Last updated April 12th, 2024 at 03:42 pm
I hate to read instruction manuals. I usually skim it, get the general idea, and then jump in feet first. I recently realized something I’ve done 100 times – I’ve been doing all wrong! I know, I know, I should have read the instructions but “ain’t nobody got time for that!”. I’ve stained wood tons of times, but do you want to guess how many times I actually wiped off the excess stain? I usually prefer dark wood stains so this has never really mattered much. But for this project, I wanted a lighter stain and I wanted to do a distressed and weathered look.
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DIY Christmas Crate
Paint Brush
Sandpaper
Step 1: The exterior of my crate from Michael’s was already pretty smooth. Give the crate a good sanding if it’s rough.
Step 2: Apply the wood stain with a cloth. I used a piece of an old t-shirt. I did NOT use gloves but I totally recommend it!
Apply the stain in the direction of the wood. Use a toothbrush or a foam brush to get into the crevices! 
Step 3: Use a clean cloth the wipe off the excess stain! Work in sections and remove the excess as you go 🙂 
Step 4: Allow the stain to dry before adding the white paint. Since I wiped off the excess stain, the crate dried enough in about 20 minutes so I could add the white paint. Put a bit of paint on a paper plate and gently dip the dips of a paint brush in it. Moving back and forth, gently brush the paint onto the crate. 
Step 5: After the crate completely dries, use sandpaper to rough up a few spots to give it a distressed looked. Full disclosure: I skipped this step and think it looks fine! Cheater’s guide to weathering and distressing wood 😉 
I added a festive Christmas bow to make this a Christmas crate! You could easily style it seasonally. I also plan on adding a little chalkboard to the side. I filled ours with a poinsettia and some firewood, haha. If you live in Houston then you know why that’s funny!
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