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Chapter 3.
Colours and colour matching.
For success in staining three requisites are necessary: a knowledge of the art of staining; a knowledge of and familiarity with the characteristics of different kinds of wood; an acquaintance with the properties of stains and dyes, and the art of blending them so that artistic and harmonious effects may be produced.
The art of staining and the nature of woods have already been discussed, but some further reference to the artistic effects produced by staining is necessary.
The three primary colours into which white sunlight is divided are red, yellow, and blue. But when you hold a prism before a screen, you see in addition to these colours four others, orange, green, indigo and violet. These four are produced by the overlapping of the three primary colours.
When two colours are mixed together and produce white, they are called complementary.
These colours are most important from the artistic point of view, because they form the greatest possible contrast. The following is a table of complimentary colours:
Red.
Greenish-Blue.
Orange.
Cyan Blue.
Yellow.
Ultramarine Blue.
Greenish Yellow.
Violet.
Green.
Purple.
The following colours harmonise well. Red forms effective contrasts with blacks, whites or yellows, blues harmonise with whites and yellows, gold with blacks or browns, white looks well with any colour.
With these general hints in view, the beginner who wishes to master the art of staining should experiment with diligence with a view to gaining an exact knowledge of colours and their various shades. He should first procure a piece of white wood, mark it into a large number of squares like a chess board, then stain in the squares on the left hand with the colours red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. After this proceed to intermix the different colours, for instance, add a little orange to the red and produce a red-orange, and stain in the next square. Keep on adding more of one of the two stains until a range of tints has been obtained. Then try another combination until all the squares are filled with a variety of shades.
Another range of tints may be obtained by applying the pure stains in the first squares as strong as possible. After this dilute them with a little water or spirit, and apply the mixture to the next square. For the third square dilute further by using more of the spirit or water, and so on. In this way you can obtain a colour register of all the shades required in your work, and you can plan it according to your taste.
For this purpose you must obtain an ample selection of stains, dyes and colours. You should be able to get these from any oil dealer or chemist, who will no doubt give any special information or directions about the nature of the wares they sell. As said in a previous chapter aniline dyes give a fine range of colours. Dolly dyes, though more expensive than those sold loose, are very powerful stains, and a quarter ounce of each is all that is needed at first. To make the colour of the aniline dyes fast, vinegar must be mixed with the water. Carefully label all bottles or jars in which the colours are stored, and do not expose them to dust or dirt.
Overglazing.
When staining small articles of furniture, such as fretwork, some very fine effects can be obtained by applying one stain over another of a different colour. Deep blue with striking effectcan be used over any bright colour. Furniture treated in this way gains a richness of colour not obtainable in any other way. Many possibilities lie in the judicious use of stains, that to the decorator with artistic perceptions are both alluring and practicable.
Uniform Colouring.
When, as it sometimes happens, a piece of wood to be stained is darker in some parts than others, it is necessary to bring the wood to a uniform colour. To do this either the darker parts must be bleached or the lighter parts darkened. For bleaching the dark parts, a strong soloution of oxalic acid must be prepared. This is done by dissolving 2 ounces of the acid in a pint of boiling water. Apply this to the parts of wood you wish to lighten in colour. If the stain is deep, two or three applications of the solution may be necessary. When this has been done, coat the parts affected with vinegar, this will neutralise the effects of the acid.
The darkening of parts of a piece of wood which is patchy in colour may be accomplished by the use of lime or ammonia, but many stainers do not trouble about this, as they find that giving an extra coat of stain to the parts affected answers the purpose. The same object may also be by deepening the natural colour of the wood with red oil and other colouring matter.
Floor Stains.
The cheapest stains of any colour are made with aniline colours dissolved in hot water. Many of these may fade, but yellow, red, and brown, especially when covered with a coat of linseed oil, will last for a very long time. Any shade may, of course, be obtained by mixing.
Light Red Floor Stain.
Boil a third of a pint of madder to a quarter pound fustic to one gallon of water. Brush the work when boiling hot until properly stained.
Oak Floor Stain.
Wash the wood carefully in a solution of one pound copperas dissolved in one gallon strong lye-water. When the wood is dry after saturation, oil it, and it will look fresh for a year or two. When it fades, restain and oil. The hands must be protected while applying the stain, or they will become blistered.
Dark Oak Stain.
A simple brown stain in imitation of dark oak for use on common spruce or white wood, is one pennyworth of permanganate of potash dissolved in one quart of water. This produces a useful shade, which becomes darker with each successive application.
Staining Wicker Work.
Baskets are generally coloured with water stains, and the cheapest for this purpose is possibly bismark brown, one ounce of which is sufficient to stain many dozens of small baskets. This operation can be done quickly and effectively by using a vessel that will hold enough water to dip the baskets in. Fill the vessel with hot water and stir in enough of the dye to get the required shade. Then before the water has time to cool, the baskets should be quickly dipped one by one in the solution. Where baskets are to big to be dipped, the dye should be poured over them with a ladle. As the stain becomes exhausted, it should be strengthened from time to time by the addition of freshly made stain.
The following proportions of colours and directions are given for staining basket work,
Blue, Dissolve three ounces Bengal blue in four pints of boiling water. The fluid should be stirred and filtered through fine cambric.
Red, Dissolve three ounces of coral red in five pints of lukewarm water.
Violet, Dissolve three ounces of methyl violet in one gallon of lukewarm water.
Golden Yellow, Dissolve three ounces of naphthaline yellow in half a gallon of water.
