Bleaching wood

[Mike MW]

I would be grateful for advice on bleaching wood . I tried household bleach with limited success . Ideally I would like to achieve a drift wood effect but marked lightening would be helpful.

 

[RichardG]

I've seen the grey version of littlefairs driftwood water based stain and it was surprising effective.

https://www.littlefairs.shop/

 

[Jacob]

I would be grateful for advice on bleaching wood . I tried household bleach with limited success . Ideally I would like to achieve a drift wood effect but marked lightening would be helpful.

Caustic soda dipping produces the driftwood effect very easily. Not to soak for too long otherwise you could destroy it, starting with removing glue and loosening all the joints.
You can just brush it on, leave for a bit, and hose it off.

 

[Richard_C]

I tried bleach on a small sculptural project, as you said not that effective. It wasn't going to be handled,and I wanted to get the effect with what I had in so I ended up giving it a thin coat of diluted ordinary white ceiling paint, let it dry and sanded back. When happy, a wax finish. A decent enough cheat, but doubtless there are better solutions.

 

[Mike MW]

Thank you all for your advice. I will give them all a go.

 

[Mike.R]

Hello Mike, I asked here on UK Workshop about wood bleach back in June this year as I was interested in bleaching oak. The recommendation was to try Oxalic acid crystals and a two pack bleach from Fiddes. Neither of which I've got round to trying yet.

Here are some links.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/18438295...d=&campid=5338413729&toolid=10001&mpt=4887568
https://fiddes.co.uk/shop/accessories/chemicals-solvents/thinners-acids-bleach/a-b-bleach/
Bleaching wood is added to my list of things to do this weekend.

 

[Mike MW]

Thanks Mike

 

[Stigmorgan]

Have you tried YT? Pretty sure I've seen a video that included bleaching wood at some point in the not so distant past

 

[jonn]

Thanks for reminding me of the name for oxalic acid. Used it close to 50 years ago to bleach the pine panel in my lounge room. Very efficient, and found a supplier here in Norway who sells it at a fair price.

 

[Jake]

The two component peroxide will not in my experience give you driftwood - it will give you a OK fade but will not 'bleach blonde' well at least with the things I've tried it with. It goes to a pretty gross yellowy-tinged result and then stops (or rather, the surface starts falling apart, while also being gross and yellowy).