Q: Are there any of your books or DVDs that I can buy that would help me solve problems I am having with staining projects?
A: All four of my books and my DVD cover various aspects of staining, both in how to apply stains evenly and how to correct for uneven staining. The best combination, [...]
Q: When I try to stain a project like a bookcase that has both red oak plywood and solid red oak, the colors of the two parts come out drastically different.
A: There are several steps that will help you deal with this, and you may need just one or many. First, sand both the plywood [...]
Q: I am coloring wood with cherry stain. I left the stain on way too long, and now it is tacky and shiny. Do I need to correct this issue before I spray on satin polyurethane?
A: Yep, you sure do. Most stains do not have enough binder to act as coats of finish. Thus, if [...]
Q: Where can I go to learn both repair techniques and antiquing techniques for gilded objects?
A: If you look online you will find some information posted there, such as this PDF. http://www.aidanharticons.com/articles/Oct%2007/GILDING%20TECHNIQUES.pdf
However, the best source I’ve found for gilding information, other than studying with someone directly, is this magazine. I’d subscribe to it if I [...]
Q: What is the best protecting coat over gilded projects and how do we get an antique look?
A: There are two types of gold leaf; real gold, which is pure gold hammered to thin sheets, and imitation leaf, sometimes called Dutch metal. Generally speaking, real gold is not antiqued, nor top coated. If you are [...]
Q: There’s a method I want to try; waterbased dye, seal, gel stain left dark in corners and wiped to simulate wear, top coat. How can I brush top coat using varnish without screwing up the gel, since varnish needs scratches to hold to?
A: No it doesn’t. Just let the gel dry thoroughly so that [...]
Q: Can I add dry pigment to lacquer to color it?
A: In theory, yes. In practice, it is almost impossible to get pigment powders to disperse uniformly in liquids. When we add them in the industry we use tools specifically designed for forcing pigments to combine with liquids, such as ball mills and high shear [...]
Q: I have a lot of tubes of various oil paints on hand. Could I use oil paints as a pigment to add to lacquer?
A: If you are talking about concentrated oil colors in paste form in tubes, yes you can mix a small amount into lacquer, but don’t try to add too much. Even [...]
Q: Where can I get information on custom color stain? We can’t find the color we want for an entertainment center. Can you teach us how to mix our own?
A: I can indeed, and in fact, have done so in all four of my books on finishing and many times in magazine articles. However, there [...]
Q: I’m having some problems getting dye to take evenly on soft maple.
A: I’m not surprised. Soft maple is notorious for growing with twisted and wavy fibers. That means when you cut a flat surface, you are actually getting flat grain interspersed with end grain. When you stain, whether with pigments or dyes, the end [...]
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