John Sez:
By John Harris, Belcaro Paint, Paint Chemist
We are often asked if we can provide a wood stain in an unusual color…such as bright red, blue, green, etc. Normally wood stains are only available in colors that resemble a natural wood color but some projects require these unnatural colors. Also, many types of wood are not very absorbent, which limits the amount of stain penetration needed to achieve a deep rich color.
To satisfy requests for these unnatural colors, we have found that any oil based paint, in the desired color, can be used to achieve a stained wood appearance. The trick is to apply the oil based paint to the wood in a thin layer, followed by wiping some of the paint off with a rag. The wiping should be in the direction of the wood grain to keep a natural appearance. If too much paint is left on the wood, re-wiping with a rag moistened with paint thinner will remove even more of the paint and give a more transparent stain.
Since the final color of stained wood is related to the original color of the wood combined with the color of the stain, we recommend testing the paint color over a sample piece of wood. Although our small tester bottles are only available in latex paint, these testers may still be used to experiment to see how one color of paint might look when applied over the wood sample. Before applying one of our latex testers to raw wood we recommend wetting the wood with clear water to reduce the absorbency of the wood. If the test paint color looks good, be sure to ask for the final paint to be mixed in oil base paint, as it dries much slower and gives a more uniform appearance.
Let us know if we can help with this or any other of your projects.
Belcaro Paint & Decorating Center, Inc.
5475 Leetsdale Dr., Denver, CO 80246 303-757-5435
or
209 W. Littleton Blvd., Littleton CO 80120 303-703-4487
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