Now this is the type of custom job that we love to get! Our client already had a handful of wood accents around the exterior of their home, and had a vision of painting their patio’s aluminum columns in a faux wood texture to match. Details like this can add such a unique flair to a home, and we were excited to help make it happen.

Preparation

A paint job is only as good as the prep work that goes into it. In this case, the existing paint layer on the columns was beginning to crack and flake off. We cannot simply paint over this. The under layer would continue to peel, taking off our new work along with it. The only proper solution is to remove any problematic material, so we used a combination of physical and chemical stripping to remove paint all the way down to the bare aluminum.

The chemical stripper was great for removing old layers of paint, but left the exposed aluminum surface too basic to create a strong bond with new paint. To regulate the pH, we applied an acid wash to the columns. With the columns neutralized and dry, we gave them a quick sanding before applying a coat of high bond primer. Finally, a fresh canvas to work with.

Faux Painting

Color Selection

With our surface ready to go, we carefully color matched the nearby wooden shutters and garage door to choose two colors for our faux wood grain: a deep orange for the base layer, and a beautiful black walnut as the glazing element.

Base Layer

The orange base coat is the color that will subtly reveal itself through the more pronounced top layer. With our thorough prep work, applying this layer was straightforward — a quick, single coat and we were done.

Preparing a Glaze

Using a colored glaze is a common faux painting technique. You can make a colored glaze by mixing a translucent latex glaze with your choice of colored latex paint. This paint-glaze mixture has two effects that help create faux patterns:  

1. The glaze extends the paint’s open time (how long it takes for the paint to dry).
2. The glaze makes the paint translucent, allowing layers below it to show through.

The more glaze in the mixture, the more noticeable these effects are. In this project, we created our dark walnut glaze by mixing one part paint with one part glaze. 

Wood Graining Technique

Using a brush and roller, we applied our newly created glaze to the aluminum columns. Once coated evenly, we used a specialized wood graining tool to selectively remove paint and create the faux wood pattern. The extended open time of the glaze mixture allowed us plenty of time to adjust the pattern until we were pleased with it. 

Polyurethane Topcoat

With the paint dry, we applied one final layer of clear polyurethane. This glossy topcoat adds a scratch- and water-resistant seal that will keep the paint job looking fresh for years to come. 

Final Thoughts

Our client was thrilled with the final results of this project, and so were we! The finished faux wood texture really ties this home’s aesthetic together, matching the patio’s aluminum columns to other decorative accents around the house. We can’t wait to tackle the next creative project like this one.