Dark Walnut, one pennyworth of nut galls, one pennyworth of Vandyke brown, a quarter pound of potash, a gallon of water. Crush the nut galls and mix with the potash in a pint of water, then put in the Vandyke, mix well into a paste, and add the rest of the water. This may be used hot or cold.
The quantities here stated give a heavy stain, and may be diluted with water to get the shade required by the user. When the baskets are quite dry, give a coat of hard spirit varnish.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Woods for staining.
This is a practical guide for the amateur (and proffesional) French Polisher and Furniture Restorer. Full of helpful hints towards Staining wood, colour matching wood, french polishing and varnishing.
Be sure to bookmark this page and use the guide as you work.And visit our website www.hungary4deco.co.uk to see where some of these techniques have been used to restore some beautiful pieces of Art Deco Furniture.
Woods for Staining.
Both hard and soft woods may be stained, but soft woods are more used for this purpose, because they include the cheaper varieties that are used for imitating the more expensive woods, like mahogany, ebony, and oak, which belong to the hard-wood class. Light-coloured woods are the best for staining, but almost any kind can be used in this way if it has been planed smooth, is free from grease or dirt, and has few knots. Birch is much used for staining a mahogany colour. Beech is also employed for the same purpose. Deal provides an excellent material for imitating plain walnut. Cherry, holly, pear, and hazelwood, when stained, afford good ebony effects. American whitewood is a valuable staining wood on account of its freedom from knots.
Preparing Wood For Staining.
As already said, the surface of the wood to be stained should be smooth. If possible, any knots should be cut out and replaced with pieces of the same material. To make the wood perfectly smooth give it a rub over with No. o glass-paper. This must be done with as long sweeps as possible, and the rubbing should be done in the same direction as the grain. If there are any dirt or grease marks left after the application of the glass-paper, these may be removed by rubbing with a rag dipped in benzine.
If the wood is of poor quality and is porous – either the whole surface, or large patches of it – glue size should be applied. This is cheap, and can be procured anywhere. The size should be of medium strength, otherwise it may cause the finishing coats to crack. The strength of the size may be determined by the state of the wood. In cheap deal some parts are much more porous and open in texture than other. In such cases the size should be strong. It should be applied warm to the wood, but only a very thing coat should be brushed on. Japanner’s gold size and turpentine mixed in equal quantities, and oil varnishes are sometimes used for the same purpose as glue size, and are useful in preventing the absorption of soft and spongy woods. But it should be remembered that hard and nonporous woods need no preliminary coats before applying stains, as these tend to defeat the very purpose for which stains are put on – the penetration of the wood.
Before applying a water stain, a stopping made from equal parts of finest plaster of paris and whiting should be used.
Putting on the Stain.
For applying satin a good hog-hair brush should be used, and there is nothing better for the purpose than a ready ground oval varnish brush.
If you are not quite sure of the colour, it is best to experiment in the first place on a square piece of wood or the inside of a cupboard door.
Effective staining needs speed and ready brush-work. Water, spirit, and varnish stains all dry very quickly, and the work must be so done that not more than one edge needs to be kept “alive” . In other words, another brushful must be applied before the previous one has had time to set, otherwise the work will look patchy and show the joinings.
Oil stains are the easiest to work with, as they are of a very slow-drying nature. They therefore present no difficulties. But the other stains mentioned must, if they are to be applied with success be put on in a methodical and prearranged way. To begin, as the amateur often does, in the middle of a panel, and then fill it in on both sides until the mouldings are reached is to invite failure. For in this way there are two edges to be kept alive, and the operator will find great difficulty in avoiding with the brush places that are already partially dry. The best method is to begin at one side near the moulding, and then to apply a new brushful to the edge of the part just stained. In this way there is only one edge to keep alive, and unsightly smudges are avoided. The following points should be noted by the inexperienced: Avoid brushing out the stain. Always work with a fairly filled brush. Do not retouch. In staining a door, a skilled operator can work down stiles, rails, and moulding, but the beginner should not attempt this, and it is better to do the moulding first, then the rails, and finally the stiles. Care should be taken in finishing the tops and bottoms of panels, as often, when the panel is finished, it is found that these parts are lighter than the rest. To obviate this the brush should be moved lightly upwards towards the moulding and downwards towards the bottom.
Stippling.
Oil stains are the best for the beginner to practise with, as they dry slowly. If they are applied too freely they run, especially with a hard non-porous wood. If new wood is used, the oil is absorbed before “running” can take place. Where there is a tendency to this, the stain should be stippled as soon as applied. Stippling is quite a simple operation that requires no special skill, and is done by dabbing the stain evenly all over with a dry brush. The ends of this brush should be strong and square.
General Hints For Staining.
Spirit stains evaporate very quickly, and are therefore suitable only for fretwork, small surfaces like little pieces of furniture, and picture frames. They should not be used for large plain surfaces. For these oil stains are the best.
Don’t use good-quality brushes in stains that contain chemicals such as soda or lime. This class of stain destroys the bristles. If large surfaces are to be covered with a chemical stain, use a sponge.
Beaumontage, or hard stopping, is commonly used for filling up nail-holes, or other breaks in the wood. It is made of equal parts of beeswax and resin to which a little shellac is added. These are melted together in an iron ladle. To these a colour to match the stain is generally added. Beaumontage can be bought ready-made in sticks similar to sealing-wax.Stainers can obtain very artistic effects by the use of coloured fillers. These consist of ordinary transparent silex fillers mixed with a dry pigment to colour them. When these are rubbed into the wood after a coat of stain, the pores and open parts of the grain appear in colour, and the hard part of the wood retains its natural appearance. To those who have studied colour effects and have artistic taste, this method should make a strong appeal.
