Hey, a question and I need opinions...

If you can, in your personal view, what is the best stain type to suit to Radiata Pine?

I am currently in my HSC year and in progress to my Folio, which is getting in it's final stages, :hpydans2: as I said, it'd be great to know your views on my question....

In my research area, on finishes, I have put in Wood stain, and explained why I want to pick this stain, but in futhur details I listed Water stain, Oil stain, Spirit stain, I wanted to find which is best suited to Pine, so I used google and it doesn't have info.....:o

Thanks, if possible, back your personal view with facts etc. Thanks a lot. :2tsup:

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Originally Posted by Lachy9

If you can, in your personal view, what is the best stain type to suit to Radiata Pine?

I am currently in my HSC year and in progress to my Folio, which is getting in it's final stages, :hpydans2: as I said, it'd be great to know your views on my question....

In my research area, on finishes, I have put in Wood stain, and explained why I want to pick this stain, but in futhur details I listed Water stain, Oil stain, Spirit stain, I wanted to find which is best suited to Pine, so I used google and it doesn't have info.....:o

Thanks, if possible, back your personal view with facts etc. Thanks a lot. :2tsup:

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Lachy , what are you staining ?

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Originally Posted by Manuka Jock

Lachy , what are you staining ?

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Oh right, I'm making a 'study desk', which is killing me right now, it's massive...:no: 2 cabinets, with a desk(corner piece), a leg, one of the cabinets have 4 drawers, other 1 drawer and door, plus a storage thingy to sit on the desk, can't figure it's orginal name but, yeah a study desk in general...:U

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Originally Posted by Lachy9

Oh right, I'm making a 'study desk', which is killing me right now, it's massive...:no: 2 cabinets, with a desk(corner piece), a leg, one of the cabinets have 4 drawers, other 1 drawer and door, plus a storage thingy to sit on the desk, can't figure it's orginal name but, yeah a study desk in general...:U

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Ok ,
well first off , wheres the pics , we likes pics on here :2tsup:
Partly so that we can see the grain , cos there is pine , and there is pine .

Also , what finish are you thinking of putting on top of the stain ?
Poly , varnish , shellac , french polish , oil , ... ?

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Originally Posted by Manuka Jock

Ok ,
well first off , wheres the pics , we likes pics on here :2tsup:
Partly so that we can see the grain , cos there is pine , and there is pine .

Also , what finish are you thinking of putting on top of the stain ?
Poly , varnish , shellac , french polish , oil , ... ?

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Haha, yeah I'll try and get a pic or a few, that'll probs help.

For the finish, other than staining, I'm not sure yet.

The stain, is most likely to be 'Ebony', dark brownish.

The drawbacks and pluses of various types of stain are easily researched on the net or in a number of books that cover staining and polishing. Even contact makers of stains and dyes.
The problem with radiata and stains is that there tends to be an uneven pick up - i.e. it soaks in more in some places than others giving a blotchy appearance. Your best way of demonstrating this for the project is to use each type of stain on scrap wood. Then decide which is best for the wood you are using.
Manufacturers get round the blotchy problem by using spray-on varnish.
Another point you have to consider is whether you want to make the grain a feature. If you don't, and want a dark finish, life is easy. Remember it's your project, just be prepared to say what you were aiming at and why you used the stain/varnish/finish you did.
Cheers,
Jim

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Originally Posted by jimbur

Even contact makers of stains and dyes.
The problem with radiata and stains is that there tends to be an uneven pick up - i.e. it soaks in more in some places than others giving a blotchy appearance.

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Yep , yer right there. Jim.
I refinished some things a few years ago , and instead of using timber stain
I used a natural fiber water soluble mid brown dye that brought the pine up to a hardwood like colour . I soaked some in a bath of it and brushed and wiped it on the rest . No blotchiness and easy to give it another coat if you want it a tad darker.
I followed that up with oil .
Only those in the know could tell that it was pine .

Did you have much trouble with lifting grain Jock?
Cheers,
Jim

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Originally Posted by jimbur

Did you have much trouble with lifting grain Jock?
Cheers,
Jim

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No , none at all Jim . I let it dry thoroughly before I oiled it . Let that soak well in , and then gave it a solid going over with fine wet and dry paper .
I was using olive oil in those days :)

Thanks Jock:)

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Originally Posted by jimbur

Thanks Jock:)

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Cheers Jim

I wonder how well a Henna hair dye would work? It's water based and naural. You can get it in a range of colurs from jet black to reddish broawn.

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Originally Posted by artme

I wonder how well a Henna hair dye would work? It's water based and naural. You can get it in a range of colurs from jet black to reddish broawn.

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Experience:U?

Could be worth a try . Is it cheaper that fiber dye ?

Price depends on where you buy and what brand. It is sold in Indian stores. They use it for skin decoration and as a hair colouring.

Seal radiata, any good sanding sealer will do, lightly sand then stain, it stops the blotchyness you can get.

However, if you want to get that prominent grainy look, spray on a coat of stain, reasonably heavy coat, then rub off, before applying sealer.

Yeah , I know that it is used for that and more , but is it used for wood colouring ?
Henna is a paste isn't it ?

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Originally Posted by Manuka Jock

Yeah , I know that it is used for that and more , but is it used for wood colouring ?
Henna is a paste isn't it ?

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Can get powder and liquid forms>

I have seen coffee or tea stain used on pine and it looks pretty good depending on the colour you are trying to achieve of course. There are some old threads on the forum covering this.

I am not an expert but have stained pine using minwax oil stain both ways. The biggest factor in the finish was the prep sanding. I usually overdo it by going to 320 grit before I stain (this means the stain doesn't take as fast and won't be as dark. That said, the biggest difference I saw was on the edge of the stain when it is intially applied. I tried using a brush, rag, and sponge, and I noticed that regardless of the methods, without the sealer, the edge of the stain as I put it on (where the wet stain and the dry wood met) left a darker line that I could not remove, even by immediately applying wet stain over it. It was particularly noticeable if a drop of stain hit the dry wood before it was wetted (left a ring on the edge). I did not have this problem using the presealer, and did not notice the orange-tint that you described but I finish coated with the fast-dry polyurethane, which has a bit of amber hue also. I had the same results using Golden Oak, Natural cherry, Early American and Provincial.

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Originally Posted by jimbur

The problem with radiata and stains is that there tends to be an uneven pick up - i.e. it soaks in more in some places than others giving a blotchy appearance.
[...]
Manufacturers get round the blotchy problem by using spray-on varnish.

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:yes:

Personally, I seal radiata with a wash of thinned down clear finish, leave it for a few minutes and then wipe off the excess. Leave 24 hours to dry and then apply whatever stain I desire.

Exactly what type of finish depends on what type of stain I'm using, of course, matching water-based to water-based, etc.

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Originally Posted by narumi

That said, the biggest difference I saw was on the edge of the stain when it is intially applied. I tried using a brush, rag, and sponge, and I noticed that regardless of the methods, without the sealer, the edge of the stain as I put it on (where the wet stain and the dry wood met) left a darker line that I could not remove, even by immediately applying wet stain over it. It was particularly noticeable if a drop of stain hit the dry wood before it was wetted (left a ring on the edge).

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Thats why I use the fabric dye . That and the problem that arises with that some stains streaking , obscuring the figure in the wood , creating 'grain patterns' of their own etc .

Hey guys, thanks for the ideas, but I still haven't come to which stain type of water, oil or what's the other one, is better...?

In your opinion if you could decide which one you think is best on a general term?