Sorry if this is an overly ignorant question, but here it goes anyway:
When not using a stain on wood, but rather just going for a clear coat (to accentuate the natural wood color), can I expect the wood to maintain its current ‘color’?
Case in point, is that I’m workings towards finding a source which would provide me (at reasonable cost) enough Osage Orange (aka Hedge/Hedge-apple/et al) to do a floor with it.
At first cutting on some test pieces, the wood appeared yellowish, but aged into a rich, golden orange color. Further weathering has resulted in the color deepening into a darker brownish orange. What I’m wondering is if I can lock the color at “golden orange” and not have it darken to brownish orange??
jt8
“Someone’s sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago.” –Warren Buffett
Replies
In my experience, the answer is no. Osage is particularly difficult in this area. I've had some experience with it on some longbows and recurves. I've also built a barbeque table for a friend from a large slab of juniper he brought me. It was a gorgeious piece with streaks of red and purple. I warned him to enjoy the look, because it wouldn't last two months. I gave him a finish with UV inhibitors and told him to try 6 coats, but I was pessimistic about locking in the color. He did, but sure enough, two months later it was gone. Generally speaking, I'm pessimistic about 'locking in' a color that a piece of wood happens to have when freshly cut, but is prone to change.
Alan & Lynette Mikkelsen, Mountain View Farm, est. 1934, Gardens & Fine Woodworking, St. Ignatius, MT
I've never worked with Osage but generally speaking, you aren't going to "lock in" the color of any wood. All woods darken over time with the amount and speed of the darkening depending on things like exposure to sunlight and the air quality in the room. Floors can really be affected by the amount of foot traffic on them.
If you've ever rearranged the furniture in a room with hardwood flooring, I'm sure you've seen the lighter areas where the furniture or an area rug used to be.
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