Be sure to bookmark this page and use the guide as you work.And visit our website www.hungary4deco.co.uk to see where some of these techniques have been used to restore some beautiful pieces of Art Deco Furniture.
Woods for Staining.
Both hard and soft woods may be stained, but soft woods are more used for this purpose, because they include the cheaper varieties that are used for imitating the more expensive woods, like mahogany, ebony, and oak, which belong to the hard-wood class. Light-coloured woods are the best for staining, but almost any kind can be used in this way if it has been planed smooth, is free from grease or dirt, and has few knots. Birch is much used for staining a mahogany colour. Beech is also employed for the same purpose. Deal provides an excellent material for imitating plain walnut. Cherry, holly, pear, and hazelwood, when stained, afford good ebony effects. American whitewood is a valuable staining wood on account of its freedom from knots.
Preparing Wood For Staining.
As already said, the surface of the wood to be stained should be smooth. If possible, any knots should be cut out and replaced with pieces of the same material. To make the wood perfectly smooth give it a rub over with No. o glass-paper. This must be done with as long sweeps as possible, and the rubbing should be done in the same direction as the grain. If there are any dirt or grease marks left after the application of the glass-paper, these may be removed by rubbing with a rag dipped in benzine.
If the wood is of poor quality and is porous – either the whole surface, or large patches of it – glue size should be applied. This is cheap, and can be procured anywhere. The size should be of medium strength, otherwise it may cause the finishing coats to crack. The strength of the size may be determined by the state of the wood. In cheap deal some parts are much more porous and open in texture than other. In such cases the size should be strong. It should be applied warm to the wood, but only a very thing coat should be brushed on. Japanner’s gold size and turpentine mixed in equal quantities, and oil varnishes are sometimes used for the same purpose as glue size, and are useful in preventing the absorption of soft and spongy woods. But it should be remembered that hard and nonporous woods need no preliminary coats before applying stains, as these tend to defeat the very purpose for which stains are put on – the penetration of the wood.
Before applying a water stain, a stopping made from equal parts of finest plaster of paris and whiting should be used.
Putting on the Stain.
For applying satin a good hog-hair brush should be used, and there is nothing better for the purpose than a ready ground oval varnish brush.
If you are not quite sure of the colour, it is best to experiment in the first place on a square piece of wood or the inside of a cupboard door.
Effective staining needs speed and ready brush-work. Water, spirit, and varnish stains all dry very quickly, and the work must be so done that not more than one edge needs to be kept “alive” . In other words, another brushful must be applied before the previous one has had time to set, otherwise the work will look patchy and show the joinings.
Oil stains are the easiest to work with, as they are of a very slow-drying nature. They therefore present no difficulties. But the other stains mentioned must, if they are to be applied with success be put on in a methodical and prearranged way. To begin, as the amateur often does, in the middle of a panel, and then fill it in on both sides until the mouldings are reached is to invite failure. For in this way there are two edges to be kept alive, and the operator will find great difficulty in avoiding with the brush places that are already partially dry. The best method is to begin at one side near the moulding, and then to apply a new brushful to the edge of the part just stained. In this way there is only one edge to keep alive, and unsightly smudges are avoided. The following points should be noted by the inexperienced: Avoid brushing out the stain. Always work with a fairly filled brush. Do not retouch. In staining a door, a skilled operator can work down stiles, rails, and moulding, but the beginner should not attempt this, and it is better to do the moulding first, then the rails, and finally the stiles. Care should be taken in finishing the tops and bottoms of panels, as often, when the panel is finished, it is found that these parts are lighter than the rest. To obviate this the brush should be moved lightly upwards towards the moulding and downwards towards the bottom.
Stippling.
Oil stains are the best for the beginner to practise with, as they dry slowly. If they are applied too freely they run, especially with a hard non-porous wood. If new wood is used, the oil is absorbed before “running” can take place. Where there is a tendency to this, the stain should be stippled as soon as applied. Stippling is quite a simple operation that requires no special skill, and is done by dabbing the stain evenly all over with a dry brush. The ends of this brush should be strong and square.
General Hints For Staining.
Spirit stains evaporate very quickly, and are therefore suitable only for fretwork, small surfaces like little pieces of furniture, and picture frames. They should not be used for large plain surfaces. For these oil stains are the best.
Don’t use good-quality brushes in stains that contain chemicals such as soda or lime. This class of stain destroys the bristles. If large surfaces are to be covered with a chemical stain, use a sponge.
Beaumontage, or hard stopping, is commonly used for filling up nail-holes, or other breaks in the wood. It is made of equal parts of beeswax and resin to which a little shellac is added. These are melted together in an iron ladle. To these a colour to match the stain is generally added. Beaumontage can be bought ready-made in sticks similar to sealing-wax.Stainers can obtain very artistic effects by the use of coloured fillers. These consist of ordinary transparent silex fillers mixed with a dry pigment to colour them. When these are rubbed into the wood after a coat of stain, the pores and open parts of the grain appear in colour, and the hard part of the wood retains its natural appearance. To those who have studied colour effects and have artistic taste, this method should make a strong appeal.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Guide to French Polishing, Staining and Varnishing.
