Brushing wood: selection of brushes and tools, do-it-yourself wood processing

Using wood in interior design has always been a great opportunity to emphasize a unique style, add coziness to a room, or give a special mood. Brushing wood copes with all these tasks at once; in addition, artificial aging gives objects and surfaces a special character, adds solidity, and hints at a rich history. You can master such a technique yourself, just familiarize yourself with the technology and select the necessary materials and tools.

The essence of brushing

Tree trunks have a multilayer structure, which, when cut, forms a peculiar pattern of fibers of different thicknesses and directions. Brushing, which is sometimes called stitching due to a lack of understanding of the essence of the issue, is sanding a wood surface with brushes using special devices or equipment. The term comes from the word brush in English. The process has nothing to do with brochures, which should be taken into account in colloquial speech.

Thanks to the brushing tool, fiber is selectively, more or less, removed from the surface of the lumber, creating a patterned relief. You can enhance the aging effect by tinting or staining wood cuts. Decorative treatment with brushes attached, for example, to a grinder, is used when finishing the following wooden structures:

• flights of stairs;
• floor coverings;
• external parts of furniture;
• elements of the interior design of premises.

The best effect is achieved when brushing larches, various types of spruce, and oak. Wood with small fibers, such as cherry, birch, maple, oak, does not form a beautiful pattern when sanded with metal and nylon brushes, used as an attachment for an angle grinder or other tool. Even pre-firing or chemical treatment of such materials does not provide the effect of a layered texture.

Methods of aging wood, advantages of brushing

There are 3 ways to age wood artificially. Each of them has its own nuances. At home, it is most acceptable to use brushing.

Forced aging of a wooden surface is carried out in the following ways:

1. Mechanical impact. The treatment is carried out by applying metal brushes to it. Simple processing is called brushing, and grinding after applying tinting compounds is called patination.
2. Chemical change. A chemical composition based on alkali and ammonia is applied to the surface of the wood. As a result, the color of the upper layers changes, creating the effect of time.
3. Heat treatment. Lightly burn the wood surface. After heat treatment, the material is sanded with a wire brush and tinted.

Brushing in any form leads to a beautiful structuring of the surface. Soft fibers are removed, the material acquires additional density and texture with a bright pattern of annual rings.

Surface painting

Depending on the customer's wishes, paint or varnish is applied to the wood. Many people prefer coatings with silver or golden pigments, counting on the strong fixation of shiny particles deep in the wood texture. If the paint is applied correctly, reflections will appear on the wooden product in sunlight.

Some consumers like surfaces with dark, deep cracks, which are obtained by patination using special dyes. Lightened ridges of fibrous reliefs look especially impressive against a darkened background. Painting is usually carried out with brushes or a sponge, carefully observing the condition of the surface. If, when applying paint and varnish products, the fibers rise, it means that the polishing process was carried out poorly and must be repeated again.

If you carefully carry out brushing, you can obtain beautiful wood products through simple procedures using an angle grinder or other tools with brushes.

Rough processing

During rough processing, work is carried out with two main attachments - a roughing attachment and a disk plane. Grinder work with this type of disc is carried out with a protective casing, because pieces of wood may fly in different directions. The plane disk is used in cases where roughing is required, preparing fence supports, constructing a log house, etc.

Requires protection from flying wood chips, glasses, thick clothing, and tough gloves. The use of a protective casing is not necessary, because The disk is all-metal, its destruction is almost impossible. When sanding wood, a grinder is used only with a second handle; work must be done with both hands.

The process of trimming a workpiece, removing the hard top layer of wood, is carried out with a peeling disk. A qualified specialist is able to perform wood sampling using this type of attachment for an angle grinder. An angle grinder can replace a carpenter's ax if a log house is being built.

Is an angle grinder suitable for working with wood?

The only operations with wood that can be performed with an angle grinder (angle grinder) without danger are grinding and roughing, and then using special attachments. Of course, you can cut wood, but it is strictly prohibited! The Internet is full of shocking photos showing what can happen when using an angle grinder as a cutting tool for wood.

The main arguments that can be made against using an angle grinder for sawing are as follows.

1. This machine is not designed for sawing wood.
2. Since wood has a viscous and soft structure, the saw blade can jam in it. As a result, the grinder is often torn out of the hands, and it flies in an unpredictable direction (in the leg, along the arms, in the stomach, etc.), causing deep wounds or amputation of fingers. Even fatal cases have been reported.
3. When cutting wood, the saw blade heats up very quickly, causing it to begin to lose strength. The slightest misalignment or excessive pressure may cause it to fly apart. Since the spindle speed of an angle grinder is high, tool fragments fly away at the speed of shrapnel and penetrate deeply under a person’s skin. The user will be lucky if the fragments do not fly into the head or eyes.
4. Despite the dangers of using saw blades with teeth, some angle grinder users ignore this fact and continue to install compass disks with large teeth or improved with carbide tips. If, when cutting wood, a hard knot or nail residue gets caught in it, the tooth or solder breaks off, gets caught by the next saw tooth and is thrown out at the speed of a bullet. One can only guess about the consequences.
5. Ignoring all the warnings, users of grinders install a circular saw on the machine with a larger diameter than the protective casing. This is the most dangerous option for using an angle grinder.

If you have to cut wood constantly, it is better to purchase a special machine for this purpose, or use a jigsaw. In extreme cases, the grinder can be used as a drive and made into a circular saw, securing the device rigidly to the frame.

Basic information

Antique decorated chest

Brushing wood with your own hands or using special mechanized equipment is a process during which soft fibers are partially removed from the surface of lumber, while harder fibers remain unchanged. As a result of this processing, the impression of old wood is created.

The term “brushing”, less common “brushing”, is a transliteration of the English word “brush”, which means “brush”. In Russian there is a term of similar meaning, “structuring a wood surface.” In both cases, the natural structure of the wood remains intact while the soft fibers are cleaned out.

Important: The optimal structuring result is demonstrated by rocks with a pronounced structure. Species with an undefined structure, such as beech and maple, are not suitable for brushing.

The lumber processing technology includes the following stages:

• rough structuring, during which soft fibers are selected with a wire brush;
• polishing the resulting texture with a soft brush or polymer abrasive;
• final polishing of the texture using a sisal brush.

