I'm building a DVD storage unit for DVD's and have been building it with poplar. I have tried a few stains on some test boards and can't seem to get the wood dark enough. I would like to have it look like a dark walnut. Has anyone finished poplar in a dark stain. Thanks
You need to give more info.
What kind of stain have you tried?
I would suggest a dye stain. Available at woodcraft. I have been very happy with Transtint dye stain. Just dilute with alcohol or water.
I've posted links to this piece a few times, but I'm proud of it so what the heck.
It is Poplar and I used General Finish Rosewood water based (eco safe) stain. Check it out. Go to the picture gallery for the closeups
A few tips.
Be real careful with dye stains. I only like them for wide open spaces. If you have seams or the inside and outside of a box, it can be real difficult to get an even color. Dye will hide in the seam and wick out later into the surrounding wood.
Also hard to do a smal patch at a time because it dries in just a minute and overlapping coats will be darler and you really have to feather it in.
Can get amazing results and very dark very fast but tales a lot of close attention and practice.
I have also noticed that. You really do have to apply it quickly (with alcohol anyway). I havent used water, but im guessing water will increase your application time. Im too afraid of raising the grain with water. Maybe a alcohol/H2O mixture would be better.
I first tried dye stain on maple when i couldn't get it dark enough. Boy does dye stain get her dark. You can go as dark as you want with a dye.
If you want some "cover" in addition to color, use an oil stain. Minwax Jacobean is _very_ dark. With an oil stain, successive applications will leave more pigment. With dyes, hardly worth it.
well why not use walnut (G) I hate stains they always look fake.
I have tried darker oil walnut stains but they didn't seem to get dark enough. I'll try some darker wood stains not in the walnut family. Thanks
This is my first project so I choose poplar so the mistakes would not cost to much. If I had it to do it over again I would not use polar again as there are a number of polar colors and trying to get boards that match has been tough. Another lesson learned. I have been looking at wood supply houses in the area and will get my wood from somewhere else then Lowe's.
Steve Knight wrote:
On Fri, 25 Feb 2005 14:34:44 -0500, the inscrutable Keith spake:
Yes, find the local hardwood stores and look around.
The actual cost of using shitwood + RBS:
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Combine the price of the poplar, the cost of the stain, and add the many hours of headaches you have with attempting to use them. Then compare that mess to having spent a few bucks more on real walnut. NOW you can determine the real cost.
(Hint: The pain AIN'T worth it!)
--- - Sarcasm is just one more service we offer. -
just giving you a hard time. I just hate stain myself.
Having come up the same way, I can say ain't nothin' like the real thing, baby. I've got a couple three projects around here that are stained poplar from Lowe's. I'm not ashamed of them, or trying to hide them from public scrutiny, but I sure am glad I found a place to procure the real stuff. Stained poplar just doesn't look a damn thing like walnut when you get down to it.
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============== Boy do I agree with what you said.... I can do without the headaches, I can do without the mess, and I can do without spending my time attempting to make something look like it is something else...
Bob
It sounds like you are building up a collection of stains. I have many also and if I have had occasionally needed to match or achieve a particular shade. I have mixed my own by combining stains. If all are of the same brand you can usually mix and match as necessary. i.e. 1 part Jacobean to 2 parts dark walnut will provide a very dark walnut. You make not like the Hue change the Jacobean gives, I didn't, but adding
1/2 part red mahogney took care of the problem and a second coat of stain after overnight drying game me the color I wanted. In my case I was using Minax oil stain to match an older piece that required a replacement end piece that was damaged during a move.As long as you keep track of the mix (write it down) you can test with small amounts. I soldered a stiff copper wire to an old metal thimble (swmbo hasn't missed it yet) to use as a dipper. Once I get the shade I want, it is easy to mix up a large enough batch to do the project from your notes. Two words of caution here. 1. Make sure your stains are completely mixed prior to testing and remix about every 10 minutes. These are pigment stains and will begin to settle very quickly 2. When done, if you like the mix you came up with and want to save it, make sure you label the formula on the jar/can. I can tell you the next time you want to use it, there will not be enough to complete the new job. Mix up a new batch and add the old to it and mix well. (DAMHIKT) HTH - George
On Sat, 26 Feb 2005 11:59:15 -0500, the inscrutable Bob G. spake:
And NEVER achieving the goal. Speaking of which, I was appalled at the walnut piece Jeff Jewitt did in the latest FWW. With all the stains and glazes, it looks just like stained alder/poplar/pineywood. Egad, man! I liked the sapwood as it was, TYVM.
--- - Sarcasm is just one more service we offer. -
On Sat, 26 Feb 2005 13:44:11 -0500, the inscrutable George Geddes spake:
You're quoting my post and saying that, so you're obviously confused, George. I like fine hardwoods to look their best and sure as hell don't discolor them intentionally. Feh! Repent, STAINERS!
- Yea, though I walk through the valley of Minwax, I shall stain no Cherry.
But toners are OK, right, or do we have to limit our choices to only the clearest superest blondest flavors of top coats too?
Like I said in my various rambles about the jummywood derby car I did, orange shellac actually makes jummywood look good. It has interesting possibilities. I'm glad I decided to try something that wasn't the clearest superest blondest flavor for a change. Nyah.
That car lost its ass, BTW, and so did my son's own walnut/jummywood offering. He didn't get a trophy for jacques schitt this year.
On Sun, 27 Feb 2005 00:39:38 -0500, the inscrutable Silvan spake:
Toners suck, glazes bite, and stick with Platina. Ya follow?
Yer taste is all in yer mouth, heathen.
Ah, the blonde leading the blind.
Condolences. Maybe you should have entered him instead of your son.
-- "Menja bé, caga fort!"
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