A friend of mine wanted me to replace a raized panel door for her that her dog and scratched up several years earlier. She had a replacement door in her garage for 7-8 years and had waited for her dog to pass on prior to replacing it. The stain which was used throughout her house did not match the existing trim (having been 8 plus years old) and was not a common purchasable brand. I laid out several Minwax products on a suitable pine sample board-both brush and rag applied, and let her pick out the match to her liking. After setting up the door and putting on the appropriate stain, it took on darker tones and more reddish hues. My dilema now is what can I wash down the door with to soften the Maple stain and lighten up the reddish hue????? I have two brush applied coats and was ready to finish with several sealer coates of polyurethane, but have stopped. I’ve tried a wash of 50% bleach in a spot but was not very happy with the results, and also tried some Mineral spirits in the same manner.
Help???
bob
Replies
You can use paint stripper or lacquer thinner and steel wool to dissolve cured Minwax though it will be difficult to control the amount of color you remove.
Paul
F'burg, VA
If it's a Minwax pigmented oil stain you should find that mineral spirits-- its solvent-- and a grey Scotchbrite pad or wire wool should remove some of the colour, and a rag dampened in mineral spirits to finally wipe off leaving the result even is useful. It may take some fairly hard rubbing if the depth, shade and tone of colour are a long way off, but usually I find I just need to back it off a little. Then you add a little colour back into the polish if need be if you've backed off too far. Hopefully you aren't too far away from what you need. Slainte, RJ.
RJ,
If you define solvent as a material that will dissolve a cured finish or stain, then mineral spirits is the thinner for oil-base Minwax stain, but once cured it's not the solvent. For that you'll have to switch to lacquer thinner. Mineral spirits will act as a lubricant though while you scrub with scotchbrite or steel wool (wire wool - British I'm guessing?).
Paul
F'burg, VA
Paul, fair point. Mineral (UK white) spirits is not the solvent; it's the carrying medium or thinner as is alcohol the carrying medium for spirit based dyes or stains, and water is the carrying medium for water based dyes and stains. Both the latter can be adjusted after application by washing with either alchohol or water after the dye or stain dries. Anyway, my experience is that Minwax oil based pigmented stains--the ones that come in a yellow can and are sold under such names as Jacobean Oak, Colonial Pine, or whatever, etc., is that if they are found to be too intense or dark, etc., they can be lightened with mineral spirits and wire wool and/or a Scotchbrite pad. I've even done it with just a cloth and mineral spirits after applying just one or two coats. As far as I can make out the product contains mineral spirits, dye, pigments and a small amount of a film finish, possibly an alkyd varnish formulation, and quite likely some heavy metal Japan driers. I attribute the ability of mineral spirits used in combination with wire wool to lighten or adjust these pigment stains to the relatively low build-up of a protective film, and to the fact that the pigments are relatively easy to dislodge from their purchase, and that mineral spirits, being the carrying medium for the dye content, will also partially, if not fully re-dissolve the dye. All I know is that the technique I suggested works. I know it works because I've done it many times.
Anyway, within the field of practical furnituremaking finishing is something of a weakness. I just muddle by, so I'll bow out gracefully if you don't mind and I'll let you take over. <g> Yes, as you surmise, British, still. Slainte, RJ.
Link to RJFurniture site.
Edited 5/29/2002 12:00:25 AM ET by Sgian Dubh
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