What is a cerused wood finish?
Cerusing, also known as liming or pickling, is a wood finishing technique that creates a two-toned look, where the open grain of the wood is accentuated against a contrasting base color. Because the effect relies on deep, open pores to hold the contrasting color, open-grained oak is the classic choice for a cerused finish, though other ring-porous woods work well too.
Origin
Liming wood originated in the sixteenth century in Europe, where a caustic paste of slaked lime (not very healthy stuff) would be rubbed into the open grain of the wood to deter wood-boring insects. This lime washing somehow resulted over the centuries in a decorative look that is popular among modern-day designers and decorators. The effect of this technique is now commonly referred to as "cerusing" or creating a "pickled" look.
Color options
Most of the cerusing you may see is a darker background/base color with a white or off-white color visible in the open grain. However, any color combination may be used, including light base colors with a dark color in the grain.
Left to right: PCE "Mystic Brown" & OP2C "Custom Blend", PCE "Intense Black & OP2C "Touch of Gold", PCE "Nordic White" & OP2C "Custom Blend", Fumed & OP2C "White 5%"
Choosing your colors
The base color and the grain color do opposite jobs: the base sets the overall tone of the piece, while the color left in the grain defines how boldly the cerused pattern reads. High contrast between the two produces a dramatic, graphic look, while lower contrast gives a soft, subtle effect.
Classic white on a dark base
The most recognizable cerused look pairs a dark base with a white or off-white grain. On oak, a black, charcoal, or fumed base with white pulled into the pores gives the crisp, high contrast finish most people picture when they think of cerused oak.
Grey and natural
For a lighter, more contemporary result, a grey or weathered base with a white grain reads soft and modern, while a natural or lightly toned base with a white grain produces the subtle limed or pickled effect.
Black and ebony
Reversing the usual recipe with a lighter base and a dark grain or using an ebony base with a subtle contrasting grain, creates a rich, dramatic finish that suits modern interiors.
Because results shift with the wood species and how far the grain is opened, it is worth testing your chosen combination on a sample board of the same wood before committing to the full project.
Which wood species are best for cerusing?
Cerusing is best accomplished using ring-porous wood species. It is the larger pores of the springwood (aka earlywood) in ring-porous wood species that allows for contrasting colors to be left behind in the deeper pores.
Examples of ring-porous woods are:
- Red Oak
- White Oak
- Ash
- Elm
- Chestnut
Additionally, the sawing method of these wood species also makes a difference.
Plain-sawn planks exhibit the most pleasing and dramatic effect (showing a “flame-like” pattern following with the wood grain), while quarter-sawn wood shows a much cleaner and straight effect.
Note: Diffuse-porous wood species like Maple, Aspen, and Poplar do not exhibit these large open springwood pores like ring-porous wood and are less suitable for producing a cerused effect.
Why oak works so well for cerusing
Oak is the go-to wood for cerusing because its wide, open grain holds the contrasting color cleanly and produces a pronounced, even pattern. Its bold ring-porous structure means the pores are easy to open with a wire brush and readily accept the grain color, which is why so many cerused projects start with oak.
White oak often creates a refined, consistent cerused look, while red oak's coarser, more open grain can produce a stronger contrast.
The look also depends on how the boards are cut. Plain-sawn oak shows the dramatic, flame-like cathedral figure, while rift- and quarter-sawn oak give long, straight, even lines for a cleaner, more contemporary finish.
How to ceruse wood using Rubio Monocoat
With the Rubio Monocoat system, a colored pretreatment creates the base, while Oil Plus 2C adds the contrasting grain color and protects the wood. Oil Plus 2C provides color and finish to finalize the cerused look. Here's what you will need:
- Oil Plus 2C in your selected color
- A pretreatment option you choose in your selected color
- Raw Wood Cleaner
- Clean mixing container
- Paint can opener
- Stir stick
- Measuring device
- Latex or nitrile gloves
- Safety goggles
- Applicator Set for the application of the oil
- Good quality absorptive rags or terry cloths
- Water filled metal can with lid for disposal of oil-contaminated rags and pads
- Wire-brush (Optional)
1. Prepare the surface
- Sand the surface smooth. We recommend sanding wood up to 120 grit (150 grit on furniture is acceptable) but don't go finer as that closes off the wood grain making absorption of the finish difficult.
