Hi Peter,
I am building new pine window casings/stools for my house and the existing window jams are unfinished poplar. I have been trying several options to get the poplar to match the color and look of the pine. In my one test window, the poplar went so green and grey looking it ruined the effort and i have to replace the jams entirely. I have twenty windows left, so I want to get this right before I go any further.
On the pine, I am using a sequence I saw in a magazine of thinned out glue size, a 1lb. shellac coat, then a stain, then a slightly darker glaze. A very warm rich looking result on pine. the same process and some stain variations on my poplar test pieces just gives me a sick looking darkish mismatch.
Any ideas or suggestions?
Replies
First off if you used a glue size on the pine you didn't need the washcoat too. If it were me I would use the shellac as my washcoat.
You didn't give me much to go on; the poplar turned green and grey? By doing or using what? That is really rhetorical because there won't be any time to answer your reply.
With poplar I'll use a medium yellow water dye to give me a ground color. For more depth I'll follow that with an amber dye, and then proceed with a stain if needed or seal the surface and glaze it to taste.
I've matched poplar to cherry, maple, walnut, and mahogany. The critics will scream it won't look the same because of the grain patterns. That part is right. If you look closely you will realize you're being fooled by the color.
Try using a yellow ground color and going from there. The great thing about a water dye is you can put another dye and or stain directly over it if you wish. You could also seal it and bring the color up with glazing.
It takes some samples and practice but well worth the effort.
Peter
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