Replies

1. 
   stancalow | May 01, 2004 01:44am | #1

   Sam

   I am no expert, but as I understand it (and in my experience) end grain always absorbs much more of any stain or oil that you put on it.  If you have heard the analogy of a piece of wood being like a bundle of straws, it makes sense that the end grain sucks up the liquids through capillary action, while on the long-grain, the stain or oil sits mostly on the surface.  The solution is to use a sealer on the end grain - my preference is very thin shellac, although I have heard of thinned yellow glue used too.  There are sealers made specifically for the purpose of controlling stain absorption on blotchy wood, too.   Another suggestion I haven't tried, is to sand the end grain a couple of grades higher grits, to make it more burnished, and less absorptive.  Maybe someone with a better idea will chime in.

   Stan

1. 
   Kevin | May 01, 2004 06:47am | #3

   Those are all great suggestions, Stan. One more that won't work with water-based stains but will with oil and solvent-based stains would be to wipe the end grain with a medium evaporating solvent like Naptha or just about anything in that general family (Mineral Spirits, V&PM Naptha, etc). that will prevent the stain from soaking in very far. Basically it does the same thing as sizing or wash sealing except that it's a temporary barrier as opposed to the permanence of glue sizing or wash sealing.

   In theory wiping the end grain with water should do the same basic thing for water-based stains. I've never tried it, though.

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2. 
   SamWilson | May 02, 2004 02:35pm | #5

   Thanks for the reply. I will use a wash coat of shellac in the future.

   Just to be clear: I am use water-base dye, not a pigment stain.  I thought that I wouldn't have this kind of problem with dye, hence the question.

   Another point: the piece in question is actually the seat of Welsh stick chair. It's shaped and carved, so that there's no clear edge between end grain an face/side grain. Would you recommend a wash coat over the whole thing?

1. 
   CharlieP | May 02, 2004 07:52pm | #6

   Most of the answers seem to be right for stain, where the color stays close to or on the surface, but don't seem right for dye, which needs to penetrate the wood. 

   In addition to very fine sanding, especially the end grain,, I have had pretty good luck lately using a spray bottle of water, as a "primer" and "seal coat" for water based dyes.  If the result is too light, wait a few minutes for some of the water to dry and apply more dye.  This allows me to sneak up on the shade I want.  When I am trying to hide some sapwood, the wet wood also gives me a better target to match the heartwood around where I am working (I use a cotton swab and follow the grain, rather than a brush, to hide sapwood.)   

   If the dye gets too dark, remember that ordinary laundry bleach will lighten dye without hurting the color of most wood.  (Dye is removed/hidden by bleach, as contrasted to stain, which is removed by paint remover). 

   The water does raise the grain, like the water-based dye does, but sooner or later I will raise the grain anyway, and the final light sanding of the fuzz helps blend the dye with surrounding wood. 

   Note that I am not an expert, but one who is learning the tricks of dye.  This is what seems to work well for me currently, but "real" experts may have other suggestions.  ________________________Charlie Plesums  Austin, Texashttp://www.plesums.com/wood

2. 
   Alan | May 01, 2004 02:48am | #2

   Sam,

   Poplar will sometimes get the blotchies, and most woods will soak up much more color on end grain.  As one mentioned above, you might try shellac to solve both problems.

   One or two thin wash coats, or spit coats (about a one pound cut) of shellac will even out the stain.  A few more coats on the ends will keep the end grain from darkening so much.  You might also put on a thicker shellac, perhaps a three pound cut, on the end grain instead of several thinner coats.

   You can get shellac in different colors, so it can compliment the stain color you've chosen.  Remember too that after you've put a coat of stain over your initial coat of shellac, you can seal in that first stain coat with another wash coat of shellac.  Then you can put on another coat of stain, either the same color as the first, or another color.  The shellac forms a barrier between the coats of stain so they won't mix and turn to mud.

   Alan (again going on too long)

   
   

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   Edited 5/1/2004 6:08 pm ET by Alan

3. 
   forestgirl | May 02, 2004 12:00am | #4

   I usually washcoat end grain before staining.  Another thing that will help is to burnish the end grain with either a much higher grit sandpaper, or if you're making gazillions of the same cross-cut pieces, use an "Ultimate Crosscut Blade" like the one Freud makes.  The end-grain on pieces cut with that blade are like glass and don't absorb much.

   forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
   Another proud member of the  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)