I not often stain the furnishings I create, usually preferring to let the pure colour of the wooden develop over time. Nevertheless, lately I used to be making a big headboard utilizing bookmatched planks of extremely figured claro walnut (see “Free-Type Coopering,” FWW #321). The 2 planks had been heart matched and had an attractive canoe-shaped space of sapwood within the center, which I hoped to characteristic within the completed piece.
Because the headboard got here collectively, it turned clear that there have been two issues. First, the sapwood was too far off heart and could be a distraction. Second, as I arrange the mattress and mocked up a construction representing the peak of the mattress, I spotted the sapwood wouldn’t be seen behind the pillows. So in spite of everything my efforts I used to be going to have an off-center, odd form that might be partially hidden. What to do?
I reached into the wealth of information imparted by my good pal Tom Hunt, an expert finisher for 30 years who taught me and plenty of others his ending secrets and techniques and approaches to sealing wooden. (Sadly, he died of pancreatic most cancers in 2018.) The answer, fastidiously matched spot stain, would considerably diminish my issues—with the bonus of emphasizing the tiger determine barely seen within the unstained sapwood.
I’m pleased with the outcome. The colour is best than I had hoped it will be, and the curly determine is emphasised. As well as, the off-center location of the sapwood not catches your eye. A pair attributes of the wooden helped. A part of the great thing about claro walnut is the variation in its colour and the energy of its grain patterns. On this case the colour variation helped by deemphasizing the necessity for a precise colour match, and the determine within the wooden strengthened the connection of the stained space to the encompassing heartwood.
Coloration matching
The primary hurdle was to check my assortment of stains on equally grained wooden left over from the development course of. So I dug out scraps that had each sapwood and heartwood. From my assortment of stains I chosen all that appeared potential. After totally stirring them and labeling every check space, I flippantly utilized them to sapwood that was adjoining to heartwood. Making use of the assorted stains straight from the can lets me get an thought of whether or not I ought to dilute the stains and what the names imply visually. For instance, what does “Particular Darkish Walnut” truly seem like? Particular to whom? Darkish versus virtually black?
Earlier than testing the stains, although, I utilized a coat of clear varnish to the heartwood areas. That allow me see the colour I used to be making an attempt to approximate as I utilized the moist stain. Approximate is the correct phrase. A precise match is inconceivable with the various shades of pure wooden, so I goal for an in depth match. One of many beauties of stain is which you could construct up a number of coats so long as a sealer (varnish, lacquer, shellac, and so forth.) isn’t utilized between coats. Darkish Walnut was too black/grey; Particular Walnut was higher however nonetheless too flat. Alternatively, Mahogany was hotter (extra pink). I blended equal elements Particular Walnut and Mahogany and tried once more. I lucked out! Typically I’ve to make many samples to get what I’m searching for. The highest end will carry extra mild into the stained areas, so going a little bit darkish with the stain received’t harm.
Freehand software
Engaged on a vertical floor means there may very well be drips, so press blue tape beneath the part you’re staining to forestall dripping onto spots you don’t need stained. However don’t use tape to masks off the world you’re staining. The arduous line created by taping off and portray to the tape will look unnatural and name consideration to itself. As an alternative, paint the stain on with a small, softbristle brush. As soon as it’s dry, rub the stain out with a tack fabric.
A sampling of finishes
Coloration matching requires persistence and experimentation. Testing stains on completed work is a catastrophe ready to occur. I make some extent of saving my scraps to check.
Experimenting with colour
When making an attempt to paint match, seal the wooden colour you’re making an attempt to imitate so you possibly can see the colour with end on it. Then be ready to check a whole lot of stains with numerous colours and ratios. In the long run, I settled on an equal mixture of Minwax’s Mahogany and Particular Walnut.
Making use of the stain
Now it was time to use my Particular Claro Walnut Sapwood stain. Though there is usually a nice temptation to fastidiously masks round an space that’s being stained, that is usually a mistake. Wooden is a pure materials, and straight traces like people who tape will produce not often exist in nature, so I painted on the stain with a small 1/2-in. watercolor brush. I wasn’t striving to realize an ideal matching edge, and if I had wanted to I may have gone again and utilized a bit extra stain. In case a few of the stain unfold onto the heartwood or onto an space that was already good, I saved some paint thinner and a rag close by. Wiping totally with a closely soaked fabric will elevate out additional stain.
Clear coat
Having experimented with the stains and sealed the heartwood, I had an inexpensive thought of how your complete piece would look after I utilized the ultimate end. All of the floor preparation was carried out earlier than staining, so there was no must sand the stained areas. Though stain penetrates the wooden, sanding will change its density and thereby its colour. It was vital to not use thinner to scrub the wooden at this level. Even when the stain had been very dry, it may have been dissolved, thereby altering the ultimate colour.
My most well-liked end is satin varnish. It isn’t fast to use however could be very forgiving. I discovered that a few of the new thinners don’t work with some varnishes after I tried to scrub my favourite brush and the thinner wouldn’t dissolve the varnish.
I anticipated to use 5 coats of end. My goal was to indicate and really feel the grain whereas nonetheless offering a robust protecting end. I used to be not searching for wooden proven behind a shiny thick end. Whatever the claims, all finishes will present put on over time, and thick finishes are more durable to take away.
After every coat besides the ultimate one, sand flippantly, vacuum, and wipe the floor down with a tack fabric. With every coat use a finer grit of paper, working from 150 by way of 220.
After making use of every coat besides the final, I flippantly sanded and vacuumed the piece totally and went over every little thing with a tack rag. For the primary coat, I thinned the varnish a minimal of 40% with paint thinner to permit the end to penetrate the wooden deeply and construct up actual safety. After the end was fully dry, I sanded flippantly with 150-grit paper and adopted with a second coat of 30% thinned varnish. I sanded flippantly once more, this time with 180-grit paper, and I thinned the third coat of varnish simply 15%. Earlier than making use of the fourth coat, thinned 10%, I sanded flippantly with 220-grit paper.
As I utilized the fourth coat, I checked it fastidiously. Had it been any thicker, I’d have thinned the fifth coat 10% as effectively.
The magic of OZ
A number of days after making use of the ultimate coat, I rubbed it out with 0000 metal wool and Mohawk’s OZ Wooden Polish. OZ is sprayed on as each a lubricant and a sealer, then rubbed solely sufficient to take away mud caught within the end. I exploit OZ as a result of it accommodates no silicone. Silicone might look good for some time, nevertheless it soaks into the end and the wooden. Sooner or later should you refinish, silicone will trigger fisheyes that no quantity of rubbing and even belt sanding will cease. The one hope then is to flood the floor with denatured alcohol and light-weight it. The fumes burn, not the wooden.
-Rob Hare is a maker of issues in Esopus, N.Y.
| From Fantastic Woodworking #324
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