Warning: A client begged me to fake water damage on their new table

So this guy brings in a brand new oak table and asks me to make it look like it survived a flood. He said it was for a rustic vibe, but it felt wrong to ruin perfect wood. I had to choose between the cash and doing what felt right. From what I've seen, faking wear can be art, but this was just wrecking stuff. I ended up showing him how to get a similar look with stains instead. Your mileage may vary, but I sleep better at night. Take this with a grain of salt, but sometimes clients have wild ideas.

3 comments

3 Comments

blairtaylor1mo ago

Last summer, a lady wanted me to pressure wash a pattern into her new deck boards to make it look weathered. I just couldn't do it to fresh timber. I ended up showing her how a light sanding and a gray wash stain would give that same worn look without eating into the wood. She was happy with it in the end, and I didn't have to wreck anything.

the_kevin1mo ago

Seriously, why get so worked up over some boards? It's not like pressure washing would've killed the wood forever. She wanted it to look old, and sometimes you just give the customer what they ask for.

mia_davis251mo ago

Hold up, you'd actually pressure wash new wood just because someone asked? That feels like a mechanic putting sugar in a gas tank because the owner asked for a "sweet ride." Where do you draw the line between giving a customer what they want and doing something you know is wrong for the material?