Can you remove/reduce the orange colour of pine which has aged a while?

[jgkgolf]

Hi, I'm trying to find a fireplace secondhand on Ebay and would like the wooden surround to roughly match the stripped pine doors. However it's proving very difficult to find one I like which hasn't been stained or if unstained, doesn't have a very orange tinge.

If pine is unstained but orange in colour is there any way to reduce or remove this colour, ie make it paler/whiter? Thanks.

[The Medway Handyman]

Never tried it but...

[jgkgolf]

Thanks Dave. Would I get the same result by having the wooden surround dipped/stripped?

[The Natural Philosopher]

You can burn it or cover it in paint.

Both recommended.

;-)

[Stuart Noble]

Two part bleach works well on bare timber, and will also sort of work where the existing finish is oil or wax based. Won't work at all on a polyurethane finish though. Caustic dipping will help kill the orange but, again, not on a polyurethane finish. Part 1 of the above bleach is a strong alkali anyway, but part 2 (peroxide) is what lightens the wood.

[jgkgolf]

Thanks Stuart.

I've seen a fireplace I really like on Ebay but the owner isn't sure if the finish it has is polyurethane (lacquer?) applied by the manafacturer which is non-removable or if it is Varnish which would be removable. Is there any easy way of knowing which it is?

[robgraham]

One thing I found when experimenting with staining what is laughing called 'red pine' nowadays for skirting and door facings was to stain the wood light pink - Red Mahogany stain 'watered' down, and then use 'Light Oak' stain over that. It gave the wood I had an acceptable match to old pine doors that had developed a natural soft-set honey colour.

Rob

[Stuart Noble]

That is surprising. Vandyke crystals is the usual way because of the depth and the dullness of the colour. It has a mauve hue, rather like garnet shellac. Orange plus mauve equals brown I guess...