This is a practical guide for the amateur (and proffesional) French Polisher and Furniture Restorer. Full of helpful hints towards Staining wood, colour matching wood, french polishing and varnishing.
Be sure to bookmark this page and use the guide as you work.
And visit our website www.hungary4deco.co.uk to see where some of these techniques have been used to restore some beautiful pieces of Art Deco Furniture.
The value of staining. Chapter 1.
Fifty years ago a knowledge of staining was more widely diffused than it is today. Then every experienced cabinet-maker had a good working knowledge of the art, and was conversant with its methods. But that day has passed. We are now living in an age of specialisation in which the worker is master of a section of a craft, and his work is limited to only a few operations. So it has come about that those who now know anything of the art of staining are comparatively few, and the polisher belongs to a small and privileged class. The cabinet-maker and upholsterer between them make stately and artistic furniture in which they may take an honest pride, but they are dependent on the polisher to give it the beautiful lustrous appearance it assumes when displayed in the showroom. But why should the cabinetmaker, or, indeed, why should anyone interested in the subject, remain in ignorance of the interesting and delightful art of staining? By cabinet-makers, the intricacies and intimate secrets of the craft should be easily and quickly mastered, as they are already acquainted with one important branch to fit- the nature and properties of woods. To those who own furniture of any kind- and their name is legion- a mastery of this art may easily become a most valuable asset. By its use a handsome piece of furniture may be made from common wood, and old furniture, drab and lustreless, can be improved out of recognition.
Staining:
What it is-What, then, is staining? Let us commence with a rough definition. Staining is a kind of secondary painting that is accomplished by saturating wood or any other porous material, but otherwise the general appearance of the wood as regards grain is retained. On the other hand, in graining the original wood is entirely ignored, and a new surface imposed, on which the colour and veining of another wood is produced.
The general purpose of staining is to preserve and beautify the wood it is applied to, and to bring out effectively the light and shade of the grain. Artistic staining effects a wonderful transformation. The colouring takes off the newness and raw aspect of the wood, and imparts dignity, solidity, and charm.
Variety of Stains.
There are many methods of staining, and those most employed are water-staining, oil-staining, spirit-staining, and chemical-staining. The most popular of these are water- and spirit-staining. Stains that have water as a medium are the cheapest and easiest to make. Spirit stains, though they cost more, are superior in effect, as the spirit, being volatile, dries very quickly. On the other hand, where water stains are used the grain of the wood has a tendency to rise; also when used on new wood, water stains are apt to roughen the surface. Both of these varieties of stains can be obtained ready mixed from any oil-dealer in all the usual colours, among which oak, walnut, mahogany, rosewood, ebony, art green, and many other shades, are included. Where uniformity of colour and quality is required, it is both convenient and desirable to buy these stains ready made, provided always that the packages bought bear the name and trade-mark of makers of established reputation. This point is important, and it cannot be too strongly emphasised that satisfactory work cannot be turned out if the materials used are inferior or uncertain in quality. Another method is to buy stains in powdered form which require only the addition of water or methylated spirit.
Water Stains.-
The most economical stains are made of size, dry colours, and water. The size is used as a binding agent to unite the particles of the paint and to prevent the stain brushing off. In mixing up a stain of this kind, 2 pounds of size should be added to each gallon of water. The amount of colour to be used depends upon the colouring power of the powder and the shade required, and this can easily be ascertained by experimenting with a minute quantity of the colouring on a piece of wood.
The stains are made and also applied hot with a fairly soft brush. For this purpose a painter’s sash tool is the best.
Water stains are not so powerful as spirit or oil stains, and for heavy staining a number of applications of water stain is required. Between each coat of stain the wood should be rubbed over with glass-paper, care being taken that as little of the colouring be removed during the process of papering as possible.
Another important point to remember is that water dries very slowly, and although you may be tempted, when using water stains to hasten the process of evaporation by the use of artificial means, this temptation must be avoided, and the stain be allowed to dry naturally.
Where only a light stain is to be applied, the work may be damped off first, and the grain so raised papered off when the wood is dry. After this apply the stain again, which when dry will need less rubbing.
Water stains dry quickly on new wood or on any porous material, but on any non-porous surface, such as old polish or varnish, they make a heavy call on the patience of the worker, and dry with irritating slowness.
It has already been stated that the great drawback of water stains when used on new work is that they have a tendency to roughen the surface and raise the grain of the wood. This can be counteracted in great measure by cutting down the grain with fine glass-paper while the wood is still damp. By this means the fibres of the wood, swelled by damp or moisture, are in some measure forced back again into the pores.
The following colours are used in water staining: Vandyke brown, raw umber, burnt umber, raw sienna, burnt sienna, blue-black, indigo, mahogany lake, yellow lake, gamboge, terra vert; also aniline dyes and other transparent pigments.
Recipes For Water Stains. –
For those who prefer to make their own stains, the following recipes can be recommended with confidence:
Mahogany stain. – Burnt sienna mixed in water with a little glue size for binding makes a useful stain for this colour.
Walnut stain. – Mix equal parts vandyke brown and umber with liquid ammonia to the consistency of a thin paste; then reduce with water to the required shade.
Oak stain. – Mix ¼ pound vandyke brown with liquid ammonia, diluted with water.
Rosewood Stain. – Mix 10 parts of water to 1 part of logwood, and apply warm.
