Replies

1. 
   galenajoe | Feb 22, 2006 04:27am | #1

   I made a set of shutters for a west facing set of windows. I stained them with a water soluable analine dye stain. After about 20 years they are starting to fade on the outside that gets all the sun. Previous to this set I made a set and stained them with an alcohol soluable stain. They faded in about two years. From what I've read and from personal experience stick with water soluable drys and they hold up pretty well.

   Joe Hartford

1. 
   dlb | Feb 22, 2006 06:05am | #2

   What was the finish? Do you think that your selection of the finish had anything to do with the lack of fading?

   Thanks,

   dlb

   .

    The undisciplined life is not worth examining.

1. 
   galenajoe | Feb 22, 2006 06:13pm | #3

   I finished the shutters with lacquer. I don't think the lacquer had any effect on the fade resistance of the dye. From what I've read it's the water soluable dye the is fade resistant to light.

   Joe Hartford

1. 
   dlb | Feb 23, 2006 12:50am | #4

   Thanks for the information. I will most certainly give it a try. It seems that the use of dye may not be a popular topic here, correct?

   Thanks again,

   dlb

   .

    

   The undisciplined life is not worth examining.

   Edited 2/22/2006 5:39 pm ET by dlb

1. 
   Handrubbed | Feb 23, 2006 01:49am | #5

   What causes you to say that?  Dyes are very often recommended in the popular publications and have a solid history of performance.  There does seem to be some disparity on the subject of colorfastness, with water based generally being recommended over alcohol based.  I have had no fading problems with Transfast water-based dyes from Homestead finishing.  I am now starting to use their TransTint product which can be used in almost any medium.

   I generally use an oil-based stain over the stain to enhance the grain and warm up the overall tone of the finished wood.

   I agree with you that most woodworkers are looking to get reliable finish on their pieces without much fuss.  For that reason you may find a minority that go the extra step of useing dyes as a first step.

   Edited 2/24/2006 11:43 am ET by Vicejaws

   Edited 2/24/2006 11:44 am ET by Vicejaws

2. 
   dlb | Feb 23, 2006 06:13am | #6

   For starters, it took a couple of days to get a reply and you and I are the only ones which have weighed in on this topic. Maybe my question was so basic that everyone should know the answer, possibly?. Secondly I think that stain is more widely used than dyes and dyes are for, as you said, "you may find a minority that go the extra step of useing dyes as a first step." Anyway I am glad that you responded and I will look into your recommendations.

   Thanks,

   dlb

   .

    The undisciplined life is not worth examining.

3. 
   Crocusboy | Feb 24, 2006 07:52am | #7

   I've been dabbling with dyes (I get mine from the Lee Valley store that's about 10 minutes from my place here in Canada) for a number of years now, and think the reason they're not that popular with most woodworkers is because of the preparatory steps they demand.  Let's face it, how can it be any easier than to simply pop open the stain tin lid and apply it directly to the wood?!

   Now, with dyes, if you want consistent results, you have to carefully measure out the powder and stir it into a measured amount of water.  From that point, onward, though, they're not that much different from stains.  But... as you've probably discovered, there's a world of a difference in how they react to wood grain, especially with woods that blotch easily.

   Hope you experiment with dye stains and share your experiences with all of us... even if there's only 3 of us discusing this issue.

    

   Marty

    

2. 
   AlanWS | Feb 28, 2006 03:41am | #8

   It's a good question. Different dyes will have different levels of sensitivity to light, and while Flexner includes fluorescent lighting with sunlight as a potential problem, sunlight is likely a heck of a lot more of a problem. The color of most wood will change substantially because of exposure to light and air. (The two things work together in many cases.) If you look for a marine varnish with UV filtering ability, and put a coat of that over the stained wood, that will probably make the most difference.