I am looking for an easy, reliable way to apply a non-yellowing, whitewash finish pine and oak, southwest style furniture. I have tried everything, with varying degrees of success. My best hope, I think, is to add a white tint to a lacquer finish, but I can’t find a water soluble tint that can be added to the waterbased lacquer which I am currently using. Please help! I have several projects sitting, just waiting for a finish.
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Replies
The best "non-yellowing" finish is, of course, melamine (sorry, I couldn't help myself).
To directly answer your question-- a local art supply house can sell you dry white pigment; ask for help. There are also online art suppliers.
Some other methods can be found in the following links:
Lacquered whitewash info -http://www.woodfinishsupply.com/StarPickleFrostSchedule.html
Liming Wax (I love this stuff for high-end work) - http://www.woodfinishsupply.com/LimingOrWhitewash.html
Sources for above http://www.woodfinishsupply.com/StarDealerList.html
I also like Minwax Pastels Winter White http://www.minwax.com/produse/stains/puwspa3.htm
And Minwax White Wash Pickling Stain http://www.minwax.com/produse/water/puwwps1.htm
For some great articles-- http://antiquerestorers.com/Articles/FURNITURE_ARTICLES.htm
Good luck,
Rev Ted
For pickling, I use an oil base paint thinned with mineral spirits (thin as much as needed to get the desired intensity of color - 50% - 100%). The paint can be any color you like, but white is standard (though other shades can be very nice). Apply it like a stain - spray, brush, roll, or wipe it on - then wipe off the excess, leaving as much color as desired. I prefer oil base paint because it works a lot like an oil-base wiping stain. I also like that I can thin the paint to get the desired coloring without adding water and causing raised grain. Oil-base paint has a reputation for yellowing a little over time, but the coat of paint is so thin I haven't seen the effects of yellowing on any of the pieces I've done (yet). The paint works better than any pickling or whitewash stain I've used so far.
After the "stain" dries, I use a crystal clear, non-yellowing finish to preserve the color of the pickling. Standard varnishes and lacquers add an amber cast that changes the color and darkens with age. Target Coatings (.com) has a fast drying poly that fits this description and Minwax polycrylic will also work. These coatings are water-based, but there are solvent coatings that are also water-clear and non-yellowing - Sherwin Williams has them along with a number of other suppliers.
After staining, I sometimes add a little white to the clear coats for added color intensity and depth. To add white to the water-base finish, I use a little of the white pigmented water-base lacquer from Target Coatings. I add up to an ounce per quart, depending on how much "white" I want to add to the finish. I've added the Target white to other brands of water-base without any problem. As an alternative, you should be able to get some white pigments that are water-base compatible from http://www.woodfinishingsupplies.com - just mix in the recommended amount with your finish.
Do some color tests before starting your projects. The thinned paint has a "light frost" look once it dries, but when you put the clear coat on, it really comes to life and the wood grain is not obscured greatly.
Paul
F'burg, VA
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