Faux Stain Wood Graining
Faux stain effect wood graining is a technique for taking painted wood, such as baseboard, trim, or moldings, and simulating an effect making them look like they were stained and varnished with wood grain visible, without actually having to strip the paint and restore them to bare wood. With these tricks you can apply a simulated or faux stain finish right over the painted wood.
Glaze
Glaze is a pigmented slow drying transluecent stain/paint...it is a technique that takes practice.
source: http://www.contractortalk.com/showthread.php?t=18439
Faux Wood Graining Effect
First, pick a color for the wood and the grain that are close together. For example, if you use a medium brown for te wood base color, then use a glaze for the grain that is a bit darker, but not a lot. It takes more skill when working with more contrast, so keep it simple. Make sure and tape your walls well so you don't paint your walls. And, test your technique in a small area first. Paint the wood in a brown shade of your liking. We use oil paint, but latex is OK. If using oil paint as a base, make a glaze from a mix of raw umber (or other earth tone) dry pigment in Liquiglaze which you can get from larger art stores. Liquiglaze is an oil-based glaze the consistency of banana pudding. Apply glaze with a rocker tool (as shown). Smooth out just a little with a soft brush. Allow to dry and coat with 2 coats of varnish. Then, use wood staining ink pens (actually dye pens), to hand draw in more knots and other interesting artifacts. If you use latex paint, then use an acrylic-based glaze for compatibility, and coat with Polycrylic, not varnish.
Walnut Woodgraining
- can be done in one step or two layers
- can be done with a brush
- use Zinnser's oil based Coverstain or 123 Bullseye Deep Tint Latex Primer
source: http://www.paintinganddecoratingconcourse.com/articles/Faux-Walnut-Woodgraining.html
