Replies

1. 
   peter28 | Nov 28, 2007 04:29pm | #1

   The best way to balance colors at the start is to use a dye. This will help bring the two colors much closer and be the ground color for your stain.

   If you haven't used dyes before, don't be intimidated. You can get pre-mixed dye concentrates such as TransTint. They are in solution and can be diluted easily with water or alcohol.

   Personally, I prefer to start with a water dye. These are powders that you mix yourself. One of the companies W.D. Lockwood in New York has a great selection. Check out their web site for colors. You can get one ounce sample packs inexpensively to try a number of colors. Just follow the directions for mixing and then experiment from there.

   One of their colors I find indispensable is medium yellow. I use it frequently.

   For surface preparation; Let's say you are going to sand to 180 grit. Prior to your last sanding just wet the wood to "raise the grain". Once dry, do your final sanding.

   You can easily advance the drying to minutes by using a hair dryer or heat gun.

   The learning curve for water dyes is shallow. If you try to do it just with alcohol it will be steeper as it will dry very quickly.

   The other benefit to them is they are always transparent. That is they will not muddy a surface the way some stains can.

   After it dries, and you can assist that, you can apply any stain you'd like over it.

   I always encourage reading more on a subject to help answer questions. There is lots of info in the finishing books out there.

   Make some samples to get your feet wet, and I promise, you'll be pleasantly surprised.

   Good luck.

   Peter