Replies

1. 
   peter28 | Jun 13, 2007 05:22am | #1

   Ken,

    

   Let's start from the top;

   1  You put a water dye on which raised the grain. Sand the surface well with 220 grit paper and clean the dust off. You'll see that you probably have cut through the color a little.

   2 If you want to dye it again to even out the color you can or you can go directly to your stain. The stain can be applied directly over the dyed surface.

   3 If you decide to use an oil stain let it dry a couple of days minimum. Once the stain dries, apply a coat of Seal Coat ( shellac) . It can be brushed or padded on. It will dry quickly so don't over brush it. After an hour you can lightly sand it with 220 or 320 grit paper.

   4 If you plan on doing a grain filler, now is the time. You'll need to use a very dark brown or black filler. You can get it colored or you can tint it yourself using japan paints or artist oil colors. Behlens and Bartleys are a couple of brands available. I think Benjamin Moore has one too. My preference is Sherwin Williams brand but you can only buy that in gallons.

   Do yourself a big favor before proceeding with filler and read about it in some of the finishing books out there. You'll want to practice this step on some scraps first. Filling is the final step before you apply a finish so you'll want to get it right. 

   Remember filling is optional not essential in this case. If you do fill the pores let the filler sit for about a week and let it cure prior to top coating.

   5 If you have filled the surface , after curing, seal it with your Seal Coat again. After it is dry, lightly sand it with 320, clean the dust off and you can apply any topcoat you'd like.

   If you decide not to fill the surface, refer back to step 3. After it is sealed you can progress to the topcoat of your choice.

   Peter

    

    

1. 
   Kenne | Jun 13, 2007 04:31pm | #2

   Peter, thanks very much for the suggestions. Really appreciated. I'll let you know how I do.

   Regards

   Ken