# How do I get wood grain to rise?



## libertyfalls (Jan 5, 2011)

This is similar to another question I posted but how do you get this look of the wood grain? This is a picture of a guitar made in 2004 so its not old, it is a fabricated look. 

Any help would be great! Thanks!


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## mdntrdr (Dec 22, 2009)

Try water. :smile:


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## JMC'sLT30 (Oct 26, 2010)

You can take a wire brush wheel and go with the grain, it will brush away the light/soft grain therefore raising the grain.


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## mn pete (Dec 10, 2010)

Sand away any finish and some light swipes with a wet rag ubtil you get what your looking for.


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## libertyfalls (Jan 5, 2011)

I tried a wire wheel but I got this result... (the light area) It didnt work out well at all.

So water will give me that look? should I stain it then after it dries do the repeated water application? Also should I paint it before I do that? How fine should I sand it before I put the water on? I know different grits will allow more or less water in. Ive felt this texture before and its very smooth. 

Sorry for all of the questions but there is a lot that goes into this seemingly simple idea.


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## JMC'sLT30 (Oct 26, 2010)

You will not get the raised grain effect at the end grain areas regardless of what you do.


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## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

libertyfalls said:


> I tried a wire wheel but I got this result...


The wood is totally different, wide grain on the first pictures, which can be distressed like JMC'sLT30 suggested. The tighter grain like you showed in that linked picture is not going to have those wide ridges and valleys and harder to raise the grain to get what you are looking for.

For me a pressure washer works, or a trip to the carwash with a pocket full of quarters. Blast it, the grain raises and the softer wood is removed. It will take a light sanding after to smooth it out (scotch brite pads). This only works on some species, tight grained it just does not work as well.


.


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## libertyfalls (Jan 5, 2011)

The grain is remotely the same. Same wood. The lines you see were made from the wire wheel. Not the wood grain. Wire wheel was too stiff and cut into the wood.


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## PSDkevin (Dec 18, 2010)

The way signs of this style are made is with a sand blaster in the same manner Daren describes. (Saw it on an episode of "how its made") Any area you don't want done is masked with a rubberized coating.


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## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

PSDkevin said:


> The way signs of this style are made is with a sand blaster in the same manner Daren describes. (Saw it on an episode of "how its made") Any area you don't want done is masked with a rubberized coating.


I nomaly go with the wire brush but as pointed out that is a tight grained wood and I usualy play with cypress...

I have heard of sand blasting though!... There was a sign co near my house when I was a kid and that's how they did the giant cedar signs...


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## PSDkevin (Dec 18, 2010)

I think it would probably be better with a different blasting media like walnut shells but yeah, I always wanted to give this a try. I always wanted to do a rustic bar this way


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## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

PSDkevin said:


> I think it would probably be better with a different blasting media like walnut shells but yeah, I always wanted to give this a try. I always wanted to do a rustic bar this way


Here is the south we use pecan shells instead for fine blasting... Incisently they also use pecan shell dust added to epoxy to make faux marble for museum replicas... Don't ask...


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