Wood stains. Wood stain - colors

Wood is considered one of the most beautiful and durable material, which is actively used for the construction of houses, various buildings, interior decoration rooms and furniture. But in order for its foundation to be able to serve for a long period, it must be protected.

To protect surfaces from wood, various means are made, stain is considered one of the best today. This tool allows not only to protect the tree from negative factors, but also gives it a very aesthetic appearance.

What is a stain for?

If you have never used this tool, then you probably often ask yourself this question - what is stain and what is it for?

Wood stain or stain is special formulations used for toning natural wood during its finishing. This product is produced in the form of a liquid, which during application is applied to the surface and absorbed into the area of ​​​​the outer layer of the tree, while changing its color.

Important! It is worth noting that, unlike paints and varnishes, the stain does not form a film on the surface of the tree, its composition enters the wood. The degree of penetration of this agent depends on the type of wood and on the qualities of the stain.

Since the tree has a multilayer texture, in which the layers have different levels density and permeability, all this leads to staining of the tree with varying degrees of intensity.

After staining, the wood acquires its obvious natural qualities. It is this property that has made this product popular with many restorers, furniture manufacturers, and woodworking professionals.

Depending on the properties and composition of the stain, several purposes of this tool are distinguished:

Varieties

Wood stains can cover absolutely any surface of a tree - pine, oak, maple, birch and so on. But still, you definitely need to know the types of this tool, because each type of stain has certain properties.

Water

The presence of water in the composition of the stain is considered the main constituent ingredient. The group of water-based impregnations is considered the largest. Usually these products are made in finished form or in the form of a powder. The powder can be diluted in water independently according to the attached instructions.

Positive traits:

  1. Due to the fact that this tool has a neutral base, it does not have increased toxicity and does not have a harmful effect on health;
  2. Available in a wide range of shades with a natural texture. With these types of tools, you can create shades from the lightest to deepest, which will help recreate natural look and deepen the tone. And also this quality gives the surface expressiveness and noble appearance;
  3. It has an easy and simple application, while it is observed minimum flow facilities;
  4. Suitable for all types of wood - for pine, birch, oak, maple, walnut, cherry;
  5. Not high cost.

Important! Please note that this tool has one significant disadvantage, during application, it lifts the wood fibers and opens the way for moisture to penetrate. To prevent water penetration after treatment, be sure to varnish the surface.

Alcohol type stain

This tool is available in the form of an aniline dye, which is dissolved in denatured alcohol. This type of stain is sold both in finished form and in dry powder form, which must be dissolved.

This tool has the advantage of drying quickly. However, this quality brings some qualities when manually applying the mixture to wood, after drying, often formed greasy spots. Therefore, many builders recommend using an airbrush when using alcohol products.

oily

As part of these products, all oil pigments are dissolved in solvents or in White Spirit. This composition provides a number of advantages to this type of stain:

  • When painting, it provides toning of wooden surfaces in various colors;
  • Oil mixtures are convenient to use at home;
  • The composition fits well on the surface, it can be applied with any tools;
  • The oil stain evenly enters the area of ​​the wood structure, while forming a protective film on the surface.

Acrylic and wax

Wood stain, which is made of acrylic or wax base, is a novelty on construction market. This tool has proven itself among many consumers and professional builders. This is due to the fact that this mixture, after application, creates a high protection of the base from negative impacts and premature wear.

Composition features:

  1. After application, this type of impregnation forms an insulating film on the wood surface, through which moisture and other negative substances do not penetrate;
  2. Diverse color characteristics. Compared to other varieties, this composition has a variety of colors from natural to bright exotic tones;
  3. These types of stains are used by many designers. modern furniture. These products are used for coloring external facades cabinets, tables, chairs different breeds wood.

With whitening effect

It is not always necessary for the wood to be dark in color, sometimes it is required that it has a slightly whitish color. In these cases, impregnations based on hydrogen peroxide and acids are suitable. With their help, you can get light, bleached color wooden beam. Typically, these solutions are used to prepare the surface for further painting.

Attention! It is important that these products completely cover the entire surface of the wood. Otherwise, the proper result will not be obtained.

