This may seem a silly question but i'm no chippy. I am in the process of altering a dressing table and once I have sanded it down, I need to give it a finish. Know SWMBO wants an dark oak finish, so do I need to use stain or varnish etc.
woodstain, varnish or wax
- Thread starter Globetrotter.uk
- Start date
Depends on what it is already, but achieving dark oak will probably need a stain, and then a varnish to protect it. Exactly what stain and varnish depends on what colour the wood is to start with, and what sort of finish you want to achieve. The only real way to assess what colour it will come out after staining is to do some test pieces.
I'd use a decent wax polish. You can get different shades, as in it has a stain mixed with the wax. As with anything like that, use a very fine sandpaper to give it a good surface, then wax and leave for a couple of hours, then polish...
Andy >>>>>-----------------------------<>
Andy >>>>>-----------------------------<>
If you are finishing the top, I'd suggest if you want a really smooth finish, with out shedloads of sanding and varnishing, varnishing and sanding and varnishing, get a cabinet scraper, used on large flat areas it gives the smoothest results possible and shows less marks dents and digs, the shavings also make some of the best tinder going
If I understand you correctly you are making new parts for this piece of furniture and need to match the old finish or blend the two so it looks the same.
You will have to get a few small cans of stain. I like oil stain as it is easier to mix and control. The old parts will take the color a little differently than the new wood.
Get the old part as dark as you like then make the new part match.
You may have to stain with one color then over stain with a different color to match the old wood.
Once you have the whole piece looking the color you like then varnish.
Keep some scraps of the new wood to experiment on. Stains look different after they dry. You may have to try several combinations to get the color right.
You will have to get a few small cans of stain. I like oil stain as it is easier to mix and control. The old parts will take the color a little differently than the new wood.
Get the old part as dark as you like then make the new part match.
You may have to stain with one color then over stain with a different color to match the old wood.
Once you have the whole piece looking the color you like then varnish.
Keep some scraps of the new wood to experiment on. Stains look different after they dry. You may have to try several combinations to get the color right.
Also careful on the sanding down bit as it might have a thin veneer, learned that one the hard way!
Go for a stain/oil and do plenty of thin coats rather than slap it on, then go for a few coats of varnish. I get stains from toolstation.co.uk and also rutlands.co.uk. Rutlands cost more but better quality and choice. To test i do small patches under the top out of sight and leave to dry, as others say colours change a lot when dry.
Go for a stain/oil and do plenty of thin coats rather than slap it on, then go for a few coats of varnish. I get stains from toolstation.co.uk and also rutlands.co.uk. Rutlands cost more but better quality and choice. To test i do small patches under the top out of sight and leave to dry, as others say colours change a lot when dry.
