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I am getting ready to build 3 screen doors for the house. I am using Vertical Grain Douglas fir. I tested staining the fir with an cedar colored oil stain. The color is ok but it is blotchy.
What can I do to even out the color absorb. I am trying to get the VGDF to look some what like cedar. I can not find clear cedar around here and have plenty of the dug fir.
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I am going by what I've read, not from experience.
Sanding with fine sandpaper is supposed to help.
I've been interested in trying out Watco Danish oil (available in a reddish color) on pine. But you will want to know before I get a chance to test that out.
I have had experience with wipe on stains on pine. You can wipe off more or less depending upon the effect you want. Make sure you have good light to observe the effect. It did a nice job on the dark walnut color on a pine frame.
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Trying to stain pine, fir, etc, is nothing but heartache. And your choice of potential solutions is greatly reduced because these are exterior doors so you can't use interior only rated products. I'd forget it and either clearcoat or paint them.
John
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(06-02-2020, 02:11 AM)lift mechanic Wrote: I am getting ready to build 3 screen doors for the house. I am using Vertical Grain Douglas fir. I tested staining the fir with an cedar colored oil stain. The color is ok but it is blotchy.
What can I do to even out the color absorb. I am trying to get the VGDF to look some what like cedar. I can not find clear cedar around here and have plenty of the dug fir.
Minwax wood conditioner or shellac in a spray can before staining.
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I'll try shellac on some scrap and then stain. I have never used shellac, guess it is time to experiment. I like VGDF for it's stability and I have enough for the 3 doors. I am going to Libby, Mt. next week they have a pretty good lumber yard. I'll look for some clear heart cedar.
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06-04-2020, 07:31 AM
(This post was last modified: 06-04-2020, 07:33 AM by Cooler.)
I met Norm Abrams at a hardware show about 25 years ago. He was at the DeWalt booth. DeWalt was showing off a new table saw.
Abrams had several of his smaller pieces on display at the booth and he was available to talk to. Since I was also exhibiting I got to meet him before the show started.
He had a small "desk" that would sit on a table made from pine. He said he only used Minwax's Polyshades on pine. It was the only finish that he found that never caused blotchy appearance. I've pretty much stuck with that advice and I would agree.
Notwithstanding the fact that most "serious" woodworkers look down on Minwax's products (primarily, I suspect because "everyone" uses it), their finishes (especially their oil based poly) is very durable and easy to apply.
I would note that my 22 year old Minwax finished items have a harder finish than one that came right off the line. It takes 10 days for it to "fully" cure, and for the following year or so it cures beyond "fully".
But it ends up being very durable.
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(06-04-2020, 12:41 AM)lift mechanic Wrote: I'll try shellac on some scrap and then stain. I have never used shellac, guess it is time to experiment. I like VGDF for it's stability and I have enough for the 3 doors. I am going to Libby, Mt. next week they have a pretty good lumber yard. I'll look for some clear heart cedar.
Libby, MT. I've been there, back when WR Grace mined vermiculite there. Beautiful area.
As for the finish on your doors, keep in mind using interior rated products for an exterior application often leads to problems. Shellac is a poor choice for anything outside, except for spot priming, even as a sealer. Minwax Polyshades is an interior only product.
Take a look at PPG Cetol Window and Door finish. It comes in several colors, which may be intermixed, too. It will give you uniform color like Polyshades, but is exterior rated. I have used it on two exterior doors and it looks great and is very durable.
John
