposed says
Thank you SO much Kelly! Feel free to steal my idea 🙂 I’d love to see yours if you do! P.S. What is the social media challenge for #SITSblogging?!
Kelly @ A Side of Sweet says
Good question! SITS is a blogging group and right now they have issued a summer challenge to help us grow our social media following. You were one of the recommended accounts that Twitter suggested based on other people I follow. A lucky find for me! 🙂
brepurposed says
Oh awesome!! I’m so glad it brought you to me! I’ll have to check it out 🙂 Thanks for heads up!
howdothejonesdoit says
Wow! You go all out! I love the new background on your blog too … it all looks so nice! I thought I was doing good with a piece of white fabric taped to my wall and draping over the top of a shelf for ebay pictures;0) Classy, eh?!
brepurposed says
haha thank you so much! go big or go home right?!
Christina says
This is a great idea!!! I never really thought to make a background for photos. So smart! It turned out awesome! 🙂
brepurposed says
Thank you Christina! I wanted my photos to look consistent and since I sell most of my pieces anyway, I figured a little backdrop would be perfect!
Kristi says
SOOOOO pretty!!! I’ve been dying to try my hand at some whitewashing! LOVE, LOVE, LOVE how it turned out!!!
brepurposed says
Thanks girl! This was my first time trying it and I couldn’t believe how easy it was 🙂
Hara says
Hi,
I love this! I want to create something like this for my baby’s first birthday. I’m planning on a rustic camping theme for his first. What kind of wood did you use and about how long did it take you to complete? I would appreciate any tips and information. Thank you!
Hara
brepurposed says
Hi Hara! That sounds so cute! I used 2x4s for mine but it made it super heavy. I would probably recommend something a little more lightweight for what you want. You could get a piece of plywood cut at Lowes or Home Depot to the size you want and then use strips of balsa wood that you can find at the craft store which are super light to get the look of the panels. That might be a good option for you!