There is nothing better then having an amazing backdrop to help produce gorgeous photos! Even though the main focus is the prop(s), a backdrop full of simple texture and interest can create that much more of an overall impact. Since I don’t have a fabulous farmhouse table or marble counters, creating my own DIY backdrop is a very inexpensive solution and it can be yours too :). For the longest time, I used a simple white foamcore board from the dollar store as my backdrop. They work wonders and I have even painted them before (those $5 sample paint jars are great for this). But the same old backdrop gets a little boring and I really wanted to add some more depth and texture to my photos. One of my favourite techniques used on furniture is the chipped/distressed method, so I knew the distressed look was perfect for a backdrop. I used white paint because I love the fresh, crisp and airy feel while it just emphasizes every colour and the distressed wood brings in the warmth! Below I have a step by step picture tutorial so you can make one of your own!

How to build a DIY Distressed Wood Photo Backdrop

Step 1: Find some wood pallets, old or new in any size, or you can also go to your local hardware store to pick out some wood and they can assist you with the cutting of it. Above is a picture of one of my dad’s tables that is full of wood. There are always wood scraps that can be used for something! Step 2: Creating the wood pallet. The piece of wood on the left is the base measuring 2″ by 20″, you will need two of these that will go under the pallets as they are used to nail the wood together. The piece of wood in the middle is what I used to lay on top of the base, I cut this into 2 pieces that measure 2 1/2″ x 30″ each. In total I used 6 pieces. The wood piece on the right is what I used to go in-between the middle wood pallets, it measures 1″ x 30″ and I used 5 pieces. The wood pallet backdrop measures 20″ x 30″. The great thing about creating your own distressed wood backdrop is that any type of wood in any size will work, and it doesn’t need to be perfect!
Step 3: Lay the wood pallets on top of the two base pieces of wood. Space however much or little you want. Mark with a pencil where each nail or screw will go and begin nailing them in place.  *this is what the base looks like once the wood pallets are nailed to it.
Step 4: Once they are all nailed to the base pieces of wood, fill in the nail holes and sand the top and edges for a smooth finish.  Step 5: Apply vaseline sporadically onto the pieces of wood, I mainly focused on the edges. This technique is used to help peel the paint off to give it that distressed look. Step 6: Mix 1 cup paint with 1/2 cup water or depending on how you want the overall finish, you can add more water or none at all. I wanted to create a little bit of a whitewash effect so I added a little bit of water to some white paint I had leftover. Step 7: Brush paint onto the entire wood pallet and allow to dry for approximately one hour. You can see the areas where the vaseline was layered.  Step 8: Once first coat is dry, apply a second coat of paint. I criss-crossed this coat to it give more of a messy/old feel. Step 9: This step is optional, but I wanted more coverage so I applied a third coat of paint. Step 10: Once the wood pallet is completely dry, start to sand the areas where the vaseline is. I also used an exacto knife to chip some of the paint off.  Step 11: Test out your new photo backdrop!There you have it, a DIY Distressed Wood Photo Backdrop! There might seem like a lot of steps but all of the steps flow together you don’t even notcie. Anything goes for this project, so if your not happy with the outcome you can always go back over and improve certain areas, it’s hard to make mistakes with this one. If you want to see this beauty in action, check out my Instagram for my photos!