Staining Poplar

dennis1 | Posted in Finishing on April 5, 2006 10:07am

Hello Folks,

In order to improve my skills, I made a prototype of a decorative box using a secondary wood (poplar). The prototype came out so well that I’ve decided to put some thought into finishing it. I know that stain will result in blotching. I was going to simply use oil and then a wipe on varnish. This will result in a very light colored finish. I would prefer to use a dark stain, however I’m concerned about the blotch. I’m wondering what others might think about a method to finish this box?

Thanks,

Dennis

Replies

citrouille | Apr 05, 2006 11:42pm | #1
Why not use dyes instead ? You can get water or alcohol soluble dyes (powder) I prefer acohol because I use french polish. You can add the diluted dye directly to the shellac.

C.

dennis1 | Apr 06, 2006 02:14am | #2
Citrouille,

I tried an alcohol analyne die on a piece of scrap. It seemed to blotch pretty badly. Is there a conditioner that can be used prior? The piece in question has some nice dovetails that have very porous endcuts.

Dennis

citrouille | Apr 06, 2006 02:09pm | #6
I never had that problem, did you rub your finish on ? Sealing with a coat of shellac seems to be a good idea, I will experiment and let you know what happen.
In the mean time keep trying on scrap wood !C.

lwj2 | Apr 06, 2006 04:20am | #3
Dennis -- you might consider using an undercoat of shellac first, then staining. You can seal the stain with another coat of shellac, then use an oil finish on top of that.

Leon
gb93433 | Apr 06, 2006 05:39am | #4
You can use a gel stain such as Bartley. It is a topical stain and soaks in very little. You could also tint your finish.
BG | Apr 06, 2006 01:59pm | #5
dennis1,

I turned a piece of poplar on the lathe last night and threw some Bartleys dark brown mahognay gelstain on it afterwards.....yuk...the endgrain portions turned black and very unsanded kinda look.

I don't have a specific answer for you but I'd try a couple coats of shellac and then the Bartley's...
cadiddlehopper | Apr 06, 2006 05:53pm | #7
Finish it clear with tung oil or tung oil varnish. Sand between coats as it tends to fuzz no matter how much you sand. Wait about one year to see whether you like the finish and color. Behlen's Salad Bowl Finish looks even better and doesn't add amber to the color. The clear finishes minimize the blotchiness vs a stain. The Behlen's will harden in the can, so complete the finish quickly as you can if that is your choice. Using Bloxygen doesn't save it either. Either way, give it a year.

Cadiddlehopper