Finishing Walnut

[crokett™]

I am working on a walnut project.  I want to dye or stain the lighter areas to reduce the contracts with the darker areas - I am not trying to match just want to get the lighter areas a little darker and I need to fill some holes, cracks, etc.  I need a filler that will take the dye/stain.  I will be using Watco Danish Oil and poly to finish it after everything is filled and dyed.  The Watco will make things a little browner, but it doesn't really darken the lighter areas that much.  Suggestions?  DAP has a wood filler that matches Walnut surprisingly well but you can't really dye it and it doesn't take the oil, so it always looks lighter than the rest of the wood.

[jteneyck]

I am working on a walnut project.  I want to dye or stain the lighter areas to reduce the contracts with the darker areas - I am not trying to match just want to get the lighter areas a little darker and I need to fill some holes, cracks, etc.  I need a filler that will take the dye/stain.  I will be using Watco Danish Oil and poly to finish it after everything is filled and dyed.  The Watco will make things a little browner, but it doesn't really darken the lighter areas that much.  Suggestions?  DAP has a wood filler that matches Walnut surprisingly well but you can't really dye it and it doesn't take the oil, so it always looks lighter than the rest of the wood.

Dye is your friend for bringing the lighter areas closer to the darker.  I like Transtint, but there are plenty of others.  Whichever one you choose, you can wipe, brush or even spray the lighter areas with the dye.  Very small areas can be done with artists' brushes.  I've done this several times to color walnut sapwood to match the heartwood.


I would use epoxy with dye in it to fill the holes and/or cracks.  Alternatively, you can fill them after the wood is sealed with Timbermate wood filler.  If you do it before the wood is sealed, it (and any filler) will stain the surrounding wood and you will see that shadow forever unless you sand pretty deeply.  

John

[Roly]

Dye is your friend for bringing the lighter areas closer to the darker.  I like Transtint, but there are plenty of others.  Whichever one you choose, you can wipe, brush or even spray the lighter areas with the dye.  Very small areas can be done with artists' brushes.  I've done this several times to color walnut sapwood to match the heartwood.


I would use epoxy with dye in it to fill the holes and/or cracks.  Alternatively, you can fill them after the wood is sealed, with Timbermate wood filler.  If you do it before the wood is sealed, it (and any filler) will stain the surrounding wood and you will see that shadow forever unless you sand pretty deeply.  

John

This method is the best to match color.   It is hard to go ahead and put finish on a surface that has defects, but the color change the finish makes is what you need to match not the color on raw wood.   Also + 1 on dyes on the lighter areas as it is easy to adjust.   Roly

[branchacctg]

I've used Walnut sawdust/shavings from the boards mixed with glue to fill cracks/holes.  Since it is from the same board the colors match quite well. Sorry, no help on darkening the light areas.

[Stwood_]

Transtint has a walnut stain. It's concentrated, doesn't take much to cover. May also want to dilute it

[JosephP]

You wanting to dye/stain sapwood or just lighter heartwood and darker?

Personally I'd leave it natural...but that's just me.

[crokett™]

You wanting to dye/stain sapwood or just lighter heartwood and darker?

Personally I'd leave it natural...but that's just me.

Both.  I'd leave it natural too except it's for my wife and she prefers a more even tone.

I picked up some transtint dark walnut and will experiment on scrap pieces.  I also picked up a couple brands of filler and will try those with the transtint.  I've never had much luck with sawdust and glue, the glue doesn't really soak up the oil finish.  

Epoxy is an interesting idea.  I hadn't thought of that.

[Scoony]

I have used Vandyke crystals before to darken the sap wood on walnut with good success. Use it like a water based dye, but it may be more economical to get a small packet of lockwood walnut dye. I know that TOols for Working Wood carries it.

[crokett™]

After some testing on scraps and the bottom of some of the shelves that you will never see the dye is doing what I want. it is darkening the light areas some. They are a little more brown than the surrounding walnut, but after the Watco oil is on it will brown the walnut out some, as will sunlight. So I think things will even out. I am going to experiment with epoxy mixed with coffee grounds to fill in some voids. That's my go-to on woodturning and filling in voids there.

[Stwood_]

Every application of transtint will darken it more, if needed.