Transform Your Sliding Barn Door from Weathered to Rustic

We’ve all found gems at antique stores that need a little love. Our featured DIYer, Corina, purchased this old door from an antique store for $78.  She had plans to complete her tranquil, cabin-style sitting room with a sliding rustic farmhouse door. In this post, we’ll show you how you can transform your sliding barn door from weathered to rustic. 

For this project, Corina used American Paint Company’s Amber Waves of Grain that she picked up from Inspire Floral Boutique in Invemere, BC. She took a beginners chalk paint workshop there, but this door was her very first project on her own. Prepping her work with Surface Prep / Brush Cleaner, sealing her project with Top Coat, combined with great techniques, she produced fantastic results.

First of all, she sanded down the door as the old finish was quite weathered.  She then followed up by cleaning the door with Surface Prep. Check out How to Prep Your Piece Using APC’s Organic Cleaner for more tips on prepping your pieces. Corina writes,

I loved how nice [Surface Prep] worked and how clean the door was when I was done. 

Next, she put a coat of clear Top Coat before painting. In some cases, old product and finishes from pieces can bleed through and cause unsatisfactory results. By adding Top Coat first, it seals those old products, forming a barrier and provides a fresh layer for your paint.

After the prep work, she was ready to paint! The paint was very thick so she thinned it out with a bit of water, which extends the use of the paint. She purposely left obvious brush strokes and she only applied one coat of paint. She then distressed it with a wet cloth and finished off the project with another coat of Top Coat. Once finished, her husband hung the door (upside-down!) and completed the rustic cabin feel she was going for. 

About using American Paint Company products, Corina had nothing but praise;

I love how fast the products dry and how fun it is to wipe it off while distressing it. Of course clean up is a breeze too.

We can’t wait to see what else she comes up with!

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