As part of a project the HO bought a rolling library ladder off ebay. It’s in very good condition, but needs a little refreshing, which could easily be done with a new coat of varnish (generic term). But … HO thinks he wants a different color stain as well. It’s red oak with a light brown stain. I don’t want to sand it down to bare wood, so I’m thinking a light sanding followed by some type of gel stain maybe … ?
I’m sorry, I thought you wanted it done the right way.
Replies
HO wants it darker, I presume. ???
Lighter is much harder to do without removing the existing colorant.
Do you know (have you tested to see) what the existing finish is?
Do you have an HVLP rig and experience using it?
Bottom line here is that if darker is the preference, shading and toning colorants can likely/hopefully be applied over the existing finish......followed by new clear coats. It does depend upon the type of existing finish though. Shellac, nitro-lacquer, OB poly and such are a go. If the existing finish is a conversion finish like cat-lacquer, you gottem bigger problem.
If there's silicone contamination present (Pledge or similar), you've got another challenge to overcome. That's doable though.
Got a well-versed and experienced custom cab shop nearby? They may be your best bet, if they have the shading and toning colorants on hand. Otherwise, you'd be in for setting up an account with Mohawk or similar vendor to acqure these products and then there's the minimum order deal. $$$
However......if you buy the right colorant products now, those can be used interchangably to make up custom stains and shading/toning products in the future.
Another possibility would be (dependent on existing finish) to shoot shellac with trans-tint dye in it to change the the color and then shoot your new clear coats over the top. (Trans-tints available from Homestead Finishing)
Edit: That would be a dewaxed shellac (like Zinnser's SealCoat with the trans-tint dye).
Knowledge is power, but only if applied in a timely fashion.
Edited 6/2/2005 10:29 pm ET by GOLDHILLER
Darker is better.
No idea what the finish is.
Don't have an hvlp setup.
Time to experiment, Mr Hyde.
I'm sorry, I thought you wanted it done the right way.
Ed,Here's an example of a somewhat dramatic change of color via those shading and toning colorants from Mohawk Finishing. Either the base concentrates or the universal colors can be used for this sort of thing (dissolved in lacquer thinner), but the two different products give you different options for other/additional usages....like making up stains (also requires some of their proprietary reducer).......or making up your own colored lacquers, etc. Anyway, if you go this recolor over the existing route (whether trans-tints or toning colorants)......they'll be some planning involved regarding the order of work and they'll likely be a bunch of masking to do. Probably want to shoot the treads and the stringers separately from one another to avoid heavy shading in the corners. Then again, maybe the HO would like that effect. (Note in pic that the balusters are masked off from the treads. And yes, we even had to shoot this one with the carpet runner in place. Matches the hall upstairs and that pattern isn't made anymore. Woulda ruined it to pull it up.)Knowledge is power, but only if applied in a timely fashion.
Minwax Polyshades.
MERC.
Is there an inconspicuous place you can do some testing on?
I've had pretty good luck playing around with gel stains. I put some on and spread it around real thin. (Easier to put more on than to take some off)
If you get it a bit too thick, soak a clean rag with some paint thinner and you can wipe some of it off or spread it out thinner before it dries.
Ed,
You could try using Transtint dyes. Woodcraft carries them and they are soluble in alcohol or water. Homestead finishing, http://www.homesteadfinishing.com/, produces the dyes and also sells them for less money than Woodcraft.
I use the liquid dye in shellac or alcohol for all of the repair I do on antique furniture. Use a good quality wax free shellac and tint it as dark as you like then apply with a brush. If you don't like the results then wipe it off with denatured alcohol.
I also apply a first coat of shellac then use the dye in alcohol to blend in new wood repairs. When doing this I also have a rag moistened with alcohol to help control the blotching of the stain which sometimes happens if the shellac is slightly soft.
I also make my own glazes with gold size, pumice, oil pigments, and mineral spirits. This works great for adding a darker aged patina to new wood and is easy to work with as well. If you want the recipe let me know.
I use these techniques because I do not have any type of spray equipment and the results are easy to achieve with just a modicum of experience and equipment. Plus if you mess up it is easy to fix.
As long as you use a dewaxed shellac you can use most any type of finish over top for more durability. Shellac also sticks to most all finishes as well.
Good luck.
J.P.