Re: In the design stage.
Here are some stains that I played with today on some swamp ash wood.
They are all MINWAX water-based wood stains. I personally don’t like there oil-based stain just doesn’t seem to penetrate as good as the water-based. Just my opinion.
1. Cherry Blossom – the red one
2. Northern Ivy – the green one
3. Island Water – the blue one
4. Blue Hawaii – the grayish blue one
5. Onyx – the black one
6. They all have S&S on top of the stain.
In other wards, wood, stain and then S&S. I did try some MINWAX wood conditioner on the long piece of wood but I can’t see any difference with the naked eye. It is supposed to make it evenly stain but I did not have a problem getting it even. I applied the stain with a cut up t-shirt by hand. I only left the stain on for one minute then wiped it of with a clean piece of cloth. The light colored stains needed two coats and the dark ones need one, in my opinion.
I tried it with two coats of onyx and then sand back so it is just in the grain. I like that way it makes the grain really pop out. I also did it with out the bass of onyx and it looked allright but no real pop to it.
I did not fill the grain on these test pieces. I did sand the wood to 220 grit then stained and then I hit it with a light two pass with 220 grit then applied the S&S.
With black bass coat. Northern Ivy and Blue Hawaii.
With out black bass coat. Northern Ivy and Blue Hawaii.
With black bass coat. Cherry Blossom and Island Waters.
With out black bass coat. Cherry Blossom and Island Waters.
All four colors with out black bass coat. Cherry Blossom, Island Waters, Northern Ivy and Blue Hawaii.
Just the sanded back Onyx with S&S.