Stain is simple necessary thing to improve the quality of wood. This tool protects the base from rapid wear and tear. The main thing is to choose the right tool and carefully read the instructions and characteristics of the composition. But what mixtures to choose all depends on what they will be used for - to improve color or to protect. It is better to first study the properties of each type of stain.

Wood stain is very popular and is designed to give various wood products aesthetics and decorativeness, change their tone and texture, and most importantly - to increase their service life. To achieve this, the antiseptic properties of stains allow. There are also stains for wood that can protect the treated surface from insect pests, mold and fungus.

This article discusses in detail not only what stain is, but also its main types, properties, advantages, and why it is needed.

Depending on the purpose and composition, wood stain has the following advantages over a number of other paints and varnishes:

  • The possibility of combining shades (for example, dark colors, walnut or pine, light colors, black, etc.).
  • Coating with stains strengthens the structure of the material.
  • Increase the service life of products.
  • Partial imparting moisture resistance to lumber.
  • It makes it possible to both give the tree a noble shade and get another color scheme(there are a variety of stain colors).
  • Preservation of wood structure.

The main advantage of this tinting composition is deep penetration into the wood. This allows you to save the texture of the tree. Therefore, the answers to the questions about what is better - stains or varnishes, and why stain is needed, become obvious.

Color palette

There are different wood stain colors and it is very difficult to answer the question of how to choose the most suitable one. This material allows you to give almost any shade to wood products. For example, black stain is very popular, which allows you to give the surface the appearance of a black mirror. Before applying it, it is recommended to polish the base.

Gray stain makes it possible to avoid highlighting the finished product from the general interior. It is worth painting with it only if the walls and textiles in the interior are bright. Gray can cause depression, besides, products in this color will look too faded and gray.

Psychologists advise choosing a green stain (colored stain), as this shade causes positive emotions. Green color suitable for surface treatment various items interior. Blue stain allows you to get a very expressive look of the processed product. Choose it to combine with yellow and white tones.

There are more natural wood stain colors on the market. But there is a colorless impregnation that allows you to keep the surface in its natural color.

Main types

Impregnation for wood is different, depending on the composition. Consider the most common types of stains:

  • Wood stains on water based . water stain it is powder (water-soluble) and in the form of ready-made formulations. It is an environmentally friendly product (regardless of external factors, there are no harmful fumes and smells), and it also has a rich color range. If necessary, the product can be easily washed off with water, so it is recommended to apply an additional protective layer (for example, varnish). The main disadvantage is the rise of wood fibers, as a result of which the product becomes more vulnerable to moisture (non-aqueous impregnation is used to eliminate the disadvantage). Water stains for wood are the most widespread.

  • Alcohol compositions. Are issued ready to use or in dry form (powder is required to be diluted). Are intended for protection of a tree from dampness and an ultraviolet. This impregnation dries quickly enough, which avoids raising the pile and swelling of the wood.

  • Oil formulations. The composition of the stain includes dyes soluble in drying oil and oils. It is possible to apply impregnations of this group by any method and tool. They do not fill the wood with additional moisture and do not lift the fibers. A variety of colors of stains for wood of this group, if desired, allows you to achieve any shade by simply adding dyes.

  • acrylic blends. Acrylic-based impregnations are an environmentally friendly, child-safe and fire-fighting product. Acrylic stain is great for all types of wood and dries very quickly.

  • Wax stains. Allow to process the painted surfaces. Wax-based impregnations reliably protect the treated surface from moisture. It is important to know that wax stain should not be applied before wood is coated with two-component varnishes.

On the video: stain selection rules.

Application methods

There are four main ways to apply stain:

  1. Rubbing painting. The composition is applied to the surface, after which it is rubbed over the entire area. It is recommended to apply when processing porous breeds of trees.
  2. Spraying. When staining wood by spraying, a manual or automatic spray gun is used as a tool for applying the stain.
  3. Foam roller treatment. The method avoids the formation of streaks and helps to evenly distribute the mixture over the entire surface.
  4. Wood processing paint brush . The method allows you to get a deeper and more saturated color of wood, but is not suitable for all types of impregnation.

  • Before painting the surface with a stain, it is necessary to remove old coatings from it, and then degrease it better.
  • surface of conifers(for example, pine) must be deresined.
  • It is necessary to paint the wood with stain and remove excess only in the direction of the wood structure.
  • It is recommended to cover the surface with 2-3 layers, while for the first layer a small volume of the mixture should be used.
  • After the first layer dries, the surface must be sanded and the raised pile removed, and then, if necessary, apply the next layers (each next layer is applied only after the previous one has completely dried).

The approximate drying time for oil-based impregnations is about three days, and for water-based impregnations and solvents - 2-3 hours (depending on how many layers were applied). It is recommended to divide large areas of the treated surface into small areas and paint them in stages. To avoid the possibility of the formation of defects on the surface, the composition must be diluted. For this, a solvent is used.

For aqueous impregnations, water is used, for oil impregnations, solvents for paints are used. Also, before starting work, the surface can be coated with Latek L 601 putty.

Wood stains for plywood perform an exclusively decorative function. Therefore, if there is any doubt what to choose - stain or varnish, it is recommended to use them in combination. Before covering the surface of the plywood, it must be moistened, and the mixture itself is recommended to be heated.

After covering the wood with stain, varnishing follows (layers must be very thin to avoid the possibility of smudges). As a tool, you can use a brush, roller or sponge. Wood varnish will enhance protective properties impregnation. By following these recommendations, you can easily stain wood at home.

Defects and their elimination

Carry out staining wooden furniture it is necessary to be extremely careful, otherwise there is a high possibility of the formation of defects, which are quite difficult to eliminate. But if you know how to get rid of them correctly, then problems should not arise.

The main defect is the formation of streaks. They arise as a result of applying a large amount of the mixture and its subsequent rapid drying. In this case, it is necessary to remove the impregnation layer applied to the wood, then apply a new layer on it, which will soften it, and then remove the excess impregnation with a rag.

After the wood stain has completely dried, it can be removed with paint thinners. Before that upper layer removed with emery or a planer, since the solvent is not able to remove all the pigment.

You can pick up a special wash that will remove an extra layer of coating impregnation from the tree. You can use a hair dryer in combination with a scraper and brush - sometimes it's better than washing.

The most difficult defect is the spotting of the product. To remove it, the painted area is treated with a planer (this defect is not washed off with a solvent). In plywood, all face veneer must be removed. To avoid spotting, it is best to use a gel stain or first apply a test coat on an unwanted piece of wood to see how the coating behaves on the desired surface. It is worth remembering that it is necessary to store the impregnation in a place closed from children.

To give greater decorativeness and aesthetics to wood products, they are treated with wood stain. The solution changes the tone and emphasizes the texture of the wood. Modern stains have antiseptic properties and can significantly extend the life of the product.

Consider what types of stains are, how you can make a composition with your own hands, and what are the basic rules for applying stain to wood.

The purpose of wood stain

Stain - a tinting composition that is applied to treated wood to change natural color wood, plywood, furniture, chipboard, fiberboard and MDF. Morilka has a second name Beyts.

A special composition penetrates deep into the wood, so that the texture of the wood is preserved. Such an effect from enamel or paint cannot be achieved.

Some use wood stain to hide the true type of wood, such as painting inexpensive pine noble breeds trees. Others use wood stain to update a room or to highlight a beautiful texture. natural material.

With the skillful use of stain and a combination of several shades at the same time, you can turn an ordinary wood product into an artistic value.

In addition to decorative functions, some types of stains also have protective properties. Wood-protective compositions include stains on an oil-alkyd basis or solvents. Such stains are able to protect the tree from insect pests, the appearance of mold and fungi.

Types of stains for wood processing

The main criterion by which all stains are classified is the basis for making the solution. The most common stains are water, alcohol, oil, acrylic and wax based. Consider the features of each type.

Water-based stains are available in two forms: dry stains in powder form for self-dilution in water, and in a ready-to-use state. Water stains take a long time to dry, so it will take a long time to get a uniform tone.

The main inconvenience of using stain is that during processing, the composition raises the wood fiber. On the one hand, this emphasizes the structure of the tree, and on the other hand, it makes the product more vulnerable to moisture. Therefore, before applying the stain, the wood should be wetted superficially, left to soak for a while and carefully sanded.

Alcohol stain is a solution of organic dyes with pigments in ethyl alcohol. Alcohol compositions are used for antiseptic and decorative painting. wooden products. Such stains reduce pile uplift and do not cause swelling of the wood.

When using alcohol stain, it is difficult to achieve uniform staining, as the composition dries quickly, and stains can form. For toning small items, such stains can be suitable, but it will be very problematic to paint the parquet.

Alcohol stains are applied only with a spray gun (spray gun), and when painted with a brush, the result can be unpredictable

Oil based stain have many tones and shades. Oil stain contains dyes soluble in drying oil and oils. White spirit is used as a solvent.

Oil stain - the most convenient to use: it can be applied different ways, does not lift the fibers and is distributed evenly over the entire surface. Products treated with oil-based stains can be easily repainted and restored.

Wax and acrylic stains- the latest generation of tinting materials. Wood stains based acrylic resins and wax form a thin colored film on the surface of the wood, which additionally protects the material from excessive moisture. These types of stains evenly "lay" on the surface and are well suited for processing wooden floors.

Acrylic stains have a wide range of tones that can be mixed to achieve subtler shades. The composition does not bad smell, non-flammable and suitable for all types of wood. Acrylic stains do not emit harmful fumes, and dry quickly after application.

When working with acrylic stain, it is important not to overdo it with the layer thickness. A good effect can be obtained when applying no more than 2 layers, if more, then stains may form.

Wax stains are very soft wax. They can be used directly on wood or pre-painted surfaces. Wax stains are applied with a cloth and spread over the wood with a rubbing motion.

Wax stains look most effective in combination with polishing. This technique is often used in the finishing of turning products, profiles and threads.

Important! Wax-based stains must not be used before wood treatment with two-component acid-curing varnishes or polyurethane.

Making a stain with your own hands: recipes for craftsmen

Plant stains

You can give wood a different shade with the help of plant components.


Wood stains based on coffee, tea and vinegar

Do-it-yourself wood stain can be made from improvised means: coffee, tea and vinegar.


You can give the tree a cherry, brown and dark brown hue with a solution of potassium permanganate: 50 g should be diluted in 1 liter of warm water, applied to the wood, and after 5 minutes wipe the surface with a soft cloth. In order to get a brighter shade, the treatment with potassium permanganate must be repeated.

After treating the wood with potassium permanganate stain, the surface must be coated with a protective compound, otherwise the potassium permanganate will fade

Stains with chemical components

If you want to get a lasting color, you can experiment and create a stain from chemicals.


Whitening stains

Bleaching wood allows you to prepare the product for painting and achieve expressive tone. Some species of trees acquire unexpected color shades when bleached. For example, a walnut, which has a monochromatic texture with purple tint, after treatment with a bleaching stain, it becomes pale pink or alo-pink. Apple tree bleaching makes wood noble color Ivory.

Whitening stain: photo

Can be used for bleaching different solutions. Some act very quickly, others more slowly.

  1. Solution of oxalic acid. In 100 g boiled water dissolve 1.5-6 g of oxalic acid. This composition is suitable for bleaching light woods: linden, white poplar, light walnut, birch and maple. Dirty tones or gray spots may appear on other types of wood. Veneer sheets after bleaching should be washed with a solution (composition: hot water- 100 g, soda ash - 3 g, bleach - 15). This treatment deresin the surface and raises the pile of wood.
  2. Bleaching with 25% hydrogen peroxide is suitable for most tree species except lemon tree, oak and rosewood. Products, after treatment with peroxide, do not need to be washed. Peroxide solution bleaches only finely porous tree species. Wood containing tannins is very difficult to lighten with such a stain. To improve the bleaching process, tannins must first be treated with a 10% solution of ammonia.

The results of bleaching different tree species:

  • birch after bleaching in a solution of oxalic acid gets a greenish tint;
  • ash and oak veneer becomes noticeably lighter after treatment with oxalic acid;
  • Anatolian nut, when bleached in hydrogen peroxide (peroxide concentration not lower than 15%), acquires a golden hue, and walnut - pink.

Methods for applying stain

Wood stain processing can be done in one of four ways:

  1. Spraying. The stain is applied to the surface of the wood with an airbrush. Spraying allows you to achieve an even distribution of the stain and obtain an even texture.
  2. Trituration. The stain is applied to the wood and evenly rubbed over the entire area of ​​the product. The coating is transformed, the texture becomes pronounced. This method is optimal for porous wood species, and the stain should not be used to dry quickly.
  3. Application with a roller or swab. This method is used when processing products with a small area, it helps to avoid streaks and ensures a uniform distribution of the stain over the surface.
  4. Brush application. In the absence of a spray gun or swab, you can use a brush, but this method is not suitable for all types of stain. Experts note that when applied with a brush, the wood gives a deeper, richer color than with other methods.

The main principles of wood stain processing

In order to receive beautiful product from natural material, it is necessary to adhere to the basic rules of wood processing.


Applying stain: video

Possible defects and their elimination

It is necessary to apply the stain very carefully, since it will be quite difficult to remove the resulting defects.

The formation of streaks. This happens if the stain is applied to in large numbers and dries very quickly. In this case, you should try to remove the stain layer as much as possible. Another layer of stain should be applied to the hardening layer, which will soften the drying one, and then remove excess solution with a rag.

If the stain is completely dry, then a paint thinner must be used to remove it. However, the entire pigment cannot be removed. The top painted layer can be removed with a planer or sandpaper.

Product spotting. If the treated wood has an uneven density or wavy, then the absorption of the stain may occur unevenly - the color will be richer in some places, and lighter in others.

Spotting on mahogany or walnut looks attractive, but on the wood of cherry, birch, pine, spruce and poplar - it does not look natural

Spotting is very difficult to remove. You can remove the layer of stained wood with a planer, in plywood you will need to remove all the front veneer.

It is better to prevent the appearance of spotting in advance:

  • test the wood - apply stain to an unnecessary piece of the workpiece;
  • use stain gel.

Stain-gel - a thick, pasty stain that does not spread and does not penetrate deep into the wood. In addition, helium stains have a low absorption rate.

October 23, 2017
You can talk about design canons for a long time, but every day the existing canons become less and less stable. Aesthetics and harmony, balance, colors, materials, brought together in order to get such a long-awaited result are the essence of your knowledge, practice and self-development. My motto is to learn, see, touch something new every day, and I am sure that this is the only way to keep the right course in “high design”.

Wood stain, what do you know about this liquid that can turn the cheapest wood into expensive "oak" or "rosewood"? Stain coating provides color without creating a film on the surface. Due to this, the tree retains its natural texture and naturalness.

Wood stain classification

A huge group of funds for staining can be divided into 4 categories:

  • water,
  • alcohol,
  • nitro stains,
  • oil.

What to choose?

Aquatic

I love them for being able to get a whole rainbow of colors and shades, ease of use and ease of mixing without unexpected results. Oh yes, the absence of an unpleasant smell and the speed of drying. The last two points will be relevant for those who plan to process a small thing, such as a jewelry box, at home.

Water stains can be truly “watery” and dry. The latter require dilution with warm water.

It will take about 12-14 hours for the surface to dry completely, is it a lot? Patience, my friend, haste is contraindicated in working with wood! A feature of the composition is its ability to lift wood fibers, as a result, sanding will be required.

Stand apart in the water group acrylic compounds resin based. From personal observations, I can say that the color obtained when applying them does not fade or wash out.

And disadvantage- rather high price.

Alcoholic

Alcohol stain - an alcohol solution of aniline dyes. Advantages: deep penetration of dyes into the structure of the tree, which gives bright and saturated shades and drying speed, after 20–40 minutes the alcohol evaporates and the surface becomes suitable for further processing.

This drying speed puts forward its own requirements for application. It is necessary to work with the composition quickly, as accurately and accurately as possible, otherwise you will have to get acquainted with stains and smudges.

If you are processing large surface, use a spray gun to apply the stain. It will help you get an even color.

Nitromordants

Can be called relatives of alcohol stains. Due to the presence of a solvent in the composition, they are as similar as possible in characteristics to the latter.

Oily

The base is linseed oil.

Advantages: uniform application, no smudges and stains. In addition, such a composition does not raise the wood fibers. For self-application, you can use a wide brush, spray gun or even a rag. Drying time - from 2 to 4 hours.

Riding on the rainbow

Having dealt with the classification, let's look at the colors that can be obtained using stain. The first rule that I made from personal bitter experience is that the same name on the package does not guarantee you getting the same result.

"Larch" ("Tsaritsyn paints") is a pleasant brownish-pinkish color, while "Novbytchim" believes that the color should be pale yellow.

How to choose a color? Neither the name nor the label is your friend, be guided by the color samples offered by the manufacturer. But even here a catch can await you - the structure of wood, density and original color affect the final result.

Painted pine will be an order of magnitude lighter than mahogany, but darker than maple. How so? Pine is porous and soft wood, perfectly absorbing pigment, while maple is hard and dense.

The texture of the wood is also important. For example, oak stains extremely unevenly (but beautifully) due to the fact that the paint penetrates into the veins faster and more intensely, while the main part remains lighter.

What to paint?

At one time, I had a useful experience using various methods stain application. And now I can say with confidence that universal way does not exist.

If your goal is coverage large area, use a spray gun with a nozzle no larger than 1.5 mm. The tool is universal, suitable for water, alcohol and nitro stains. The latter are extremely difficult to apply with a brush, since the composition dries quickly.

The water-based stain is "friends" with a wide brush and rags. A few more words about brushes:

  • natural - for oil formulations;
  • synthetic - for water-soluble.

If this is your first time staining wood with your own hands or the composition is unfamiliar to you, be sure to spend trial staining. This will allow you to understand how deeply the composition penetrates into a particular wood and how intense the color is.
The first layer is applied to the entire surface of the sample, the second - to 2/3, the third - 1/3. Such a "rainbow" is covered with 2-3 layers of varnish, after which it dries, final conclusions can be drawn about the appropriateness of using of this type and stain colors.

How to starve and not get tired

Stage Instructions and recommendations
Preparatory Works preparatory phase depends on coverage
  • If we are talking about a surface that has seen life, it is cleaned of paint / varnish, polished. In the case of staining the floor, scraping is carried out.
  • Oil and grease stains are removed with a solvent or gasoline, which is moistened with rags.
  • Coniferous species require deresining before the staining procedure. To do this, use an aqueous solution of potassium carbonate and soda ash.

White stain creates a base on the surface, allowing the color layer to lie more evenly.

Basic Before application, the stain is slightly heated, thereby increasing its penetrating power.

Brush / foam swab / rags are moistened in stain and applied along the fibers. Thus, 2-4 layers are applied until the desired shade is obtained.

final After drying, the surface is treated with sandpaper (except for staining with oil stain) and covered with several layers of varnish.

It is better to imitate ebony on pear, birch, beech, alder and ash. You can get a believable "nut" on alder, linden and birch.

Themselves with mustaches

Liquid for tinting wood can be prepared independently. Our hands are not for boredom, so we take on home magic.

natural pigments. In this category, I will include plant components that can stain wood with high quality and give a lasting result.

  • If you have a small thing in your work (for example, a box) made of light wood, paint it with a decoction of onion peel.
  • Birch and oak can be turned into mahogany with a decoction of larch bark.
  • Cold brown shade obtained by decoction of powder prepared from walnut shells. Before use, soda is added to the filtered liquid.
  • Black natural "mordant" is obtained from a decoction of alder or oak bark.

Chemical pigments. For outdoor work, you can use chemical stains made from potassium permanganate, Glauber's salt, copper sulfate.

  • Potassium permanganate gives wood a cherry hue. To do this, 50 grams of potassium permanganate is diluted in a liter of water and applied with a brush, the remains are removed with a damp sponge.
  • The juice wolf berries + baking soda= blue.
  • Wolfberry juice + Glauberth salt = scarlet.
  • Wolfberry Juice + blue vitriol= brown.

Summing up

The best stain is an extremely vague concept, determined by goals and desired results. For some it will be acrylic, for others it will be oil, covering a massive door. Be that as it may, staining wood is a great way to give it a shade while maintaining such a warm natural texture.

October 23, 2017

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The tree will always be popular, because it is beautiful and environmentally friendly. pure material. However, like all natural decorative elements, boards are afraid of moisture, and are a favorite habitat for insects, fungi, mold and other microorganisms. To increase the service life of things made from wood species, various protective agents and antiseptics are used. Today we will talk about such a wonderful substance as stain, with its help you can not only solve some problems associated with premature damage wooden materials but also to give their products an unusual and noble appearance.

Wood is durable and durable material, which is influenced by unfavorable factors environment, therefore, in order to protect products from it from possible damage, it is necessary to process them by special means. On the construction market, you can find a huge number of different antiseptics, varnishes and other impregnations that change the color and some properties of wood, the most popular and inexpensive product is wood stain. Some people think that stains are used only to change the color of an object, but this wonderful drug has other properties.

The properties of stains may vary depending on their composition. However, even if you make such a tint with your own hands, it will still have some protective properties.

Wood stain properties:

  1. If you want to change not only the color of the wood, but also highlight its texture, then wood stain is just what you need. It does not completely cover the drawing, like paint, but gives the whole product a pleasant shade.
  2. Wood staining will protect furniture from insects and rot, while preserving the texture and pattern of the wood.
  3. The stain is protective agent, which increases the service life of wooden objects and costs several times cheaper than varnish and paint. In addition, due to its watery consistency, it penetrates deeper into the wood structure.
  4. With the help of stain, you can make even inexpensive pine, painted with colored stain, look like a noble and strong oak and exotic mahogany.
  5. Stain toning can lighten the wood. This technique is especially often used before painting wooden products.
  6. Impregnation with stain will strengthen the structure of the tree and give it a light moisture-proof property.

Not all stains have the above qualities. To understand which stain you need, you need to read its composition, and see what the instructions for use say. By the way, you can process not only whole wooden planks, but also chipboard, plywood or parquet items and other wooden crafts.

Water-based wood stain and alcohol stains

Water-based stains are the most environmentally friendly stains. They do not have a strong unpleasant odor and are easy to use.

Such a product can be sold as dry, or already ready mix. Such dyes are most popular due to their low price and the possibility of their use, both for indoor and outdoor use.

The main characteristics of water stain:

  1. The colors of the water-based stain are very diverse. With their help, you can create a very interesting iridescent effect.
  2. You can use water beytsy without fear for your health. Even with the most high temperatures, such products do not emit harmful fumes.
  3. If you decide to experiment, and are wondering: “Which stain to choose so that it can be washed?” - then a water stain is what you need. Such a tinting agent can be easily washed off with water, so it is impossible to paint the floor with it.
  4. Toning wooden surface such a tool, makes its texture more noticeable. Unfortunately, because of this, the product becomes more sensitive to moisture, so it will need to be varnished.

It is highly undesirable to tint resinous tree species with such an impregnation, as ugly spots can appear on them. For such products, it is better to use alcohol impregnation.

How long does alcohol impregnation dry? Almost a few seconds! This property is both an advantage and a disadvantage. Thanks to it, you can coat the butt of a sporting rifle with alcohol stain, and use it in a few minutes, however large area you can only stain with an airbrush, otherwise the surface of the product will be covered with unpleasant stains and stains, even varnish will not help to correct the situation. Consists of alcohol impregnation of alcohol and dyes.

Treating wood with such an impregnation will make it more resistant to ultraviolet radiation and high humidity. However, due to the unpleasant smell of such a product, working with it is possible only in open space.

Benefits of oil-based stains and wax and acrylic stains

The oil-based stain has large range colors and shades. It costs more than water beys, but useful properties she has more. Such a preparation can be used not only to change the color of the product, but also to emphasize its texture.

Treating wood with an oil-based stain is easy and convenient, it is applied thin layer and does not lift the fibers of the product. Also, such tinting does not fade under the influence of sunlight, gives the tree resistance to temperature extremes and protects it from moisture. You can remove stains of oil stain with the help of White Spirit solvent, it can also lighten the painted wood a little. It differs from compositions similar in properties in that varnish is not needed to fix it. The disadvantages of staining with oil include: long drying of the tint and its toxicity.

It is very important to find a stain from a responsible and conscientious manufacturer. Judging by the reviews, the most popular firms are Vartan, Latek, Novbytkhim and Herlak.

Acrylic and wax stains are very easy to apply, they lay down in a uniform layer and do not leave stains and streaks. However, due to the rapid drying of such stains, you need to work with them very quickly.

Wax stain is used to protect wood from moisture. It can process parquet. Such a stain is not resistant to mechanical damage, therefore, in order to extend its service life, it is better to use varnish.

