Staining wood

[Nightquest1000]

to all the Wood buffs out there,

 

I do have a question concerning staining Wood.

 

Take a dice of wood, (not that I want to make dices, it's just for the sake on an example), and you have six sides. Four sides run with the grain, 2 sides are grain-end.

Now you sand it to perfect smothness. All six sides feel perfect and alike.

Now you stain the dice.

The effect is, that, because the grain-end side is more open, These two sides absorb more stain (and deeper) than the other four sides.

The result is that you have 2 sides in a darker colour than the other 4.

 

How do you avoid this? How do you get 6 equal coloured sides?

 

Any ideas?

 

best regards

Tom

[Dan Vadas]

How do you avoid this? How do you get 6 equal coloured sides?

 

 

You can't on a single "dice" for the very reasons you mentioned.

 

The only way I can think of getting an even color on all six sides is by laminating the end grains with pieces of the same timber. This poses a small problem, and it depends a lot on your woodworking skills, but the two laminates would need to be recessed into the block with 45 degree angle rebates so that the edge joints don't show. You would need to use a router or mill to do it properly.

 

  Danny

[Nightquest1000]

well, an idea, yes.

But, as I said, the dice is just an example.

 

More specific:

 

If I want to stain a carved threedimensional figure. How do I get an even tone on the whole figure without ending with darker spots here and there?

[DaveF]

Wood workers who make cabinetry have the same problem.

 When I built my kitchen cabinets I was told and successfully did the following.

 You seal only the end grain of the board. They make sealers that will seal the wood. Soak in the end grain so that stain will be even.

 Usimg a rag or brush, only apply enough of the sealer to do just that, seal.Now stain the whole plank.

  I would suggest trying on scraps of the type of wood you are using until you get an even consistency of the stain. Apply a coat of sealer, not much, and then stain all sides and see the effect. If not happy with this try another sample and add a smaller second coat and try staining again.

 I know when I did hard maple, one coat wiped with a damp rag did the trick

 Dave

Edited June 12, 2014 by DaveF

[bogeygolpher]

Do what Dave said.

 

I go one step further and use a gel stain which does not really get absorbed into the wood as much as a liquid stain.  

Almost like putting a layer of paint on and it is much easier to control.

[testazyk]

Gel stain is a good bet for a multidimensional piece of work like a carving because it's hard to seal the right spots.  Gel stains also are usually water based and easy to work with.

[Nightquest1000]

Thanks All !!!