Ebony Stain. – 1 pound of logwood chips cut fine; ¼ pound of brazil-wood cut fine in 1 ½ gallons rainwater. Apply this as a first coating while hot. Before this is dry apply a second solution made up of ¼ pound gall-nuts dissolved in 1 gallon of water. Two or three coats should give a satisfactory effect. If a more intense colour is required, make up a solution of 2 ounces of sulphate of iron, and 1 quart of water, and give a final coat with this.
Satinwood Stain. – Grind raw sienna in clear water and add a modicum of burnt sienna.
Cherrywood Stain. – Dissolve dark yellow ochre in water, and add a little stale beer as a binder for the colour, and apply one coat. Follow this with a coat of red lake.
Blue Stain. – Add 1 gallon of boiling water 1pound of indigo, 2 pounds woad, and 3 ounces alum. Apply hot.
Brown Stain.- ½ pound Vandyke brown, 2 ounces carbonate of soda in 12 ounces water, and 1 pound washing soda. Add ½ ounce bichromate of potash.
Chocolate Stain. –Burnt sienna and Vandyke brown in equal quantities with water.
Crimson Stain. – Boil 1 pound brazil-wood in 3 pints of water for an hour; add ¼ ounce cochineal; then boil again for half an hour.
Green Stain.- Yellow arsenic and indigo in water.
Orange Stain. – Mahogan lake, raw sienna, and chrome yellow in equal parts.
Purple Stain. – Logwood and brazil-wood solution, to which add 1 gallon of water. Finally use a sufficient quantity of paearlash to obtain the desired tint.
Red Stain. – 1 pound brazil-wood, 1 ounce pearlash, and apply hot. Then add a solution of 1 ½ ounces of alum to 1 quart of water to the surface already treated.
Yellow Stain. – Lemon chrome mixed with size and applied warm.
Aniline dyes in practically every shade can be obtained in powder form which are soluble in water. When these are used as stains, a little vinegar must be added to bind the colour to the material.
Floor stains. – The cheapest stain of any colour is made with aniline colours dissolved in hot water. Some of these will fade, but yellow, red, and brown, especially when covered with a coat of linseed oil, will last for a very long time. Any one tone can be obtained by blending the colours.
Glue Paint for Kitchen Floor. – A good cheap paint for kitchen floors is made up of 3 pounds of yellow and 2 pounds white lead. Mix well together. Then dissolve 2 ounces of glue in 1 quart of water, stirring well until smooth and nearly boiling. Thicken the gum water until it will spread smoothly over the floor. Apply hot with an ordinary paint-brush.
Spirit-Staining.
Water-staining has been dealt with at considerable length because stains made with this vehicle are undoubtedly the most popular, and the cheapest and easiest to make. Though not so commonly used, spirit stains possess many advantages over those mixed with water. The chief of these is that, as the spirit is volatile and has quick vaporising powers, it dries off quickly, so that the grain of the wood is practically unaffected. In addition to this, spirit stains can be applied to a polished surface, and can be depended on to penetrate the same, which is not the case with water stains. For spirit-staining certain dyes are used that specially lend themselves to manipulation with spirit. Among the colours mixed in spirits are cochineal, indigo, logwood, brazilian redwood, sanders wood, dragon’s blood, turmeric, and saffron.
The following recipes for spirit stains merit attention:
Mahogany Stains. – In 1 pint of methylated spirit dissolve 2 ounces orange shellac, and add enough Bismarck brown to give the desired shade.
A fine mahogany stain is produced by mixing tincture of dragon’s blood and turmeric root in spirits of wine. By increasing or diminishing the proportion of each of the ingredients, the brown stain may be varied to a redder or yellower shade at will.
Walnut Stain. – ¼ pound sasphaltum in 1 pint of naphtha.
Oak Stain. – 2 ounces raw sienna in oil, ¼ pint turpentine, ¼ pint paraffin. Stain may be brightened or darkened by using more or less paraffin.
Ebony Stain. – Spirit black thinned with japanner’s gold size and turpentine.
Satinwood Stain. – 2 pints alcohol, 3 ounces powdered gamboge, 6 ounces ground tumeric.Steep to obtain full strength, then strain through muslin. Apply two coats with a fine sponge; sandpaper when dry, and varnish or French polish.
Cherrywood Stain. – Red sanders wood dissolved in spirits of wine and thinned with methylated spirit will give the shade desired.
Brown. – 4 ounces dragon’s blood, 3 pints spirit of wine, 1 ounce soda.
Green. – Indigo and ground turmeric in equal parts dissolved in spirit.
Orange. – 1 ounce ground turmeric in 6 ounces spirits of wine.
Purple. – ½ pound madder, ¼ pound fustic, ¼ pound dragon’s blood, 1 ounce common soda – all dissolved in 3 pints spirit of wine.
Yellow. – 1 ounce ground turmeric in 1 pint of methylated spirit.
Oil Stains.
Oil Stains are similar in character to spirit stains, and are perhaps the most durable used by polishers, on account of the penetrative power of the oil and its slowness in drying. Varnish stains, which are akin to oil stains, though largely sold by oil-dealers, should be avoided, as they give anything but satisfactory results. Water or oil stains are both cheaper and more effective.
In mixing oil stains, it is best to buy the pigments required ground in oil, as dry colours are somewhat difficult to manipulate by the inexperienced. In addition to these, use 2 parts of turpentine to 1 of linseed oil, and ½ part of liquid driers. For new and porous wood use more oil and less turpentine.
For oil stains any of the following pigments may be used: Raw umber, burnt umber, Vandyke brown, raw and burnt sienna, blue black, indigo, mahogany lake, yellow lake, gamboge, terra vert, japanner’s black, and asphaltum. These and any other colours that are transparent may be freely used in oil stains.
The following recipes for mixing oil stains are recommended:
Mahogany Stain. – Venetian red mixed with linseed oils as above.
Walnut Stain. – Brunswick black thinned with turpentine.
Oak Stain. – ¼ pound asphaltum mixed in turpentine.
Rosewood Stain. – Venetian red with a touch of black.
Ebony Stain. – Drop black in boiled linseed oil.
Satinwood Stain. – Raw sienna with a little burnt sienna.
Cherrywood Stain. – 1 quart spirits of turpentine, 1 pint or varnish, 1 pound burnt sienna.
Blue. – Prussian blue.
Brown. – 2 parts lampblack, 3 parts Indian red, 1 part yellow ochre.
Chocolate. – This tint may be obtained by varying the proportions of the above and adding a little vermilion.
Crimson. – Crimson lake.
Green. – Prussian blue and raw sienna.
Grey. – Ochre, raw sienna, lampblack, and whiting.
Orange. – Orange chrome.
Purple. – Indian red, whiting, and ultramarine.
Red. – Crimson lake.
Scarlet. – Vermilion.
Yellow. – Lemon chrome.
The above recipes and those given in previous sections are for those who, for various reasons, desire to mix their own stains. But most users, and especially beginners, will probably prefer to buy stains ready mixed. For these Stephens’ water stains are excellent and reliable. They can be used as purchased, or thinned down to suit the taste of the user.
Aniline Dyes.
Then there are the aniline dyes, of which two classes are obtainable – the alkaline and the acid. The alkaline is used with water as a vehicle, and the acid with spirits. These are usefully employed for self-colours, and are extensively used. In addition to these thee are many patent stains on the market, for which large and sometimes extravagant claims are made. These claims should be taken with a grain of salt, and if the purchaser of these commodities bears two points in mind he will not go far wrong. In the first place, in buying stains, buy only the products of manufacturing firms of established reputation. Secondly, follow the directions given for the use of the stain with scrupulous care. Half the troubles of the amateur arise from the fact that he reads the directions for use carelessly, and omits to follow them. Then, when he turns out bad work, he lays the blame on the makers of the materials he has been using, instead of on his own shoulders. This is wrong. Anything that is worth doing is worth doing well, and in staining, a well-finished job will well repay the labour and care that has been bestowed on it. Finally, one reminder to those mixing their own stains: Remember that water stains must be dissolved in hot water, but for spirit stains heat is not necessary. Simply add the stains to the spirits, shake well, and they are ready for use.
Click here to read Chapter 2. 'Woods for staining'.
And dont forget to visit our website www.hungary4deco.co.uk to see how these techniques have been use to restore some beautiful pieces of Art Deco furniture.
Be sure to bookmark this page and use the guide as you work.
And visit our website www.hungary4deco.co.uk to see where some of these techniques have been used to restore some beautiful pieces of Art Deco Furniture.
The value of staining. Chapter 1.
Fifty years ago a knowledge of staining was more widely diffused than it is today. Then every experienced cabinet-maker had a good working knowledge of the art, and was conversant with its methods. But that day has passed. We are now living in an age of specialisation in which the worker is master of a section of a craft, and his work is limited to only a few operations. So it has come about that those who now know anything of the art of staining are comparatively few, and the polisher belongs to a small and privileged class. The cabinet-maker and upholsterer between them make stately and artistic furniture in which they may take an honest pride, but they are dependent on the polisher to give it the beautiful lustrous appearance it assumes when displayed in the showroom. But why should the cabinetmaker, or, indeed, why should anyone interested in the subject, remain in ignorance of the interesting and delightful art of staining? By cabinet-makers, the intricacies and intimate secrets of the craft should be easily and quickly mastered, as they are already acquainted with one important branch to fit- the nature and properties of woods. To those who own furniture of any kind- and their name is legion- a mastery of this art may easily become a most valuable asset. By its use a handsome piece of furniture may be made from common wood, and old furniture, drab and lustreless, can be improved out of recognition.
Staining:
What it is-What, then, is staining? Let us commence with a rough definition. Staining is a kind of secondary painting that is accomplished by saturating wood or any other porous material, but otherwise the general appearance of the wood as regards grain is retained. On the other hand, in graining the original wood is entirely ignored, and a new surface imposed, on which the colour and veining of another wood is produced.
The general purpose of staining is to preserve and beautify the wood it is applied to, and to bring out effectively the light and shade of the grain. Artistic staining effects a wonderful transformation. The colouring takes off the newness and raw aspect of the wood, and imparts dignity, solidity, and charm.
Variety of Stains.
There are many methods of staining, and those most employed are water-staining, oil-staining, spirit-staining, and chemical-staining. The most popular of these are water- and spirit-staining. Stains that have water as a medium are the cheapest and easiest to make. Spirit stains, though they cost more, are superior in effect, as the spirit, being volatile, dries very quickly. On the other hand, where water stains are used the grain of the wood has a tendency to rise; also when used on new wood, water stains are apt to roughen the surface. Both of these varieties of stains can be obtained ready mixed from any oil-dealer in all the usual colours, among which oak, walnut, mahogany, rosewood, ebony, art green, and many other shades, are included. Where uniformity of colour and quality is required, it is both convenient and desirable to buy these stains ready made, provided always that the packages bought bear the name and trade-mark of makers of established reputation. This point is important, and it cannot be too strongly emphasised that satisfactory work cannot be turned out if the materials used are inferior or uncertain in quality. Another method is to buy stains in powdered form which require only the addition of water or methylated spirit.