- Optional: Wire-brush the wood to open the grain even further. Make a few passes with the wire-brush along the grain and examine the effect. Each pass will pull a little more out of the soft grain, increasing the contrast of the final look.
- Once wire brushing is complete, you lightly sand again with the same finishing grit as under step 1 to open the wood surface again.
- Vacuum up the dust on the surface.
- Clean the surface using Raw Wood Cleaner and allow to dry completely.
2. Apply the base color
Applying Precolor Easy "Intense Black"
To create the background or base color of the wood, you have a few different product options:
- Fumed - Reacts with tannins in the wood to give an aged grey look (best applied to White Oak)
- Pre-Color Easy - Provides an intense and uniform color
- Pre-Aging - Gives wood an aged wood with color variation
Whichever pre-treatment product is applied, allow the recommended dry time before the application of Oil Plus 2C.
3. Apply the contrasting color
Applying Oil Plus 2C "White" over the Precolor Easy "Intense Black"
The cerused effect is achieved by applying Oil Plus 2C over your base color.
Choose a color that contrasts the base and apply over the top.
Removing the excess oil to reveal the cerused look
Important! Rags saturated in oil are combustible and require being disposed of in accordance with local regulations.
See these oily rags safety tips from the NFPA.
4. Allow the surface to dry
Allow the surface to dry under favorable drying conditions. This means temperatures at least in the 65-70F range, relative humidity around 50%, and plenty of air movement. Cooler conditions or very high relative humidity will extend the dry and cure time.
Oil Plus 2C may be carefully handled after 24-36 hours and is 80% cured in 48 hours. Full cure is achieved within five days.
Do not expose the oiled surface to moisture until completely cured!
Alternative options
Another simple cerusing method is to first apply Oil Plus 2C in a selected color on the prepared wood substrate. Next apply Universal Maintenance Oil in a contrasting color over the dried Oil Plus 2C. This alternative cerusing method provides a higher sheen.
Common cerused oak applications
Cerusing suits any project where you want extra texture and visual depth, and a few applications come up again and again.
Cabinets
Cerused oak is a popular choice for kitchen and bathroom cabinetry, where the open grain adds character without the upkeep of a high-gloss finish. It is also a common way to refresh plain or dated oak cabinets, and the before-and-after change can be dramatic.
Furniture
Tables, sideboards, desks, and shelving are natural candidates. A cerused finish highlights the grain of a statement piece and pairs well with both traditional and modern styling.
Floors
Cerused and limed oak floors bring subtle contrast underfoot. Because floors take heavy traffic, thorough preparation and a durable protective finish matter even more here.
Fixing a cerused finish
Even with careful preparation, a few common issues can affect the final cerused look:
The contrast is too subtle
The grain was probably not opened enough. Make additional passes with a wire brush along the grain before applying the base color and confirm you are working with a ring-porous wood.
The grain color will not stay in the pores
This usually means the surface was sanded too fine, which closes the pores. Sand no finer than 120 grit (150 on furniture) so the wood can accept the color.
The finish looks muddy or uneven
Wipe the excess contrasting color more thoroughly, and make sure the base color is fully dry before you apply the top color.
FAQs
What is a cerused finish on wood?
It is a two-tone finish created by leaving a contrasting color in the open grain of the wood while a different base color sits on the surface.
Can you ceruse any wood?
No. Cerusing needs a ring-porous, open-grained wood such as oak, ash, elm, or chestnut. Diffuse-porous woods like maple, poplar, and aspen lack the open pores and will not show the effect.
Is cerused oak still in style?
Yes. What began as a centuries-old technique remains popular with designers for cabinetry, furniture, and floors because it adds texture and depth a flat finish cannot.
Does a cerused finish need to be sealed?
In this method, the contrasting color is applied with Oil Plus 2C, which colors and protects in one step, so no separate sealer is required. Allow the full cure time before exposing the surface to moisture.
Create your own cerused wood finish
Are you ready to try cerusing? Explore 40 Oil Plus 2C colors and compatible pretreatments, then order samples to test your color combination on the same wood species before beginning the full project.