How to Bleach Pinecones(without bleach)

Learn how to bleach pine cones without bleach while still maintaining that washed-out look for your home decor without all the smell and mess.

I love the look of bleached pinecones, but I hate bleach. I don't like the fumes and the way bleach irritates your skin. So I tried making some with paint, giving them the look of bleached pinecones without the smell and mess of bleach.

We have lots of pine cones in our yard, but you can easily buy them online, at craft stores, and often at the dollar store. They add a beautiful natural element to any decor, but the whitewashed, bleached look adds a little something extra.

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How to Whitewash Pinecones

The process is really simple. You just need a large plastic container that is deep enough to make sure the paint gets into all the nooks and crannies of the pine cone.  I used an old soup carryout container.

Step 1. Add one part of white chalk paint to 2 parts water to a deep container. Because my chalk paint was very white I added a teaspoon of brown craft paint to soften the white. You need enough to be able to submerge the pinecones. However, you definitely can play around with this ratio. Obviously, you can use less if your pinecones are small.

Step 2. Dunk a pinecone into the paint and water solution. You don't need to let it soak. Instead, pull it right out and let it sit on some paper towels. After the pinecone dries a bit, repeat the process if you want, or just go with the color as is and allow it to fully dry.

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Step 3. Repeat the process with as many pine cones as you want.

In the photo above, you can see the difference. It's a whitewashed look. However, I think this technique gives a very similar look to bleached pine cones.

Making a Pinecone Garland

To create a pretty garland, tie a piece of twine to each pinecone by sliding it in between some of the scales at the bottom and tying a knot.

Then attach each pinecone to a long piece of twine. Don't tie the pinecone too tightly onto the garland. This way, you will be able to slide them a bit once hung to exactly where you want each one. Then you can trim any excess.

Since my family room and fireplace are a little on the dark side, I think these pretty faux bleached pinecones look really great. It's perfect for fall, but I think it also might make a great Christmas decoration too. I'd even consider leaving it up as part of our winter decor.

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Bleach Look Pinecones without Bleach

This easy tutorial shows you how to get the look of bleached pinecones without working with bleach.

Active Time1 hour hr

Additional Time1 hour hr

Total Time2 hours hrs

Course: Crafts

Materials

• Pine cones
• White chalk paint
• Brown craft pain
• Deep plastic container

Instructions

• In a large plastic container combine one part white chalk paint with 2 parts water. Add some brown craft paint to soften the white as desired.
• Dip each pinecone into the water/paint solution.
• Dry on paper towels slightly and repeat with a second or third coat of paint if desired.

Notes

You will need a plastic container large enough to dunk the largest pinecone that you are working with. If your pinecones are all small then you can use a smaller container.

You can play around with the ratio of paint to water to create more opaque-looking pinecones.

Tried this project?Tag @hearthnvine on Instagram