I am trying to match some VG fir cabinet parts to a sample piece of fir from a window company. The people I am building the cabinet for want the stain to match the window casement trim they have in their house. My results so far have been less than spectacular.
In the photos you will see the small sample piece laid on top of my pieces.
On the large pieces I have applied two coats of the stain they supplied which was color matched from the window vendors color formula. On the medium piece with the pins cut on one end I first applied a prestain sealer to try and stop the blotching but then that came out lighter than all the others.
I need to know how to lessen the difference between the growth rings and the other wood and generally even out and darken the color.
Am I going to have to try and get a darker tone of stain to better match the sample piece? If I use a prestain sealer is it possible to get darker with multiple coats of stain or do you only get one shot when using the sealer?
Thanks for any suggestions.
-Jay
Replies
Jay, first off I would say do not seal this job before staining ...So what is the stain and how is it being applied?
Hi Dan, yeah so far I have only sealed a test piece and have now given it 2 coats of stain and I can't get it dark enough.
I am using Sherwin Williams Wood Classics Interior oil stain that was custom mixed from the window Co's formula for the stain color of the window trim. I applied it with a rag. I let it sit about 20-30 minutes before wiping off. The large pieces in the photos have 2 coats applied.
Hey Jay, first you could try adding another coat to your sample ,but when you go remove the excess ,do not wipe with any pressure at all. with some thing like this you need to spread a very thin coat evenlly across the intire peice ,instead of wiping it dry.I preffer to use a cotton rag that I fold many time giving me a pad about 2"x6" or so and basiclly drag it back and forth until the colour is even ,in other words your final wiping rag should always be wet not soaked but damp. from your pics I would say try a peice with out sealer vg fir should not need it,not for what you are trying to match.
Dan
You need to try a dye, instead of a primarily pigment stain. Dye will reduce the contrast between early and late wood. Laying on pigmented stain more heavily isn't a good idea--the binder is weak and you just create a weaker finish layer under the eventual top coat. You would also need to substantially increase the curing time before adding any top coat.
That seems to address the problem of the difference between early and late growth. The only problem is I know very little about dyes and really didn't want to have to become a mixologist with colors to make a match. Looks like this isn't going to be easy. Thanks for the advice.
Do you have to mix the dyes yourself or do they come ready to use?
-Jay
I new I would be miss understood , not heavier just don't take it all off when wiping it back .the sealer is the problem! I live in Vancouver Canada where about all we have is fir and I have finishedit in ever shade under the sun over the past 17 years that I have lived here and not as a hobby .I have 2 tickets in finishing so that is not the type of stain I would have used but it will work
Hey Dan, yeah I live close by in seattle and was wondering what you meant by 2 tickets in finishing. Aren't the differences between early and late growth pretty noticeable?
-Jay
i meant that after getting my joiners ticket in the 80's I went to school in ontario to study spray finishing(furniture/cars /boats)and then later taking a finisher/painter coarse which covers from brush coating to faux finishing to french polishing.
as for the other question- when?
Edited 3/29/2009 2:10 am ET by woodguydan
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