Weathering Wood

• 1). Fill a 5-gallon bucket with cider vinegar.
  
  
• 2). Place six steel wool pads into the vinegar. The steel wool will deteriorate in the vinegar and make a stain that will give the wood a grayish hue. Leave the bucket in a cool, dry place for about a week.
  
  
• 3). Sand the unfinished wooden shelf to be weathered with fine-grit sandpaper until the wood is smooth to the touch.
  
  
• 4). Paint the vinegar-steel wool solution over the unfinished wood. Allow the wood to dry for about 24 hours.
  
  
• 5). Repeat the application of the solution. Allow the wood to dry for 24 hours. If the wood isn't gray enough for your preference, continue painting the wood with the solution. Allow it to dry thoroughly between applications.
  
  

Making a Bark and Twig-Enhanced Shelf

• 1). Cover the underside of the weathered shelf with pieces of bark until you like the look of the arrangement. Overlapping the bark is fine. The back of the bark pieces must be relatively flat or you will need to sand the backs down so that they are flush with the shelf.
  
  
• 2). Lift each piece of bark from the chosen location on the shelf and apply a liberal amount of carpentry glue beneath the bark (to the side that once clung to a tree) and to the shelf wood. Press the bark firmly to the shelf.
  
  
• 3). Use c-clamps along the shelf edges to hold the bark in place while drying, or stretch large rubber bands around the bark beneath the shelf. Allow the glue to dry completely, or about six hours.
  
  
• 4). Turn the shelf so it balances on the edge that will be the back edge (against the wall). The right, left and front edges should be exposed.
  
  
• 5). Mix the epoxy according to the manufacturer's instructions. Epoxies are adhesives that begin in two or more parts. When the different components are mixed, the glue is activated. Epoxies should only be used in ventilated areas.
  
  
• 6). Squirt epoxy onto one side of a twig. Press the twig to the front center shelf edge. Continue gluing twigs to the front, left and right edges of the shelf with the epoxy until the shelf is entirely framed in twigs. Allow the epoxy to dry for about 24 hours so it will reach its full strength.
  
  
• 7). Use a stud finder to locate studs in the wall. Stud finders are available at home improvement, hardware and discount stores.
  
  
• 8). Install the two shelf supports into the wall studs with the hardware that came with the supports when purchased.
  
  
• 9). Place the finished shelves on top of the shelf supports. If your shelf supports require screws to attach the shelves to the supports, use the hardware included with the supports to screw the support to the shelf as determined by the style of shelf support you purchased. There are many different styles of shelf supports and the style of the support will determine the installation method of the shelves to the supports.