Structuring wood with your own hands or using mechanical devices provides the best result if the lumber used is harvested in the spring. It is in the spring, thanks to the growth of growth rings, that soft, loose fibers are formed, which can be easily cleaned by hand using a stiff brush.

Since wood structuring is based on the removal of soft fibers, it is advisable to use hard wood species such as oak, cherry and larch as the starting material.

Important: Most often, wood structuring is offered by companies engaged in the production of parquet and floorboards.

Brushing floor coverings, as is fashionable today, should not be done for two reasons:

• Firstly, dirt will accumulate in the relief texture, which will not be easy to wash out.
• Secondly, the grooves of the relief, unlike a flat surface, will wrinkle under the weight of the furniture.

Along with mechanical structuring, there is chemical brushing, during which certain chemical compounds are applied to the surface of lumber. As a result, loose fibers are etched away, while harder areas of the surface remain unchanged. (See also the article Leveling wooden floors: features.)

Artificial aging of wood is not difficult

Do you want to know how to paint brushed wood? Of course with acrylic paints

Brushing is one of the most accessible techniques that allows you to artificially age wood in such a way that it looks as natural and realistic as possible.

The maximum resemblance of the result obtained to a truly old tree is ensured by painting the brushed wood gray, followed by smearing the still wet paint from the relief surface. With the right approach to artificial aging, lumber products will look as if they had stood in the open air for at least 10 years.

In order for the wood to look naturally aged, in addition to structuring the fibers, the texture can be highlighted with color. To do this, the surface treated with a wire brush is cleaned and then unevenly painted.

We paint the depressions from which the soft fibers were selected with a darker color. We cover the surface of the texture with a light shade and thus make the relief more noticeable.

Applying stain along the grain

Tip: The simplest and at the same time effective way to highlight the texture of wood is to paint brushed wood with stain and then smear it with a foam swab.

As a result, the stain is quickly absorbed into the depressions, since the fibers there are loose. In the upper part of the relief, where the unselected fibers are hard, the stain does not have time to be absorbed, and light areas remain there. (See also the article Painting a wooden staircase with your own hands: features.)

Mechanical Tools Overview

This is what a brush attachment for brushing wood looks like

Structuring the surface of lumber with your own hands is a simple, but labor-intensive process that takes a lot of time. In order to save time and effort, a special tool for brushing wood is used.

Let's look at the main types of both hand and mechanical tools:

• Hand-held metal brushes with varying thickness and stiffness of bristles. The stiffness of the bristles depends on the length of the wire. The longer the wire, the softer the bristles, and the lower the price.

Wire hand brushes

Using a brush involves moving the bristles along the fibers in one direction. As a result, the hard fibers remain undamaged, while the soft fibers are carried out by the bristles.

Brushes are sold with different widths of the working part. As a result, you can choose the tool that will capture the required area of ​​​​wood.

• Sandpaper with a coarse abrasive grain allows you to highlight the texture of the wood. The method of using sandpaper is generally similar to the process of using a brush. The sandpaper is applied along the grain with strong pressure. As a result, grooves remain on the surface, imitating the structure of fibers. By correctly selecting the grain size of the abrasive, it is possible to ensure that the grooves are deeper or, on the contrary, less pronounced.
• A hand chisel allows you to apply not even, but curved grooves of varying depths. With skillful use of this tool, the greatest realism of the artificial texture is achieved. However, there are also disadvantages. Firstly, applying relief is a labor-intensive process. Secondly, working with a chisel requires sufficient skill.
• An angle grinder (“grinder”) with special disc brushes is a device that allows you to speed up the aging process of wood without compromising the finished result.

In the photo there is a machine with a brush attachment based on a grinder

The optimal choice for mechanized brushing are angle grinders with the ability to regulate the speed. On such a tool, the minimum number of revolutions is set, as a result of which the texture looks realistic.

The realism of brushing is also influenced by the selection of brush heads. The thinner the stubble, the better.

Wood brushing attachment mounted in an electric drill chuck

Important: Polymer and metal brushes that are similar in appearance to attachments intended for use with angle grinders can be used in combination with an electric drill. Such nozzles, instead of a mounting hole in the center, are equipped with a shank that is tightly clamped in the chuck.

• A brush machine for brushing wood (stripping milling machine) is equipment designed for structuring fibers on large surfaces.

Wood brushing machine Makita 9741 with one brush

To obtain high-quality results, this equipment provides several replaceable brushes. By replacing the brushes according to the number of passes, you can gradually clean out the soft fibers, achieving maximum realism of the resulting texture.

• A wood brushing machine is the most productive industrial equipment used for preparing production materials and subsequent furniture assembly.

Machine in action

The device allows you to lay a wooden product on the frame and fix it there. As a result, vibrations are eliminated when brushes pass over the surface of lumber.

The use of machines allows you to simultaneously process wood with 2-3 brushes, one of which selects the fibers, and the other smoothes the texture. The rotation speed of the brushes is manually adjustable, so you can work with hard and soft wood.

Chemical structuring of wood

Microrelief of an “aged” board

Chemical brushing is used less often than mechanical treatment. This is explained by the fact that the use of chemical compounds requires additional qualifications from the master. In addition, the ingredients for preparing structuring compositions are not easy to obtain.

Important: Sulfuric and hydrochloric acids can be used to prepare wood before subsequent mechanical removal of soft fibers.

When carrying out chemical brushing, aggressive substances such as sulfuric and hydrochloric acid, ammonia, alkalis, etc. are used.

The instructions for aging the surface of lumber are as follows:

• the surface is sanded and cleaned of dust and dirt;
• a chemical compound is applied to the surface to be treated in a thin layer;
• as the chemicals evaporate, they must be reapplied;
• Residues of chemicals are washed off from the surface under running water with a soft brush;
• The wood is dried, after which you can begin painting.

Design and principle of operation

In terms of ergonomics, grinders are very convenient because they allow you to perform operations for a long time without tiring the operator. For each type of work, be it preliminary cleaning, grinding or polishing with a brush grinder, the design provides the ability to change attachments. All tools of this type are electric, powered by mains or batteries.

