Results 1 to 5 of 5

Thread: Achieving Shabby Chic?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Location
    Milton Keynes, UK
    Posts
    59

    Achieving Shabby Chic?

    I'm hoping this is the right forum, as I usually post in Engraving, being a business that's involved in Laser engraving and cutting; which of course includes signage. If it isn't could a moderator please move it to where it should be.

    A potential new customer is interested in my producing bespoke 'Shabby Chic' plaques etc. to hang in her house. My question to you all is how would I go about preparing wood to look 'shabby chic'? Any ideas?

    Cheers, Steve

    --

    Trotec Speedy 300, Rated at 89.8 watts.
    Atmos Duo, Rotary Attachment, Corel Draw 7

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    Mnts.of Va.
    Posts
    615
    Ask the customer.....it's the whole,"one man's trash......" thing.

    IOW's,what's shabby to one person could very well be "high style" to the next?

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    Sammamish, WA
    Posts
    7,630
    While they didn't call it "shabby chic", I hve had requests for similar work in the past, and it's actually fun. Your prices will be higher due to the additional time it takes, especially if you have no samples to show them. One idea is to paint the wood, let dry, paint again, and repeat until there are 3-4 coats with different colors. Then sand randomly to expose bits of the various coats and expose some bare wood on the edges to get the appearance of age. Then you can apply transfer tape and use the laser to engrave the lettering, paint the letters, then use a clear matte spray over the whole thing. In one case I sandblasted the wood before starting to add relief as if the weather had worn into the grain. On another I used old gray barn wood, hand painted the lettering, then sanded to wear off some of the lettering. Perhaps the most interesting was copying the old style metal automotive signs. I used galvanized sheet metal from a heating place, chemical etch primer, then painted using One-Shot sprayed background, and used stencils to hand paint the lettering and graphics. Then I bent it up a bit
    and in some places, especially around edges and drilled mounting holes airbrushed with a rust-color paint. Probably took 4 times longer than a normal sign.



    Sammamish, WA

    Epilog Legend 24TT 45W, had a sign business for 17 years, now just doing laser work on the side.

    "One only needs two tools in life: WD-40 to make things go, and duct tape to make them stop." G. Weilacher

    "The handyman's secret weapon - Duct Tape" R. Green

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Location
    Milton Keynes, UK
    Posts
    59
    Thanks for the replies. Joe, some great ideas there... This is the sort of thing I'm starting to turn out working with old cupboard doors, a bandsaw, angle grinder and of course engraver... I think the faked woodworm is a good touch. What do you think?
    Attached Images Attached Images
    Cheers, Steve

    --

    Trotec Speedy 300, Rated at 89.8 watts.
    Atmos Duo, Rotary Attachment, Corel Draw 7

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    Sammamish, WA
    Posts
    7,630
    I like the worm holes, nice touch.



    Sammamish, WA

    Epilog Legend 24TT 45W, had a sign business for 17 years, now just doing laser work on the side.

    "One only needs two tools in life: WD-40 to make things go, and duct tape to make them stop." G. Weilacher

    "The handyman's secret weapon - Duct Tape" R. Green

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •