How to bleach wood - tutorial

by Cari Fennel (Brand Ambassador)

I've had so many projects going on at once and this one, took a lot of my time but I am so excited to share this table transformation (finally) with you today! On this project I did a wood bleaching technique.

This table was in horrible shape with burn marks, stains and old old varnish. Bleaching was the best solution to take it back to its natural look. (See before photo!)

You'll need:

• Granny B's products used-Chalk-Paint Hurricane,
• Granny B's Armour Gloss Sealer (on top and legs).
• Stain-blocking primer e.g. Block & Tackle or equivalent
• JIK Bleach,
• Synthetic Brush,
• Vinegar

How it's done!

Here's what I did step by step and soon I will also post a quick video I made:

TikTok Bleached Table Tutorial

The process is long and tedious but the results are totally worth it. Certain wood reacts differently. Pine is much easier to bleach because it’s already a light wood. The hardwoods take more applications.

1: Clean the surface and allow to dry thoroughly

2: Sand surface. Start with 80 or 100 grit and work your way up to 220 or 240 fine grit.

3: Clean off dust from sanding.

4: Apply even layer of bleach using synthetic brush. Spots will appear if you don’t apply evenly. I used JIK but any household bleach will work. Dry in the sun. The sun helps with the bleaching and it doesn't have to be super warm outside. Apply bleach, then let it dry. Repeat until you are happy with the shade. I did eight coats. This table is oak so it's hardwood, needed more layers. Pine is lighter so may not need as many. 

5: Clean surface with 1 part water and 1 part white vinegar to neutralize the bleach.

6: Clean more with just plain water. Keep cleaning until the water is clear or almost clear. Then you know the bleach is off. The water will be yellow at first and get lighter as you rinse and wipe off. Keep refreshing your water after each wipe down so you have clean water. This part seemed to take forever- not going to lie-Lol!

7: After cleaning, allow to completely dry overnight or 24 hours.

8: Sand with 220 or 240, clean off dust from sanding with damp lint free cloth.

9: Seal the surface. I used Armour but Pappa G's #ChalkpaintWax or Waxing Cream also works great too. 

I painted the base using Granny B's Hurricane Grey, like the table top the base had it's share of abuse, oil, stains and heaven knows what. To be safe I opted to block any potential stains using a stain-blocking primer.

Learn more about paint prep and using Granny B's products, including getting your hands on the FREE Paint Prep Guide via the following link:

https://www.grannyb.co.za/pages/free-downloads-1gbr