A standard brush grinder has the following basic structural elements:

1. The case is usually plastic, on which handles are installed on top: one is the front guiding handle, the second is the pushing handle, where there is a button to turn on the device.
2. A brush-type electric motor is installed inside the grinder body, from which torque is supplied to the transverse shaft through the gearbox.
3. The front cross shaft also serves as a holder for the grinding cylinder; the shaft is supported by bearings.
4. On the bottom of the grinder body there is a wide support roller on one side of the grinding cylinder, at the rear; on the other side of the cylinder, in front, there is a second adjustable support roller. Rollers allow you to smoothly move the tool along the plane in different directions and adjust the force of pressing the tool to the surface.
5. The grinding cylinder is mounted on the cross shaft of the brush grinder using a special mechanism. The cylinder itself is made like a brush, the “pile” of which can be made of different materials, such as metal wire, nylon thread and others.

The operating principle of a brush grinder is very simple: when the engine is turned on, the grinding cylinder begins to rotate quickly; the tool is applied, supported by rollers, to a pre-fixed flat surface that needs to be ground, and with methodical movements the brush grinder is moved back and forth across the entire plane, visually assessing the quality of the treatment.

Stages of brushing technology - step-by-step instructions

The DIY wood brushing technique consists of the following steps:

1. The prepared surface (cleaned and dry) is treated with a coarse brush, removing soft fibers to the desired depth. In this case, you need to move without strong pressure along the fibers and along the entire plane, so as not to disturb the structure of the wood. When using a power tool, you should set the number of revolutions to 1500-2200.
2. Sanding with a synthetic brush (attachment). Movement also along the fibers until all roughness is eliminated. Periodically you need to tap the workpiece on the back sides to remove dust.

3. Polish with a softer brush; even the abrasive side of a regular dishwashing sponge will do. At this stage, the product is given smoothness and a slight glossy shine.

If you point the tool across the fibers during processing, you can get unusual patterns in the form of scratches, but you should not abuse this. It is better to use a similar technique on separate inserts to give the product an additional decorative effect.

Staining or tinting brushed wood

Coating the surface of brushed wood with paint or a tinting composition gives it a special decorative effect. Painting is carried out with a brush or sponge. During the process, carefully monitor whether the fibers rise. If fibers are noticed on the surface, it is additionally sanded with fine-grained sandpaper.

The simplest painting option is stain treatment. It quickly penetrates into the soft layers of wood remaining on the surface without affecting the hard fibers. The result is a relief structure that is particularly decorative.

Wood coated with a golden or silver coloring substance has an original appearance. Pigment particles get clogged into depressions and microcracks, which subsequently glare in the sun.

An interesting coloring technique is the arrangement of tones, repeating the play of light and shadow on the relief. The recesses are painted in a dark tone, the ridges in a light tone. Painting is carried out as follows:

1. A richly dark varnish or paint is applied to the entire surface.
2. The coated surface is wiped with a sponge or rag, removing paint from hard fibers where it has not yet been absorbed.
3. If large areas are being painted, wait until the applied layer of varnish has dried, and then treat the surface with a petal disk with a grain size of 400 to 800. The bulges after this treatment are highlighted, then they are coated with colorless or light varnish.

Another coloring option is to cover the top tier with dark varnish and the depressions with light varnish. In this case, apply dark varnish to the surface and dry it well. Then apply the light composition and remove its excess with a rubber spatula. As a result, a dark substrate appears on the ridges.

With certain woodworking skills and using the right tools, you can do your own brushing and get excellent results. Products made from structured wood are highly decorative and give the interior an exclusive, expensive look.

Choosing wood for brushing

Not every tree can be processed using the brushing method. This is due, first of all, to the structure of the fibers. Soft or medium-hard rocks that have a well-defined annual ring structure are best suited. These types of wood include:

• Coniferous species.
• Larch.
• Oak.
• Nut.
• Ash.
• Merbau.
• Wenge.

After processing, the relief of such wood is clearly visible, the pattern is contrasting and expressive. The surface turns out to be quite rough, with a clear structure of grooves.

The harder the rock, the less pronounced the relief will be on the finished surface.

Some types of wood cannot be processed by brushing, these include:

• Teak.
• Maple.
• Cherry.
• Linden.
• Pear.
• Beech.

In these tree species, the fibers are insufficiently pronounced or there is no division of annual rings (in some tropical species).

Light brushing can be used on plywood or lining to make the surface more expressive.

Machine Applications

All three stages of finishing can be performed on special grinding machines or using other electrical equipment: grinders for smooth or angular surfaces. There are homemade brushing machines. It is difficult and expensive to make a full-fledged machine with your own hands, working like a thickness planer, so they use the same grinder with several metal and nylon attachments.

Full mechanization of work makes sense for large volumes of wood that require brushing. In such a situation, investments in the acquisition and operation of units will be justified. Common types of home repair and construction work can be quite successfully done with an angle grinder, which every craftsman has.

Operating rules

The quality and speed of work depends on the correct choice of the required device. The following parameters influence the choice of the desired device:

• purpose and scope of use;
• frequency of use and volumes of planned work;
• type of food;
• price range;
• availability of quality certificates;
• country of manufacture;
• ease of use and ergonomics.

When working with a grinding machine, professional craftsmen recommend following the following sequence:

• connection to an electrical power source;
• holding the tool securely;
• turning on the device;
• warming up and gaining speed;
• surface treatment.

After finishing work, be sure to clean the device and lubricate all working parts. For complete dust collection, it is necessary to regularly inspect the dust collector.

To replace parts, you must choose products from the same manufacturer.

For long-term storage of the device, use only warm rooms with good ventilation.

When working with an electrical device, it is imperative to use personal protective equipment and follow safety rules that will help avoid injuries and damage to the tool.

It would not be superfluous to list the most common types of breakdowns of brushed grinding electric tools and how to eliminate them:

• oxidation of copper plates in carbon brushes - surface treatment with a rubber eraser;
• violation of the integrity of the winding - removal of the deformed part and installation of a new one;
• failure of the device control buttons - installation of new structural elements;
• deformation of rotor bearings and bevel gears - installation of new parts.

The time range for free elimination of defects is set independently by the manufacturer or seller. This service will not be provided if defects were caused by improper use, transportation or storage. When contacting the seller to solve a problem with a tool, you must provide him with all the documents, checks and receipts that confirm the purchase of the goods from him. The name of the service organization is indicated in the device passport.

To perform high-quality polishing, cleaning and grinding of various surfaces, modern manufacturers produce a huge range of grinding tools, which are widely used not only by professional builders, but also by home craftsmen. These devices significantly reduce the period of work completion and improve its quality.

Before you go shopping, you need to study all the features of this device and be sure to consult with professional builders.

Beginners should understand that a high-quality electrical device cannot have a low price.

See below for a detailed video review of the brush grinder.

Advantages and disadvantages

Among the main advantages of this device, experts note the following:

• versatility;
• ease of use;
• high speed of work;
• expenditure of a minimum amount of physical effort;
• high quality of work;
• automatic removal of dust and other types of dirt;
• large range of models;
• wide scope of application.

Like any other device, a brush grinder has a number of disadvantages:

• the need to replace the brush depending on the type of work and the surface being treated;
• inability to process hard-to-reach areas;
• high price range;
• high number of fakes.

What it is?

A grinder or angle grinder is a tool often used in construction and during repair work. If your house needs minor repairs, there is no point in buying powerful and expensive construction equipment. But purchasing such a car would be useful and relatively inexpensive. The versatility of a modern tool is its main advantage: angle grinders are used to saw and cut, grind and level surfaces. The principle of operation of the grinder is simple: operations are performed by rotating attachments.

Discs are divided into three types - sharpening, cutting or grinding (grinding). The operations vary in purpose and complexity; sometimes one machine has to process materials of different hardness, as a rule, stone and steel compounds, as well as wood. Renewed and processed wooden parts, windows, floors and furniture are subjected to grinding.

The attachment on the grinder for sanding wood is a replaceable circle, similar to that for a circular saw. The roughing cutter for primary grinding is made of durable metal, has teeth and is selected according to the diameter for each angle grinder. The size of the teeth is determined by the thickness of the wood layer. The shape of the tooth also matters. Variables are suitable for all types of wood, and trapezoidal ones are used only for soft varieties. The material can also be roughly processed using discs with straight teeth.

Before processing, you need to saw the wood with other sawing cutters. They are monolithic, made of high-strength sheet steel. Some varieties are made with coating on the teeth.

What kind of circles are there for cutting wood?

Processing wood with a grinder is a safe process, unlike cutting. The process is very dangerous, the tool is not intended for cutting wood

Soft woods are processed with an angle grinder attachment with extreme caution, because the tool may jam and be torn out of your hands

The cutting process at high speeds implies a high temperature effect on the disc material, as a result of which it can simply shatter into small pieces.

Despite the fact that the grinder is not suitable for cutting wood products, manufacturers offer various cutting discs for use. It is recommended to use the grinder as a stationary station when sawing wood.

Circular saws

Circular saw attachments are dangerous when using an angle grinder. The diameter of the circle must be selected based on the parameters and dimensions of the tool in order to be able to use a protective casing.

There are more expensive modifications of circular nozzles; they have anti-jamming protection. The design has teeth set in different directions, smaller in size, the price of such a device is different, but you should not save on your health.

Chainsaws

The chain type of nozzles has a safer design. The sawing disc, which uses a chain from a chainsaw, eliminates jamming of the tool and reduces the risk of injury during work. The design has a system that allows the main element, which is attached to the angle grinder, to continue rotating, and the chain can remain stationary.

Chain disks come in many different modifications, with the help of which it is possible to carry out gardening work or use it for collecting small firewood. A disk of a chain design can be used instead of a peeling disk for cutting out cups in a log or removing a layer of bark.

Saws with few teeth

Increased safety when working with wood is achieved by using discs with a small number of teeth. Small discs usually have 3 teeth, those with a diameter of more than 180 mm - 4 teeth. This type of cutting disc is used for cutting both along and across the grain of wood. The saw wheel makes it possible to cut grooves and make tenons of various shapes.

It should be understood that when working with an angle grinder, you must adhere to technical regulations. There is no need to install larger diameter discs bypassing the protective casing; smaller discs can be used without loss of cutting properties.

Tungsten carbide discs

Tungsten carbide cutting discs have been produced relatively recently and are popular when working with an angle grinder. The universal tool is not equipped with teeth; instead of cutting elements, there are cutouts in the disk. The operation of the tool is most safe when cutting wood; it eliminates jamming when nails or thick rods of wood hit. The appearance is similar to a diamond blade for cutting concrete, the purpose is indicated on the packaging or instructions.

The price of such a disk is high, but it is justified. It is worth overpaying for a modified tool rather than going broke on the sad consequences of using a regular saw blade.

Features and benefits of brushing

Brushing (from the English brush) is essentially nothing more than structuring wood through additional rough processing. The latter consists of removing soft fibers from the surface of the material; the annual rings acquire additional texture. The technique got its name due to the fact that brushes are used to give the desired structure to the wood.

A similar aging effect is observed in wood sandblasting technology, when soft fibers are removed by a powerful sand stream. Unlike brushed wood, sandblasted wood is smoother.

Types of brushing directly affect which brushes are used:

• Deep – brushes with thick metal bristles are used.
• Light - created using brushes with synthetic hard bristles.

Brushing wood can be done with your own hands; most often this method is used for small amounts of work, since it is quite labor-intensive and time-consuming. Brushing of massive elements (parquet, stairs, large boards) is most often done in a factory, where special machines with replaceable brushes are used, and the process is as automated as possible.

There are several brushing methods, but the most popular are the following:

1. Manual - brushes and abrasives are used. Manual processing is of great decorative value, but is more labor-intensive and is suitable for small elements.
2. Electromechanical - an angle grinder or brushing machine is used for the appropriate materials, as well as suitable attachments for a drill or grinder.

Natural aging of wood is a long process. Under the influence of external factors (ultraviolet radiation, temperature changes, precipitation, wind), the tree trunk wears out. The surface literally crumbles, leaving only the hardest fibers in place. There is a decorative effect, but during natural processes the material loses its basic properties: it becomes less durable, susceptible to destruction and rotting.

The advantages of brushing wood include:

• Improving the original properties of wood. The material becomes stronger, less friable, and resistant to external factors, mold, and fungi.
• High decorative qualities based on noticeable contrast and brightness of the texture after removing the soft layer of fibers. Such materials and decorative elements are universal, fit into almost any interior, making it more solid and exclusive.
• Large selection of wood for subsequent processing.
• Wood tinting can be done in several colors at once. For example, the base is painted in a light shade, and the pores in a contrasting dark or bright shade.

The only disadvantage of brushed wood is the difficulty of processing; the process will take a lot of effort and time.

By the way! After brushing, the wooden surface can be varnished, stained, waxed, oiled or tinted using impregnations. Decorative coating is necessary to emphasize the texture of the product; without this, the wood will not look expressive enough.

There are many possibilities for using brushed wood, especially since the finished product can be given almost any look, based on the general style of the interior. It can be a monotonous or combined color, the effect of a dusty or moldy surface, imitation of chips, cracks, gold or silver embossing.

Stages of work and tools used

To give a relief structure to a wood surface, you need a special set of brushes with bristles of varying density and hardness.

First stage of processing

At the first stage, a brush with hard bristles made of steel alloys or brass is used. The thickness of the fibers varies significantly among different products. You need to choose a brush in which the diameter of each metal hair will be approximately 10 times thinner than the diameter of the soft fiber of the wood being processed. Straight bristles of a brush are good at removing loose components from wood, which are cut with metal scissors before attaching them to the grinder adapter to increase the efficiency of brushing.

If necessary, double brush products can be used, providing much greater speed and efficiency. If the bristles intended to remove soft wood fibers are rounded, the process will be worse.

Working with a nylon brush

At the end of the first stage of processing, the wood surface has a rough, rough appearance. To give a decorative effect and level out all excess relief, nylon brushes for brushing wood are used, mounted on an angle grinder. They are available for sale in a wide range.

Nylon fibers differ in length, density, number or absence of abrasive particles pressed into the polymer

If abrasive grains are attached to a nylon base, you must pay attention to their grain size, hardness and compare the characteristics of the brushing brush with the density and structure of the wood

Most commonly commercially available nylon products have hardness numbers ranging from 120 to 600. Values ​​of 120, 180 and 240 are ideal for hardwood; Products with numbers 400 and 600 in the marking should be purchased for brushing soft wood lumber.

Craftsmen who have extensive experience working with grinders will improve surface treatment technology and use not one, but several nylon brushes. Sometimes, to save money, they buy previously used polymer brushes for brushing and attach them simultaneously to the adapter of the grinder. A similar technique can also be used when using new products, although it will cost much more.

Thanks to the expanded area of ​​the fibers of several brushes mounted on the rotating shaft of the angle grinder, it is possible to thoroughly perform a large amount of work in a short time.

Nylon hairline can be fixed to a metal or polymer base. Experience shows that the plastic disc at the base of the brush creates fewer preconditions for hair breakage and ensures their flexibility, so these products last longer.

Finishing sanding

After two stages of processing, the wood needs to be slightly dried, and then the formation of the decorative surface is completed with brushes with wool or sisal hairs. If the master prefers manual work at the final stage without using a grinder, it can be done using sandpaper flaps with small abrasive grains. Upon completion of proper brushing, the surface will acquire a perfectly smooth, beautiful appearance.

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City dwellers, who have lived their whole lives in the metal dungeons of the concrete jungle, are gradually losing interest in faceless urban interiors, preferring classic, vintage and rustic styles, characterized by emphasized individuality. An integral component of these interiors is wood - a popular finishing material, thanks to which they acquire uniqueness and original beauty. However, there are some tricks here too - if country and eco-styles are often complemented by wood in its pristine natural form, then within the framework of vintage and even classic styles, aged wood, which has a more attractive and noble appearance, will be more appropriate. Almost any interior element can be made from it: it can be a vintage lamp, a wooden chest of drawers exuding comfort, or the classic use of wood in the interior - making window sills and doors. Under natural conditions, the aging process of wood takes more than one year; intricate patterns on its surface form slowly and unevenly, which makes aged wood a rare and expensive material. However, technology does not stand still, and over time, a method of artificial aging of wood, called brushing, was developed. Interest in this method of processing wooden surfaces is shown not only by lovers of luxury vintage furniture, but also by owners of suburban areas who have decided to diversify the interior decoration of their country houses. Considering the relevance of the problem, in this article we will look at the essence of the process of brushing wood, the main types and tools necessary for it, and also tell you how to brush wood with your own hands.

Content

1. Aging of wood: basic information
2. What is wood brushing: the essence of the method
3. Advantages of artificially aged wood
4. Wood Brushing Tools
   Tools for manual wood brushing
5. Process automation: machines and brushing machines
6. Brushing Wood: A Step-by-Step Guide
7. Chemical brushing of wood

Aging of wood: basic information

If you carefully examine the appearance of the wood when cut, you can see a peculiar pattern - annual rings, in which dark and light tones alternate. This pattern is based on the alternation of hard (dense) and light (loose) fibers, the latter being more susceptible to time and aggressive climatic factors, which leads to their gradual wear. This is how the formation of annual rings occurs, which over time not only acquire density and contrasting shades, but also visible volume. This is the basis of the natural aging of wood - a process that takes many decades. Thanks to the lightning-fast development of innovative technologies, a unique opportunity has now emerged to artificially speed up the aging process of wood. This can be put into practice using the brushing method, which gets its name from the English word brush. In Russian there is a similar term, which is referred to as “wood structuring”.

What is wood brushing: the essence of the method

Brushing is a method of artificially aging wood, which involves the use of specialized tools and techniques. The brushing technique is based on the mechanical processing of wood with special metal brushes, with the help of which the softest upper fibers of the material are removed. Thanks to this technique, the hard surface of the wood is exposed, on which the texture of the material and the structure of the growth rings are clearly visible, and a beautiful relief is formed, emphasizing the aesthetic appearance of the finishing material. However, the brushing process does not end there. To emphasize the relief and make the structure of the wood even more distinct, it is highlighted with a color that gives richness to natural shades. To do this, the surface treated with a metal brush is unevenly painted, while the depressions formed as a result of the removal of soft fibers are painted in darker shades, and the surface texture is painted in lighter shades. Thanks to this technique, the wood relief becomes as noticeable as possible.

Important! In order for artificially aged wood to acquire maximum resemblance to a material that has aged in a natural environment, experts recommend painting the previously brushed material gray. Without waiting for the paint to dry completely, it is smeared from the relief surface. Thanks to this technique, it will seem that products made from artificially aged lumber have stood in the open air for at least 10 years.

Important! If natural aging negatively affects the performance characteristics of wood, weakening its structure, then thanks to artificial aging, carried out by brushing, the material acquires additional strength.

The artificial structuring method can be used in the processing of both hard and soft wood. The main requirement that wood to be brushed must meet is the presence of a clearly defined texture and clearly visible layers of varying hardness. Such materials include oak, pine, walnut, larch, wenge and ash.

As for alder, cherry, birch, teak, maple and beech, the brushing method will be proven to be ineffective for these species, since the distinctive feature of these trees is a fine-fiber structure without pronounced layering.

Advantages of artificially aged wood

• Wood that has undergone artificial structuring acquires an original appearance that meets the latest fashion trends;
• Brushed wood becomes resistant to rotting and various insects;
• By brushing wood with your own hands (the video presented in the article will simplify this process), you can independently make a lot of exclusive things that will not only last a long time, but will also emphasize the exclusivity of any interior;
• By performing decorative finishing on common and fairly cheap lumber, you can create an artificial imitation of exotic types of wood, the cost of which significantly exceeds the original price of the raw materials.

Wood Brushing Tools

At first glance, the process of artificially structuring wood may seem complicated, but even an inexperienced craftsman can do it if he has a certain set of tools at his disposal that will save time and effort spent on work. In addition, it should be noted that brushing wood can be done either manually or mechanized, which is largely determined by the tool used. Depending on the method by which wood brushing is carried out, the tool can be of the following types:

Tools for manual wood brushing

• Hand-held metal brushes , characterized by varying thickness and stiffness of bristles, are used for primary wood processing. The stiffness of the bristles is determined by the length of the wire; the longer it is, the softer the bristles. When choosing a brush for brushing wood, try to give preference to tools with the stiffest metal bristles. If necessary, it can be trimmed using a grinder, which will make the pile even tougher. When using a brush to brush wood, it is necessary to move its bristles along the grain in exactly one direction. Thanks to this technique, you can remove soft fibers from the surface of the wood, leaving hard fibers intact;

• A hand chisel is a tool with which you can make deep longitudinal grooves of various curvatures in wood fiber. When used skillfully with a chisel, you can achieve maximum realism in artificially structured wood by causing sufficiently deep cracks that create the effect of cracking the material;
• Coarse-grained sandpaper The technique of using sandpaper is similar to the technique of using a hand brush - it is also moved with pressure along the fibers, as a result of which grooves are formed on the surface of the wood, the structure of which is similar to the structure of natural fibers. By correctly selecting the abrasive grain size and using sandpaper with different grain sizes, you can achieve different depths and degrees of severity of the grooves;
• A grinder equipped with special brush attachments for brushing wood is another tool that is used for brushing wood. At the same time, at the initial stage, nozzles with metal bristles are used for rough surface treatment, and for the final stage, nozzles with copper and sisal bristles are used. Currently, a special nozzle for brushing wood “Piranha”, which is an abrasive-polymer brush, is in wide demand. Using this device, you have the opportunity to selectively remove fibers, focusing only on soft fibers and not affecting hard fibers.

Important! When working with an abrasive-polymer brush, you must ensure that the surface of the wood being treated does not burn when working at high speeds. To avoid this, you need to purchase a speed controller.

Important! After performing the initial surface treatment, experts recommend using a kerosene burner, with which the material is fired. Remember that a gas burner is not used for these purposes. Burning the wood surface with a kerosene burner promotes:

• removal of small wood fibers;
• drying the top layer of wood;
• highlighting and emphasizing the natural structure of wood.

Process automation: machines and brushing machines

On a production scale, the amount of work is many times higher, and therefore there is a need to automate the process, which involves the use of special machines. This helps simplify the work of producing aged wood, and also reduces time costs, allowing large volumes of work to be completed in a short period of time.

If you want to purchase special machines for brushing wood at home, it only makes sense if you plan to do a large amount of work. Let's look at the most common models of specialized equipment for brushing wood.

• Cleaning router or so-called brushing machine for brushing wood FESTOOL RUSTOFIX RAS 180. Three brushes are supplied with this device:

1. The first steel wire brush, which is used for primary wood processing;

2. A second synthetic bristle brush, intended for intermediate sanding;

3. The third - made of sisal is used for polishing the treated surface.

​The Makita 974 sander can also be used for sanding wood, however, while working with it, difficulties may arise associated with processing corner areas. In this regard, at the joints between walls and floors, it is necessary to additionally use an angle grinder equipped with attachments;

• The Felisatti AGF 110/1010E grinder can be used to process both relatively smooth and uneven surfaces. Metal and nylon brushes are supplied with this device. It has an analogue - the Interskol sanding machine, which will make sanding wood much easier if you follow the instructions presented in our article.

Brushing Wood: A Step-by-Step Guide

If you are not a guru in the field of wood brushing, the master class and advice from our experts will help you study this wood processing technique in more detail.

Let's take a closer look at the wood brushing process.

• Before you begin the initial processing of the material, lightly moisten the selected workpiece, which will prevent the formation of wood dust during the work process. Prepare a working tool – a hand brush. To carry out the work effectively, make sure that the tool meets the minimum requirements - the brush must efficiently remove soft surface fibers without disturbing the structure of hard fibers. Having selected the hardness of a hand brush for brushing wood experimentally, use it to rough the material. During operation, the hand brush should be moved along the direction of the grain.

Important! If you decide to automate the process and carry out brushing using a grinder or grinder equipped with special brushes, remember that the movements of the tool attached to the grinding stone are also made along the fibers, and the selection of the rotation speed must be done in advance on a small sample of the material, since for different types of wood this technical parameter may vary significantly.

• After you have completed the initial hard processing of the wood, replace the working tool with a polymer attachment with an abrasive coating, using which you can grind the material, removing any remaining soft fibers from its surface. Once you have gotten rid of unnecessary roughness, evaluate the volume and quality of the work done, making sure that the quality of structuring meets your expectations. If you are not satisfied with the result, experts advise making the structuring more distinct by deepening the previously made grooves on the surface of the wood. At this stage, you can think for the first time about the decorative design of the surface of the material and, using a chisel, add additional indentations and grooves, giving them the appearance of cracks that appeared naturally.

• The next stage is the final polishing, for which you will need a sisal brush. If you plan to do it by hand, prepare sandpaper with a fine-grained abrasive surface, with which you will get a perfectly smooth surface of the workpiece. After this, the resulting workpiece must be dried and cleaned of dust, thereby preparing it for subsequent painting and varnishing.
• To decorate brushed wood, experts recommend using golden or silver paint, during the application of which particles of the coloring pigment will clog into the microcracks of the wood, causing reflections to appear on its surface in sunny weather. If you want to give the material a unique luxury and presentable appearance, patina it (painting the deepest cracks with darker paint).

Important! You can use stain as a coloring composition. To do this, apply it liberally to the surface of the material and quickly remove the excess. Thanks to this technique, soft fibers will absorb the paint, acquiring a darker shade, while hard fibers will remain light.

• After painting the wood, polish it again, which will smooth out all the unevenness that appeared after painting.
• After thoroughly washing, cleaning and drying the workpiece, you can coat it with varnish. To do this, you should use a specially designed parquet varnish, thanks to which the material will retain its original appearance and performance characteristics for a long time.

Chemical brushing of wood

Unlike mechanical brushing, wood brushing using chemicals is considered the most rare type of artificial structuring. Despite the fact that the use of chemically active compounds facilitates the brushing process, their widespread use is limited by the need for special knowledge and skills of the master working with chemicals. In addition, difficulties may arise in purchasing chemicals.

For chemical brushing of wood, acids (sulfuric and hydrochloric), alkalis and other caustic chemicals (ammonia) are used. After they are applied to the surface of the material, they corrode the soft fibers, and all that remains is to scrape off the unnecessary wood.

The sequence of work for chemical brushing is as follows:

• The surface of the material is polished and dirt is removed;
• A thin layer of the chemical used for brushing is applied to the surface to be treated;
• During the work process, it is important to monitor the evaporation of the chemical and, if necessary, reapply;
• After the chemical softens the outer fibers, the workpiece is washed under running water and the remaining chemical is removed using a soft brush;
• Then the wood is thoroughly dried, after which they begin to paint and apply varnish.

Wooden products made from brushed wood will become an original addition to classic and vintage interiors, fitting perfectly into the main stylistic concept. Aged wood in the form of wall panels, massive ceiling beams and columns will make any, even the most laconic interior, refined and aristocratic.

Brushing wood video

Vibration grinder

Vibration grinder

Sanding pad

Another name is surface grinding

car. The working unit of this tool is a rectangular base on which a sheet of sandpaper is attached. Grinding and polishing is carried out by fast back-and-forth movements of the sole (about 20,000 vibrations per minute (333.3 Hz) with an amplitude of about 2 mm). The most common two methods of attaching sandpaper are:

• Using a pressing mechanism on both sides of the sole.
• Using Velcro - the paper is simply applied with its base to the sole, which has this feature.

The sanding sheet and pad have several holes to drain dust from the work area into a dust container or vacuum cleaner. The main purpose is grinding and polishing.

Delta grinder

It is a type of vibration grinding machine. The delta sander is distinguished by a delta-shaped (triangular, like an iron) sole shape, which allows you to work in hard-to-reach places - in corners, among protrusions and other similar places. The universal cutter can perform the functions of a delta sander when installing the appropriate equipment (a triangular sole with a sticky base) and a sanding sheet).

Types of brushing

There are two ways to process a tree to reveal its structure:

1. Mechanical. The wood is treated with a special tool that removes soft fibers and devices for polishing the surface.
2. Chemical. It involves treating wood with special compounds (alkalies, acids, etc.) that corrode soft fibers.

The use of these types of brushing allows you to achieve different results. The mechanical method produces a textured surface, while the chemical method produces a smoother surface.

One of the techniques used by craftsmen is a combination of chemical and mechanical processing. The wood is rough processed using a chemical method, removing soft fibers. Further finishing and polishing is done mechanically.

Burning

One type of brushing is burning wood to remove soft tissue. The wood is burned with a blowtorch or gas torch, then washed and coated with oil polishing compounds.

With this brushing option, there is no need for subsequent tinting of the product, since the wood acquires a dark shade. If desired, burnt wood can be coated with colored stain.

Wood that has gone through fire and water becomes not only beautiful, but also more durable. It is practically not subject to rotting or damage by insects, so it is often used for finishing facades and building fences. There is no need to paint such a fence, since the burnt boards do not change their quality for decades.

Modern designers use fire-treated wood for interior decoration and furniture making. Not everyone likes things that look like they were left after a fire, but they look stylish and very unusual.

What is the brushing process?

Brushing is the artificial aging (aging) of wood using various devices and special techniques. The whole process of work consists of removing the soft top fibers of wood using a hard, metal brush.

As a result of this work, a hard surface remains, on which the pattern and structure of the growth rings is clearly expressed. Subsequently, a special shade is selected that helps to further reflect the desired effect of aging of the wood.

The use of brushing opens up enormous possibilities for changing the texture and color of a wide variety of wood types. Special tinting allows you to express the effect of patina, when the main wood is painted in one tone, and the pores of the wood in a completely different one.

The trees that are most easily susceptible to artificial aging are: walnut, larch, ash, oak and wenge:

Brushed walnut wood

Brushed larch wood Brushed ash wood Brushed oak wood Brushed wenge wood

Beech, maple, alder, pear, and cherry are practically not used for brushing. Using the brushing technique, you can end up with a tree with a completely unusual color. Dyes used include black, purple, orange, red, white, and green.

During the process of artificial aging, the desired wood is also subjected to special treatment necessary to protect the material from pests and rot. After painting, the workpieces are polished or varnished. Brushed wood is widely used in the manufacture of furniture; it is often used to decorate the interior walls of houses and create various accessories.

The advantages of artificially aged wood include:

• Unusual and most fashionable appearance of the material.
• Wood resistance to rot and various insects.
• The ability to independently create exclusive items. The appearance of such products can be rated a solid five points; they not only favorably emphasize the exclusivity of any interior, but also look quite expensive and luxurious.
• Decorative finishing of simple tree species allows you to create an artificial imitation of exotic wood species, while the cost of the product will always be significantly lower.

The brushing process requires the use of special tools, and it is necessary to follow all the technology for working with wood. The ease of making specially aged wood yourself can be rated four points, but only if you have sufficient experience and all the necessary equipment when working with wood.

The video shows the process of brushing or aging wood:

Types of brushes for brushing

In the brushing process, there are three stages of work - primary (roughing) processing, intermediate processing and polishing (grinding) of wood. To perform correctly, brushes of varying degrees of hardness are required, and this statement is true for both manual and electric tools. Also, aging devices vary in size, which determines their cost. Some of them are suitable not only for special brushing machines, but also for grinders due to the presence of an adapter sleeve.