Water Stains.-
The most economical stains are made of size, dry colours, and water. The size is used as a binding agent to unite the particles of the paint and to prevent the stain brushing off. In mixing up a stain of this kind, 2 pounds of size should be added to each gallon of water. The amount of colour to be used depends upon the colouring power of the powder and the shade required, and this can easily be ascertained by experimenting with a minute quantity of the colouring on a piece of wood.
The stains are made and also applied hot with a fairly soft brush. For this purpose a painter’s sash tool is the best.
Water stains are not so powerful as spirit or oil stains, and for heavy staining a number of applications of water stain is required. Between each coat of stain the wood should be rubbed over with glass-paper, care being taken that as little of the colouring be removed during the process of papering as possible.
Another important point to remember is that water dries very slowly, and although you may be tempted, when using water stains to hasten the process of evaporation by the use of artificial means, this temptation must be avoided, and the stain be allowed to dry naturally.
Where only a light stain is to be applied, the work may be damped off first, and the grain so raised papered off when the wood is dry. After this apply the stain again, which when dry will need less rubbing.
Water stains dry quickly on new wood or on any porous material, but on any non-porous surface, such as old polish or varnish, they make a heavy call on the patience of the worker, and dry with irritating slowness.
It has already been stated that the great drawback of water stains when used on new work is that they have a tendency to roughen the surface and raise the grain of the wood. This can be counteracted in great measure by cutting down the grain with fine glass-paper while the wood is still damp. By this means the fibres of the wood, swelled by damp or moisture, are in some measure forced back again into the pores.
The following colours are used in water staining: Vandyke brown, raw umber, burnt umber, raw sienna, burnt sienna, blue-black, indigo, mahogany lake, yellow lake, gamboge, terra vert; also aniline dyes and other transparent pigments.
Recipes For Water Stains. –
For those who prefer to make their own stains, the following recipes can be recommended with confidence:
Mahogany stain. – Burnt sienna mixed in water with a little glue size for binding makes a useful stain for this colour.
Walnut stain. – Mix equal parts vandyke brown and umber with liquid ammonia to the consistency of a thin paste; then reduce with water to the required shade.
Oak stain. – Mix ¼ pound vandyke brown with liquid ammonia, diluted with water.
Rosewood Stain. – Mix 10 parts of water to 1 part of logwood, and apply warm.
Ebony Stain. – 1 pound of logwood chips cut fine; ¼ pound of brazil-wood cut fine in 1 ½ gallons rainwater. Apply this as a first coating while hot. Before this is dry apply a second solution made up of ¼ pound gall-nuts dissolved in 1 gallon of water. Two or three coats should give a satisfactory effect. If a more intense colour is required, make up a solution of 2 ounces of sulphate of iron, and 1 quart of water, and give a final coat with this.
Satinwood Stain. – Grind raw sienna in clear water and add a modicum of burnt sienna.
Cherrywood Stain. – Dissolve dark yellow ochre in water, and add a little stale beer as a binder for the colour, and apply one coat. Follow this with a coat of red lake.
Blue Stain. – Add 1 gallon of boiling water 1pound of indigo, 2 pounds woad, and 3 ounces alum. Apply hot.
Brown Stain.- ½ pound Vandyke brown, 2 ounces carbonate of soda in 12 ounces water, and 1 pound washing soda. Add ½ ounce bichromate of potash.
Chocolate Stain. –Burnt sienna and Vandyke brown in equal quantities with water.
Crimson Stain. – Boil 1 pound brazil-wood in 3 pints of water for an hour; add ¼ ounce cochineal; then boil again for half an hour.
Green Stain.- Yellow arsenic and indigo in water.
Orange Stain. – Mahogan lake, raw sienna, and chrome yellow in equal parts.
Purple Stain. – Logwood and brazil-wood solution, to which add 1 gallon of water. Finally use a sufficient quantity of paearlash to obtain the desired tint.
Red Stain. – 1 pound brazil-wood, 1 ounce pearlash, and apply hot. Then add a solution of 1 ½ ounces of alum to 1 quart of water to the surface already treated.
Yellow Stain. – Lemon chrome mixed with size and applied warm.
Aniline dyes in practically every shade can be obtained in powder form which are soluble in water. When these are used as stains, a little vinegar must be added to bind the colour to the material.
Floor stains. – The cheapest stain of any colour is made with aniline colours dissolved in hot water. Some of these will fade, but yellow, red, and brown, especially when covered with a coat of linseed oil, will last for a very long time. Any one tone can be obtained by blending the colours.
Glue Paint for Kitchen Floor. – A good cheap paint for kitchen floors is made up of 3 pounds of yellow and 2 pounds white lead. Mix well together. Then dissolve 2 ounces of glue in 1 quart of water, stirring well until smooth and nearly boiling. Thicken the gum water until it will spread smoothly over the floor. Apply hot with an ordinary paint-brush.
Spirit-Staining.
Water-staining has been dealt with at considerable length because stains made with this vehicle are undoubtedly the most popular, and the cheapest and easiest to make. Though not so commonly used, spirit stains possess many advantages over those mixed with water. The chief of these is that, as the spirit is volatile and has quick vaporising powers, it dries off quickly, so that the grain of the wood is practically unaffected. In addition to this, spirit stains can be applied to a polished surface, and can be depended on to penetrate the same, which is not the case with water stains. For spirit-staining certain dyes are used that specially lend themselves to manipulation with spirit. Among the colours mixed in spirits are cochineal, indigo, logwood, brazilian redwood, sanders wood, dragon’s blood, turmeric, and saffron.
