Bleaching weathered wood before engraving?

[ALISHA HILSENDAGER]

Hello,
I have been making engraved barn wood signs lately with beautiful results. However the latest batch of barn wood I got in is quite a bit darker than the previous wood I've used so the engraving is not showing up as well as I would like it to. My thought was to white wash the wood before engraving but someone recommended bleaching the wood to lighten the colour. I am aware of the dangers of lasering anything containing chlorine and don't want to wreck my machine. Can anyone tell me if the bleach would dissipate after awhile, making it safe to laser? Any other suggestions out there?
Thanks in advance!

[Chris DeGerolamo]

you should be able to age it with vinegar...maybe that'll help you.

[ALISHA HILSENDAGER]

Thanks for the suggestion, I often used vinegar and tea to age wood. My problem this time, however, is making it look less aged, I guess... I am trying to lighten the wood without loosing its character.

[Bert Kemp]

I would try a 1/3 Bleach 2/3 water mix spray on amd watch results then rinse with clean water really well and let dry in the shade, you might want to lay your boards on 1x1" stickings so they don't warp while drying. If you don't know what I mean by sticking your boards let me know . The rinsing should dilute what ever left over bleach there is to not bother the laser.

[ALISHA HILSENDAGER]

I would try a 1/3 Bleach 2/3 water mix spray on amd watch results then rinse with clean water really well and let dry in the shade, you might want to lay your boards on 1x1" stickings so they don't warp while drying. If you don't know what I mean by sticking your boards let me know . The rinsing should dilute what ever left over bleach there is to not bother the laser.

Thanks for the advice, Bert! That is what I will try!

[Bert Kemp]

Just make sure you watch as you spray on the bleach, pending on the strength it doesn't take long to lighten the wood. So have the hose ready to rinse quick LOL .

[Michele Welch]

Alisha,

You can do the same thing with the vinegar and just dilute with a bit of water and then hose off after a little bit. I don't ever dilute the vinegar solution because it's easy to control by watching and rinsing. I get a better aging by putting a piece of steel wool in a mason jar and fill it with vinegar and let sit for 24 hours. Shake often and then either brush or spray on. Good luck and looking forward to seeing some pictures!!

[Bert Kemp]

Michele she's not trying to age the wood.


Alisha,

You can do the same thing with the vinegar and just dilute with a bit of water and then hose off after a little bit. I don't ever dilute the vinegar solution because it's easy to control by watching and rinsing. I get a better aging by putting a piece of steel wool in a mason jar and fill it with vinegar and let sit for 24 hours. Shake often and then either brush or spray on. Good luck and looking forward to seeing some pictures!!

[Mike Null]

Household bleach is not likely to make any difference in the color of the wood. Try Oxalic acid. http://www.realmilkpaint.com/oxalic-acid-bleach.html

[Bert Kemp]

Mike Sorry I have to disagree with you but household bleach will make a big difference. I bleached an entire log cabin with Clorox . The logs turned dark grey from years of harsh winters and summer sun. I just mixed 50/ 50 water and bleach sprayed on and hosed off and the cabin looked like new again nice golden pine color just like new.


Household bleach is not likely to make any difference in the color of the wood. Try Oxalic acid. http://www.realmilkpaint.com/oxalic-acid-bleach.html

[Matt McCoy]

I like weathered wood too and have been making my own reactive stains in my shop for a few years using different vinegars, nails, steel wool, copper pennies, walnuts, peroxide, etc. I've been reading a little about bleaching wood and think a two-part bleach/neutralizer might be worth considering. I don't think a diluted household (chlorine) bleach will work very well and the oxalic acid really only reacts to iron (nails, water, urine!). Here's a little article I came across recently and some snippets:

"You'll find three kinds of products marketed as wood bleaches. But only one will remove the natural color from wood: a two-part wood bleach of sodium hydroxide (caustic soda) and hydrogen peroxide."

"Chlorine bleach, which is like ordinary laundry bleach, will remove dye color from wood, but not the wood's natural color. Oxalic acid is commonly employed to bleach out water or rust stains."

http://www.woodmagazine.com/materials-guide/finishes/get-the-color-out-with-wood-bleach/
(http://www.woodmagazine.com/materials-guide/finishes/get-the-color-out-with-wood-bleach/)
I would still look into your safety concerns of laser engraving/cutting bleached wood.

[Matt McCoy]

Mike Sorry I have to disagree with you but household bleach will make a big difference. I bleached an entire log cabin with Clorox . The logs turned dark grey from years of harsh winters and summer sun. I just mixed 50/ 50 water and bleach sprayed on and hosed off and the cabin looked like new again nice golden pine color just like new.

Awesome! Hope you have a pic - sounds cool.

[Mike Null]

Bert

Just the opposite of my experience. Household bleach just didn't work.

[Kev Williams]

I have zilch experience with un-aging wood, but I do play with lots of chemicals, so---

Instead of basic Clorox bleach, how about trying some sodium di-chlor chlorine used in hot tubs?

Muriatic acid?

[Bill George]

You know before I played with all the chemicals... I'd mask the wood and then color fill as needed with black, dark gray or whatever would look nice. The main part of the sign would look like it was outside for a 100 years or so but the letters would stand out.

Once in a while on Craigslist you will find someone tearing down a old building or fence and giving away the wood. I've missed out on a few. Make great signs.

[Bert Kemp]

OK there seems to be a lot of confusion as to what she's trying to do, some here thinks shes trying to age wood and others think she's trying to remove the natural color. Its my understanding she has very weathered wood and is trying to get some of the natural color back, not age it more and not remover the natural color, but to get back some of the natural color the weather has taken away. If it pine barn board household bleach will do the job, the strength may vary some , you might need a stronger mix then 1/3 2/3 but if its pine it will work. If its some type of hard wood like oak or birch I don't know if it would work or not. Pine is softwood with a porous grain and bleach will lighten it right up. Sorry Matt no pictures as the cabins in NH I'm in AZ and I did it years ago, and I have no weathered pine out here, mesquite I have but its very hard don't think bleach will work on mesquite.

[Matt McCoy]

I like Bill's suggestion the best.

Here are a few I've made with an acrylic overlay for contrast:

https://images.bigcartel.com/bigcartel/product_images/155948659/max_h-1000+max_w-1000/IMG_2881.jpg

https://images.bigcartel.com/bigcartel/product_images/155948647/max_h-1000+max_w-1000/IMG_2877.jpg

https://images.bigcartel.com/bigcartel/product_images/155948671/max_h-1000+max_w-1000/IMG_2882.jpg

[ALISHA HILSENDAGER]

Matt, I love those signs! For some reason I have never thought to mount acrylic on the boards! They look great!
Bert, the bleach worked like a charm! Cheap and easy.

[Matt McCoy]

Matt, I love those signs! For some reason I have never thought to mount acrylic on the boards! They look great!
Bert, the bleach worked like a charm! Cheap and easy.

Thank you.

Also, appreciate you sharing your results.

[Bert Kemp]

Glad it worked for you, so many didn't think it would but It works for me.


Matt, I love those signs! For some reason I have never thought to mount acrylic on the boards! They look great!
Bert, the bleach worked like a charm! Cheap and easy.