Convincing wood?

Tools, Techniques, and Reference Materials Painting and airbrushing
1

I’m building some ammo crates and want the paint job to look real any ideas?

Thanks to all that reply!
[8D]

2

This is going to sound a little crazy, perhaps, but I built ammo crates for the Academy Merkava II, and I built them out of wood. You can use balsa, although I think basswood is a little better. Real wood is the most convincing.
In the near future, I’m planning on building the Italeri Opel Maultier with the flak gun on the back. I plan on removing the plastic bed with its sink holes and ejection pin marks and replacing the whole thing with wood and Plastruct angle and channel “iron”.
Gip Winecoff

3

As Gip said, use balsa. If you want a wooden look (not painted), just use washes and a bit of drybrushing to complete your crates.