The following recipes for spirit stains merit attention:
Mahogany Stains. – In 1 pint of methylated spirit dissolve 2 ounces orange shellac, and add enough Bismarck brown to give the desired shade.
A fine mahogany stain is produced by mixing tincture of dragon’s blood and turmeric root in spirits of wine. By increasing or diminishing the proportion of each of the ingredients, the brown stain may be varied to a redder or yellower shade at will.
Walnut Stain. – ¼ pound sasphaltum in 1 pint of naphtha.
Oak Stain. – 2 ounces raw sienna in oil, ¼ pint turpentine, ¼ pint paraffin. Stain may be brightened or darkened by using more or less paraffin.
Ebony Stain. – Spirit black thinned with japanner’s gold size and turpentine.
Satinwood Stain. – 2 pints alcohol, 3 ounces powdered gamboge, 6 ounces ground tumeric.Steep to obtain full strength, then strain through muslin. Apply two coats with a fine sponge; sandpaper when dry, and varnish or French polish.
Cherrywood Stain. – Red sanders wood dissolved in spirits of wine and thinned with methylated spirit will give the shade desired.
Brown. – 4 ounces dragon’s blood, 3 pints spirit of wine, 1 ounce soda.
Green. – Indigo and ground turmeric in equal parts dissolved in spirit.
Orange. – 1 ounce ground turmeric in 6 ounces spirits of wine.
Purple. – ½ pound madder, ¼ pound fustic, ¼ pound dragon’s blood, 1 ounce common soda – all dissolved in 3 pints spirit of wine.
Yellow. – 1 ounce ground turmeric in 1 pint of methylated spirit.
Oil Stains.
Oil Stains are similar in character to spirit stains, and are perhaps the most durable used by polishers, on account of the penetrative power of the oil and its slowness in drying. Varnish stains, which are akin to oil stains, though largely sold by oil-dealers, should be avoided, as they give anything but satisfactory results. Water or oil stains are both cheaper and more effective.
In mixing oil stains, it is best to buy the pigments required ground in oil, as dry colours are somewhat difficult to manipulate by the inexperienced. In addition to these, use 2 parts of turpentine to 1 of linseed oil, and ½ part of liquid driers. For new and porous wood use more oil and less turpentine.
For oil stains any of the following pigments may be used: Raw umber, burnt umber, Vandyke brown, raw and burnt sienna, blue black, indigo, mahogany lake, yellow lake, gamboge, terra vert, japanner’s black, and asphaltum. These and any other colours that are transparent may be freely used in oil stains.
The following recipes for mixing oil stains are recommended:
Mahogany Stain. – Venetian red mixed with linseed oils as above.
Walnut Stain. – Brunswick black thinned with turpentine.
Oak Stain. – ¼ pound asphaltum mixed in turpentine.
Rosewood Stain. – Venetian red with a touch of black.
Ebony Stain. – Drop black in boiled linseed oil.
Satinwood Stain. – Raw sienna with a little burnt sienna.
Cherrywood Stain. – 1 quart spirits of turpentine, 1 pint or varnish, 1 pound burnt sienna.
Blue. – Prussian blue.
Brown. – 2 parts lampblack, 3 parts Indian red, 1 part yellow ochre.
Chocolate. – This tint may be obtained by varying the proportions of the above and adding a little vermilion.
Crimson. – Crimson lake.
Green. – Prussian blue and raw sienna.
Grey. – Ochre, raw sienna, lampblack, and whiting.
Orange. – Orange chrome.
Purple. – Indian red, whiting, and ultramarine.
Red. – Crimson lake.
Scarlet. – Vermilion.
Yellow. – Lemon chrome.
The above recipes and those given in previous sections are for those who, for various reasons, desire to mix their own stains. But most users, and especially beginners, will probably prefer to buy stains ready mixed. For these Stephens’ water stains are excellent and reliable. They can be used as purchased, or thinned down to suit the taste of the user.
Aniline Dyes.
Then there are the aniline dyes, of which two classes are obtainable – the alkaline and the acid. The alkaline is used with water as a vehicle, and the acid with spirits. These are usefully employed for self-colours, and are extensively used. In addition to these thee are many patent stains on the market, for which large and sometimes extravagant claims are made. These claims should be taken with a grain of salt, and if the purchaser of these commodities bears two points in mind he will not go far wrong. In the first place, in buying stains, buy only the products of manufacturing firms of established reputation. Secondly, follow the directions given for the use of the stain with scrupulous care. Half the troubles of the amateur arise from the fact that he reads the directions for use carelessly, and omits to follow them. Then, when he turns out bad work, he lays the blame on the makers of the materials he has been using, instead of on his own shoulders. This is wrong. Anything that is worth doing is worth doing well, and in staining, a well-finished job will well repay the labour and care that has been bestowed on it. Finally, one reminder to those mixing their own stains: Remember that water stains must be dissolved in hot water, but for spirit stains heat is not necessary. Simply add the stains to the spirits, shake well, and they are ready for use.
Click here to read Chapter 2. 'Woods for staining'.
And dont forget to visit our website www.hungary4deco.co.uk to see how these techniques have been use to restore some beautiful pieces of Art Deco furniture.
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