How To Finish

[Mike 55]

Hi,

I'm not a great finisher and would like to try and match a finish I saw in a store. It's really dark as I hope you can see from the photo. I tried a few stains but nothing covers the grain and no-where near as dark. Any ideas on how to do this? 

Thanks

Mike

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[jteneyck]

What wood are you using?  

John

[Willyou]

Good question. What wood are you using? Other than that, keep in mind that it is not at all unusual for furniture manufacturers to use a combination of stains or dyes in addition to toners which are finishes like polyurethane with color added. When doing it that way, the grain will be somewhat more obscured and the more coats they put on the darker it gets. I like to do that on occasion using shellac with dye in it. I usually put a clear coat over that.

[Mike 55]

What wood are you using?  

John

Since I plan to obscure the wood I guess oak or maple that I have on hand. The goal is to find a special piece of wood for the top like wormy maple or similar. I plan on going up to Hickory, NC  in the next week or so as they have a wood supplier with rooms of piece to choose from. The base being dark will allow the top to pop. I tried ebony and espresso from minwax  on some scrap red grandes I had and both did not hide the grain. Most legs on furniture have that some dark color. 

Thanks

Mike

[Rob Young]

Since I plan to obscure the wood I guess oak or maple that I have on hand. The goal is to find a special piece of wood for the top like wormy maple or similar. I plan on going up to Hickory, NC  in the next week or so as they have a wood supplier with rooms of piece to choose from. The base being dark will allow the top to pop. I tried ebony and espresso from minwax  on some scrap red grandes I had and both did not hide the grain. Most legs on furniture have that some dark color. 

Thanks

Mike

If you use oak AND you are trying to hide the grain, you are working at cross purposes without doing some significant extra work to fill the grain of the oak.

My suggestion for a simple path would be :

Maple + black milk paint (the GF stuff is fine, probably 2 coats, experiment as always) + topcoat for sheen

If you want to see just a hint of grain, try GF Java gel stain. Perhaps over a dye coat of black or a mix of black + brown. Then topcoat for sheen and protection.

[jteneyck]

If you use oak AND you are trying to hide the grain, you are working at cross purposes without doing some significant extra work to fill the grain of the oak.

My suggestion for a simple path would be :

Maple + black milk paint (the GF stuff is fine, probably 2 coats, experiment as always) + topcoat for sheen

If you want to see just a hint of grain, try GF Java gel stain. Perhaps over a dye coat of black or a mix of black + brown. Then topcoat for sheen and protection.

I agree with what Rob recommends.  If you want it to look smooth and dark, use maple.  


If you want it to see the grain but still be dark use oak. In that case, India ink will blacken it instantly and is dead simple to use.  You can buy Speedball India Ink by the quart from Amazon for pretty cheap.  Another approach and one I've used often is to use Sherwin Williams BAC Wiping Stain.  You can get deep dark colors on oak in one application.  

As you've seen, the Minwax stains you tried are junk.  Some are OK, but not those two.  Step up your game and try GF's or SW's products.  I think you'll be pleased.  This is SW's BAC Wiping Stain, Ebony I think, with some extra tinting added to adjust the color (which SW will do for free) on rift sawn white oak, one coat, wiped well.  




John

[Mike 55]

If you use oak AND you are trying to hide the grain, you are working at cross purposes without doing some significant extra work to fill the grain of the oak.

My suggestion for a simple path would be :

Maple + black milk paint (the GF stuff is fine, probably 2 coats, experiment as always) + topcoat for sheen

If you want to see just a hint of grain, try GF Java gel stain. Perhaps over a dye coat of black or a mix of black + brown. Then topcoat for sheen and protection.

Guys,

I spoke with the boss and I think we have a winner. I've used GF wipe on Arm-R-Seal for the past 20 years. Nothing beats it. The stores that they mention to buy me may not carry much. When I go the NC next week I found numerous stores that I know carry a good selection. We went on the website and the GF gel stain in Java on maple looks exactly what we what. Here in the Hilton Head region you have few places to buy stuff. Online is usually all I have. 


Thanks  John and Rob! Much appreciated. You're right. Now that I'm retired it's time to step up my game.

Thanks again. You just gotta love this site!

Mike

[Rob Young]

Guys,

I spoke with the boss and I think we have a winner. I've used GF wipe on Arm-R-Seal for the past 20 years. Nothing beats it. The stores that they mention to buy me may not carry much. When I go the NC next week I found numerous stores that I know carry a good selection. We went on the website and the GF gel stain in Java on maple looks exactly what we what. Here in the Hilton Head region you have few places to buy stuff. Online is usually all I have. 


Thanks  John and Rob! Much appreciated. You're right. Now that I'm retired it's time to step up my game.

Thanks again. You just gotta love this site!

Mike

Embrace the Amazon effect... Sometimes.

Anyway, competitive price for GF Java Gel Stain https://www.amazon.com/General-Finishes-...091&sr=8-1

I didn't dig deeper to see if you could get the pint can as a test first though. Probably can.
Duh, yep, all the way down to 1/2 pint. And all I had to do was look more closely at the link. 

[Mike 55]

Embrace the Amazon effect... Sometimes.

Anyway, competitive price for GF Java Gel Stain https://www.amazon.com/General-Finishes-...091&sr=8-1

I didn't dig deeper to see if you could get the pint can as a test first though. Probably can.
Duh, yep, all the way down to 1/2 pint. And all I had to do was look more closely at the link. 

I bought the Arm-R-Seal off Amazon. Since I don't have Prime I hate to wait the week to get the product. Where I use to live in NE PA I would just run down to several stores that carried everything I needed. You get spoiled. I like being able to think about something and then go buy it. Even in retirement I have no patience. 

[Rob Young]

I bought the Arm-R-Seal off Amazon. Since I don't have Prime I hate to wait the week to get the product. Where I use to live in NE PA I would just run down to several stores that carried everything I needed. You get spoiled. I like being able to think about something and then go buy it. Even in retirement I have no patience. 

It appears that one can also order it through Walmart.com
https://www.walmart.com/search/?query=ge...el%20stain


Looks like a pint can be delivered in-store in the same 5-day window but for free. 
https://www.walmart.com/ip/General-Finis.../175439039

Just another option.