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Wood Finishing - Stain Brushing
For the finest kind of finishing on interior wood trim of buildings, cabinets and furniture, water stains are easily the best type, particularly the aniline and coal tar dye group which comes in convenient dry and liquid form. When a finisher is anxious to build up a reputation he will be wise to use water stain as a rule and get a price which will cover the little extra labor of sandpapering the raised wood grain caused by the use of water on it.
The particular virtue of water stains is that they are far clearer, more transparent, more brilliant in color hue and more permanent against the fading effects of strong light. These stains show up and enhance the natural color shadings and grain figure of beautiful woods to greater advantage than other stains. Fine finishing calls for coloring the wood fibre, not covering or obscuring the natural beauty of the wood, and water stain has no equal in this respect. The permanency of water stains is far greater than oil and may be considered absolutely permanent for all practical purposes. In the matter of available colors the water stains are far greater in number than all others; they are numbered by the hundreds. In the matter of penetration of the wood water colors are also superior. Wood in its natural state, in trees, is composed of numerous little cells in the live tree which are filled with water. When the tree is cut down and the wood dried these cells are filled with air. Dry wood absorbs water more evenly than oil or spirit liquids, and the water, being a natural element to the tree, penetrates more deeply into the wood. The water evaporates more slowly than alcohol and other spirits, leaving a more even distribution of the stain on the surface. It is interesting to note, too, that wood at a temperature of about 90 degrees absorbs water better than at lower temperatures, hence water stain penetrates deeper at that temperature. Water stains are cheaper than oil stains. And even taking into consideration the extra labor and cost of sanding the raised grain of the wood many finishers consider water stain cheaper, Water stain spreads over and colors more surface per gallon than other stains. There are certain surfaces like show windows, window sills, frames and casings, sun parlor wood trim, etc,, which are subjected to very strong light, often the direct rays of the sun, which can only be finished permanently as to color when water stain is used. This is especially true of the mahogany reds and browns and the green stains. Oil stains fade too quickly on such surfaces to be practical.
Water stains are just as permanent and effective generally for light colors as for dark colors. They are necessary for such light stain finishes as the grays, light greens, cherry, Circassian walnut and French walnut. The oil stains are good only for dark colors, used in light colors they fade too rapidly. Now as to the disadvantages of water stains. The superior finishes which are produced with water stains are not gained without some extra effort and cost. These stains raise the grain of the wood and the rough surface so produced must be sandpapered down smooth to cut off the wood fibres so raised by the water. This raising of the grain of STAIN BRUSHING AND PROCEDURE Many things influence the color of a stained wood surface. Various boards of the same kind of wood, and even from the same tree, may finish up a slightly different color hue when using the same stain. And again you may have a stain which gives exactly the color wanted on birch, but put it on pine, gum or maple and quite another color hue may result on each kind of wood. So, to mix stain to match a sample you must spread it on the same kind of wood of which the sample consists. All of which simply goes to demonstrate the necessity for a finisher learning the exact characteristics of various stains on the many common woods. A good finisher can usually mix or temper a stain to make it match closely enough on two or more kinds of wood. By adding other colors or mixing two or more liquid stains of the same group or class and by wiping skillfully a finisher has complete control of results and can usually, but not always, produce the color wanted on any kind of wood. In a room trimmed with two or more kinds of wood it often is necessary to have two or more cans of stain tempered to fit each wood. Then, too, the preliminary treatment of the wood with oil or sizes to make the suction of the wood more uniform increases control of results. The rougher the surface, naturally or from rough sandpapering with coarse paper, the darker the color produced by a stain. Rough surfaces soak up more stain. And smooth surfaces,naturally hard, close-grain, and those made smooth with fine sandpapering take the stain with a lighter color. To preserve and enhance the naturally beautiful characteristics of wood, the stain substance or coloring matter dissolved in liquids should be completely soluble in the liquid used, that is, no coloring matter should remain in suspension, nor should any precipitate on to the bottom of the can. In the finishing of interior wood trim and cabinets of ordinary work the pigment oil or water stains sometimes used fail to meet this ideal because very little of the pigment coloring matter is really soluble in the liquids, they constitute merely a mechanical mixture of fine pigment with the liquid, the pigments remain in suspension. So when a pigment stain is being used the can should be stirred often to maintain a uniform mixture. Otherwise the coloring pigment will settle to the bottom and the color imparted to the wood will gradually become lighter. A good stain will remain clear at ordinary temperatures down to about 40 degrees. If at freezing temperature these stains show a settlement of coloring matter they should be heated, allowed to cool to 70 degrees and then they ought to be strained before using. If used while cold, strain them also or the color imparted to the wood will not be uniform. If you begin to spread such stains while warm do not allow them to drop to low temperatures or the color will get lighter as the stain gets colder. When you start a job one day with stain at a temperature of about 70 degrees, allow the stain to get very cold over night and begin using it next morning without warming,
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Contributor's Note
This intel reflects only one of my activities. I also write about and/or have websites on Vespa Scooters, Lambretta Scooters, Hardy Banana plants, Medical memorabilia, reborn baby dolls and much more. Hope you enjoyed the read, Philip Davey
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This intel was contributed by Phildave
Phildave
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May, 2012
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