Staining/Colouring Radiata Pine

[Graham Nichols]

I have had such success with feedback on other problems through this forum
that I decided to ask the following.
I have tried unsuccessfully to finish bowls etc which have been made from
radiata pine and find that the mineral turpentine based wood stains I
usually use on pine furniture don't seem to penetrate the turned wood
surfaces. The result is a wispy washy light color which is often disappoint
further because the stain will penetrate the softer layers while not
penetrating the hard grain at all. I have a need to produce cheaper cost
articles for people who ask for 'dark" finish but do not want to accept the
cost of the more exotic (naturally) dark woods.
Has anyone come up with a process or product which will do the job.
Graham

[Lyn J. Mangiameli]

Graham,
I'm not all that accomplished with finishing, so take these comments with that
perspective.

Pine is notorious for it's difficulty taking stain, and the uneveness with
which it takes it. Probably the best thing to do is use a shellac wash (or
commercial softwood sealer, which will proably still be primarily a shellac
wash) to prevent the uneven penetration . You can then use a pigmented stain,
though it would probably be best to use a glaze (pigment in the finish) or a
combination of a pigmented stain and a glaze. I have done this with
bookshelves with what I consider good results.

For more authoritative advice, there are several good finishing books out
there. My favorites are those by Flexner and Dresdner.

Hope this is at least minimally helpful,

Lyn

[Paul T. Radovanic]

Pine, like certain other woods, has areas that are more absorbent, or
"spongy". These areas will absorb more stain than others and leave a
"blotchy" appearance. This effect is especially pronounced when using
oil-based pigment stains. Water-based dyes cause less trouble. Any
gel product (oil or water based) will help reduce blotching somewhat
when compared to liquids.

My favorite product for staining pine is a water-based gel dye from a
company called Clearwater Color Company. They have several wood-toned
colors, and also some basic other colors. The gel is easy to apply
and it does not blotch like oil-based pigment stains. Great stuff.

I also like this product for certain other woods, like mahogany, but
for different reasons I won't go into here.

The Clearwater Color gels are available through most catalogs here in
the USA; Woodworkers Supply, Highland Hardware, etc. Sorry, I don't
know where you would find it in Australia.

If you can't find it there, then you have other alternatives.

There are some chemical agents that you can use that will darken the
wood via chemical reaction. Since these are not stains, they will not
blotch. They work well, but they have their dangers, so be careful.

You can try one safe method -- mix some rusty steel wool in vinegar
and let it soak for a few days. Strain the smelly mixture through
cheesecloth or a coffee filter, and apply to the wood. It reacts with
tannic acid and darkens the wood. The greater the tannic acid content
in the wood, the darker the reaction. It's especially effective on
oak, but it will work on pine. It may not be the perfect color, but
it will get you started on the way to a darker piece, as a first step
in your finishing schedule.

If you still want to use an oil-based pigment stain, as some have
said, you can seal the wood first with a very thin coat of shellac.

I would use a watery-thin, half-pound cut of dewaxed blonde shellac.
Flood the wood using a squeeze bottle or sponge. Then, immediately
wipe the wood completely dry with a clean cloth. Especially on
turnings, with all the exposed end grain, this will leave exactly the
right amount of shellac that is supposed to be in each spot. Wait 5
minutes, then lightly sand off the raised nibs, remove dust, and apply
the stain. You can then apply more coats of stain, about 24 hours
apart, to build a darker color.

But even a thin coat of shellac will make it difficult to get a dark
color afterwards. A better solution, IMHO, is to use an oil-based
pre-stain conditioner. These are available in a premixed formulation,
but you can make your own easily enough. Start with a mix of boiled
linseed oil and turpentine, about eight parts turps to one part oil
(this is the same ratio as the commercial mix) and adjust from there
as you experiment. Liberally apply the mixture to the wood and allow
to soak for about 10 or 15 minutes, keeping the wood wet. Then wipe
off all the excess. Immediately, while the wood is still wet, apply
your stain. It won't blotch at this point, and it should result in a
darker color than the shellac method.

Either way, after the stain dries, seal it with shellac. You can then
darken the color of the piece further by either using darker shellacs
(e.g. garnet), or you can add alcohol-soluble aniline dyes to the
shellac and finish with that, then topcoat with a clearcoat such as
blonde shellac, lacquer, etc.

You can also finish with a dark wax (even shoe polish!) to add just
another shade of dark color.

Remember, experiment on scrap first, or you *will* experiment on your
project!

HTH,

Paul Rad

[Bill Sullivan]

Besides using stain, darkening chemicals, etc. You might consider using a heat
gun to "brown" the wood. I did this with a Norfolk Island Pine hollow form. I
highlighted certain areas on the piece to give it a tortoise shell effect. The
piece sold right away and I will repeat it on another piece soon.
Use caution and don't char the wood. Add enough heat to just turn it a carmel
brown.