Metal

Designed for rough (initial) processing of wood. The best brushes have bristles made of brass-plated steel wire. A cheaper option is all-steel brushes without brass coating. For hard rocks, you can use any product; for soft ones, you should choose brass brushes. Also among the metal tools you can see copper ones, but they are not suitable for the first stage of brushing and are intended for polishing and finishing lumber.

Brass wire brush heads

Synthetic

At the intermediate stage of brushing, nylon brushes are used. The surface after roughing remains rough and rough, and nylon fibers allow you to even out the relief. Products of various shapes and sizes are on sale, some of them are suitable for mounting on a regular angle grinder.

Nylon tools differ in the following bristles parameters:

• length;
• density;
• quantity.

Nylon bits for wood processing

Some models have special bristles, into the material of which abrasive particles are pressed. The grain size of the latter also varies: the more thorough the processing must be, the larger the size of abrasive grains should be selected. The hardness of nylon brushes is displayed in numbers from 120 to 600. Products with numbers 120-240 are suitable for hard breeds, and 400-600 for soft breeds.

Nylon fibers are fixed to a plastic or metal base. Despite the high strength of metal, it is plastic products that last longer. The hairs on them practically do not break, remain flexible, and therefore retain good performance characteristics for a long time.

Sisal

Such instruments are made from thin sisal fibers or from sisal fabric and cords. Externally, they can look like rings, circles, wheels for electrical appliances, or resemble ordinary paint brushes. Most products are impregnated to increase wear resistance and efficiency of use: impregnated fibers do not break at high rotation speeds. Sisal brushes are used at the final stage of brushing wood - during polishing.

Sisal brush for an angle grinder

Buying a good brush for artificially aging wood will provide a significant percentage of success and will seriously increase the chance of obtaining a high-quality product. There is no need to save money: it is better to choose a tool that will be easy to use and will last for many years!

Devices for self-brushing

Brushing can be done at home. If a mechanical wood processing method is chosen, you should purchase a suitable manual or automatic tool.

Do-it-yourself wood brushing

Brushes

There are a wide variety of brushes for aging wood on sale. Some are better suited for softwoods, while others are designed for hardwoods. Some products are used manually and have comfortable handles, others are attachments for angle grinders and drills.

The grain (thickness of the bristles) must be chosen correctly. This indicator determines the type of wood processing:

1. Grain P36. Such tools are designed for deep brushing or aggressive stripping, structuring, and texturing of wood. They allow you to smooth out large flaws and restore damaged foundations.
2. Grain P46. These brushes are used to remove old coating and eliminate darkening.
3. Grain P60. Such products are used to remove large burrs that may remain after brushing, as well as to smooth out excessive roughness.
4. P80 grain. These brushes are designed for fine grinding and removing small burrs after brushing.
5. Grain P120. The purpose of using such a tool is to finish polishing wood that has undergone decorative treatment.

Brushing brush with grain P80

Depending on the shape, brushes for brushing can be:

1. Cylindrical. They have a cylindrical shape and are well suited for removing varnish and paint from wooden surfaces. Perfectly emphasizes the structure of wood.
2. Cup-shaped. Typically used for light texturing of the surface, more suitable for sanding after brushing has already been done.
3. End The most convenient in the aging technique, usually used by professionals, have an optimal arrangement of fibers.

Abrasive attachments for brushing various shapes

Machine tools and machines

Automation of the process is indispensable if a large volume of wooden products needs to be processed. The following models are considered the most popular for obtaining brushed wood:

1. Cleaning router FESTOOL RUSTOFIX RAS 180. Sold with a set of brushes of three types (steel, synthetic, sisal).
2. Brushing machine Makita 974. Designed only for processing flat surfaces. Not suitable for corners and joints.
3. Machine Felisatti AGF 110/1010E. Useful for working with even and uneven areas of wood; it comes with metal and artificial brushes.

Description

A brushed hand sander is a universal tool that makes it possible to remove old paint, varnish and traces of corrosion from various types of wood and metal surfaces, as well as to refine a wooden structure. This device has a high level of performance and is used in conjunction with other grinders. The weight of one device does not exceed 5 kg, the number of rotations can reach up to 3000 revolutions, and the roller diameter is 120 mm.

To perform this task, manufacturers suggest using a nylon cylindrical brush. The brushing attachment makes it possible to artificially age the wooden material and remove all loose layers. After treatment, the work surface not only changes its structure, but also its color.

On the shelves of specialized departments of construction stores you can see two types of grinders.

• A tool with a wide body, behind which a shaft with attachments is hidden. The main feature is the presence of two handles and a start button.
• An instrument that has common features with a grinder. Distinctive features are the presence of a cylindrical brush and a handle, which is located parallel to the working shaft. The disadvantage is the lack of ability to adjust the processing depth.

This device consists of the following parts:

• engine;
• charger or wire to the electrical network;
• platform;
• pen;
• regulation and control system;
• working disk.

Two types of brushes are used for surface treatment:

• nylon;
• metal.

The brush has the shape of a cylinder that makes circular movements at high speed. To perform non-standard types of work, experts recommend replacing brushes and special rings.

To perform brushing, cup nylon brushes with abrasive grain on polymer threads are used, which can be attached not only to grinding machines, but also to a conventional drill.

To make work easier, the designers have provided two handles, and special pipes are installed to connect the device to the vacuum cleaner.

The number of revolutions depends on the diameter of the brush surface.

The adjustment system allows you to process products at a high level and at the same time adjust the cleaning depth.

Nozzles can be changed using a hex wrench.

Most grinding machines have auxiliary parameters:

• adjustment of the number of revolutions;
• automatic speed control;
• grinding depth adjustment;
• protection against unauthorized start;
• presence of a dust collector;
• possibility of quick replacement of deformed parts;
• additional protection of the engine from contamination.

The device may include an organizer, a set of metal, abrasive, polymer and nylon brushes, as well as a charger.

What you need for work

Brushing does not require a large set of tools and materials, but the process will take time.

Before starting work, you need to prepare the place and everything necessary for the procedure:

• Brushes with bristles of different thicknesses;
• Sandpaper;
• Decorative compositions (tone, stain, wax, oil);
• Finishing varnish.

This kit will help you do a small amount of work manually. Professionals require hand-held grinders or specialized machines, as well as additional devices for brushing.

Use attachments for drills and grinders. The mechanized process is easier, but requires experience in using tools.