Replies

1. 
   Kevin | Aug 04, 2005 06:32am | #1

   I did some color samples for a potential bank lobby refurb which fell thru because we were too expensive. One of the wood species I did samples on was some solid (ie. not veneer) Lyptus.

   My experience with Lyptus is very limited, obviously. But, I would definitely not use a water-based stain on it. I experienced significant grain raising using a water-based stain. Much more so than I have ever ran into before with any other species of wood.

   The only other noteworthy thing I'll throw in is that Lyptus is pretty dense and hard. Which means that it doesn't absorb a lot of color when you stain it... which is what led me to try water-based stain. Actually I think it was water-based dye. I don't recall which. It was a couple years ago and I forget the exact details. Mostly what I remember (and I still have that color sample at work) was the water raising the grain significantly.

   I hope that helps. Or at least sparks someone else with more Lyptus experience to expand further on it.

   EDIT: I just recalled more details. The grain raising was much more pronounced with the sapwood than it was with the heartwood. The piece of solid stock was a cut off lumber end from a local supplier. I'm sure the sides weren't a perfect 90 degrees to the face. But, they were reasonably close. It wasn't rough sawn lumber. It was milled like any other hardwood lumber would be.

   Anyway... this cut off piece only had two stripes of sapwood running down each side. That sapwood acted like a sponge when I used water-based stain on it. It swelled up so that the sides were far from being at 90 degrees to the face of the board. The heartwood itself didn't grain raise anything beyond what I had expected. So... if you've got all heartwood and are sure about that, water-based stain might be a more attractive option.

   Preemptive Karma  

   "Rather fail with honor than succeed by fraud" - Sophocles.

   
   

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   Edited 8/3/2005 11:39 pm ET by Kevin

1. 
   Dave | Aug 05, 2005 02:35am | #2

   Along with the water based products, I guess you shouldn't use oil based either.  I just finished a small bookcase using Lyptus to see how it works?  I'm not completely sold.  Looks like Mahogany with just an oil finish (like Maloof's tung-oil/poly/linseed oil?) but boy does the grain raise up.  I resanded, put another coat, more sticky-outs all over the place.  Nope....Not sure about this stuff.

    

    

1. 
   Kevin | Aug 05, 2005 03:05am | #3

   Hmmm... well, I didn't try any oil-based stain. What did you use? MinWax or Watco?

   I did try solvent-based stain and had no problems. So, it looks like that's maybe the best thing to use. The only problem is that solvent-based stains aren't widely available to the general public. They're mainly used commercially.

   I am not at work and can't check the labels until tomorrow. But, I wonder if gel stains might be more akin to a solvent-based stain than to an oil-based stain. If so, they might be another solution. One which is readily available to the general public.

   Preemptive Karma  

   "Rather fail with honor than succeed by fraud" - Sophocles.

2. 
   TXJon | Aug 06, 2005 03:28am | #6

   I have made a few things from it, and have not had the problem you describe.  I used Waterlox Original to finish.  I'm pretty sure I planed and scraped, very little sanding, and that may have made a difference.

   I have a few pieces of Lyptus with almost a birdseye figure.  They look great, but they have been oozing pitch all over.  I've had it over 6 months, in AC, and it's still going.  Have not used any of it yet.

    

   Just noticed you used water based.  I guess I should have responded to the other guy!

2. 
   forestgirl | Aug 05, 2005 08:37pm | #4

   I think you have to do the raise-grain and sand thing several times with Lyptus before it settles down.  You might want to post over at Jeff Jewitt's web site and see what he has to say:
   http://www.homesteadfinishing.com

   He's very good at replying to tough questions!

   forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
   Another proud member of the  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>) 

3. 
   forestgirl | Aug 05, 2005 08:40pm | #5

   PS:  Here are some good pictures of what can be achieved with Lyptus

   http://www.maplecraftusa.com/HTML2005/STAINlyptus.html

   forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
   Another proud member of the  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)