Replies

1. 
   Paul_Snyder | Apr 27, 2003 11:49pm | #1

   Dexter - if you pre-seal the wood with a thinned finish (a conditioner or washcoat) the stain color will be a lot lighter than when you applied it to bare wood.

   There's more than one way to get even coloring on the wood that will blend well with the other woodwork you've done, though some techniques are more difficult than others.  Here's one technique that will give you good results;

   1. Sand the wood to 120, remove the dust, and stain the doors with a coat of dark walnut that has been thinned 1:1 with clear stain base.

   2. Spray a coat of vinyl sealer and sand with 320 once dry.

   3. Spray, brush, roll, or wipe on a coat of Sherwin Williams glaze colored with Dark Walnut stain concentrate.

   4.  Spray a coat of vinyl sealer.

   5.  Spray 1-2 coats of the finish.

   The first coat of thinned stain will be a lot lighter than normal, but it will bring out the grain and figure of the wood giving you the look of a wiping stain.

   The vinyl sealer will seal the wood and give you a base for the glaze.

   The glaze will add more color to match the darkness of the trim.  Applying glaze over sealed wood will make the color very even.  You will have to adjust the amount of stain concentrate you add to the clear glaze base to match the trim work.

   The second coat of vinyl sealer will adhere to the glaze and the cat. lacquer will adhere to it.

   If you have trouble getting the color dark enough, you can add a little dark walnut dye (around 1/2 ounce of dye per quart) to the vinyl sealer. Or, if you have to, you can seal the glaze with vinyl sealer, then apply a second coat of glaze followed by another coat of vinyl sealer.

   Work out the technique and mixture(s) on samples, then do the inside of a closet door first to make sure the color & look are what you need.

   Paul S
   F'Burg, VA