Acrylic, it is also rustic, stain perfectly emphasizes the texture of the tree. With its help, you can get the most different shades which is why this drug is so popular. A tree stained with such stain will still need to be opened with several layers of varnish.

Wood stain colors

Wood stains differ not only in composition, they are different colors and shades. The most commonly used dark mixture, it gives the products a more noble look. With the help of such stains, ordinary larch and maple can turn into an oak board.

Modern stains can give the tree the most unusual shade. However, to this day, the range of natural woody colors is considered the most popular.

The most popular stain colors:

  • Pine;
  • Birch;
  • Bleached walnut;
  • Plum; Red tree;
  • Olive;
  • rosewood;

There are many such examples. It is noteworthy that the names of the same shade for different companies can vary greatly. When choosing a baize color, first of all, pay attention not to color palette, which is printed on the packaging, and samples printed on birch boards.

It is also important to consider that the intensity of the color of the stain depends on the type of wood on which it is applied. It will be more difficult to give a dark shade to a product if the wood from which it is made is lighter than to darken an oak object. Non-aqueous stain will not be able to paint over well enough pine board, if it is not previously desalted, but water-based stains are generally unsuitable for resinous tree species.

White wood stain

To make furniture white, it is not necessary to paint it. A brightening stain is also suitable for such work, which will not only make the product lighter, but also emphasize its structure.

Wood stain is intended not only to give the product more light shade but also to protect it from adverse environmental conditions. It is very important to consider, when considering different types of such a product, how and on what you will apply it. If there is a risk that moisture will spill onto the surface of the bleached object, then it is best to use wax, oil and acrylic preparations, but if your craft is in a dry and ventilated place, then a water stain will do.

With the help of white stain, you can achieve a very interesting effect and make an aged coating. It must first be painted with stain white color water-based, after it dries, the item must be treated with a stiff brush. A dark-colored wax or oil stain is rubbed into the formed pores on the wood.

When using a water stain, do not forget about protective layer. The dyed product must be treated with wax or oil.

Light stains do not always have a pronounced color. There is a colorless stain, which is applied solely to protect the tree from adverse natural factors.

How to make a stain with your own hands

It is not necessary to buy a ready-made stain. By mixing dyes, such as coffee, a few drops of iodine or shavings of black bark, and some chemical elements, you can make it at home. Homemade stain is not only effective, it is also natural.

  1. Boil a glass of larch bark in a glass of water. The resulting product can be coated with birch products, it will give them a beautiful reddish tint.
  2. Grind dried walnut shells into powder and boil for ten minutes. The resulting broth must be mixed with soda. Coat light-colored wood with the solution, and it will take on a brown tint. If you want to change the color of the product, you can treat it with vinegar or potassium bichromate. In the first case, the shade will be gray, and in the second, red.
  3. Brewed tea or coffee can give the tree different shades. The intensity of the colors depends on the strength of the tea leaves.
  4. With a solution of potassium permanganate, you will color the product in a cherry color.
  5. A red tint can be achieved by soaking rusty nails in vinegar for several days. Black stain is obtained by adding a decoction of oak or walnut leaves to the vinegar solution.

Self-stains are made quite often. They are environmentally friendly and harmless. Unfortunately, they all tend to fade, so to preserve the color of the product, a layer of varnish must be applied over the stain.

Wood tinting with wood stain: step by step instructions

To make the product look neat and beautiful, you need to cover it with stain correctly. If the stain is applied poorly, it can fade after a few weeks, and if you do not follow the staining technology, you risk getting a surface covered with stains.

How to properly stain objects:

  1. First of all, it is necessary to remove a layer from the surface of the product old paint. You can do this with sandpaper.
  2. Next, the surface is degreased with alcohol, white spirit or gasoline. If the product is made from resinous tree species, then it is deresined.
  3. The stain is heated and applied in a thin layer to the surface of the product. The top of the item is processed first. Layers are applied from above, one on top of the other, until the desired shade is achieved.

After the stain dries, the product must be covered with several layers of varnish. Before applying a new layer, the dried varnish is treated with fine-grained sandpaper.

Wood stain (video)

Wood stain is a great way to replace one wood color with another. Such funds are different types, they can have different compositions and colors. Use the stain correctly, and you will be rewarded with a beautiful product.

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