Vent - Why Don't Stain Colors Match Across Brands?

[DerbyDad03]

So I've been testing various stains for my daughter's bed project. I'm finding that nobody's finish colors match, some aren't even close. Minwax Polyshades Pecan doesn't even come close to Old Master's Pecan Gel, Watco Oil Cherry doesn't come close Zar's Cherry Wiping stain. In fact, via a call to MInWax, I found out that their own Polyshades Pecan doesn't match their own Golden Pecan Wiping stain.

I know that they are all different types of finishes, but the colors with the same names are so different it's amazing.

My daughter likes the color of the MinWax Polyshades Pecan, but it needs to brushed on and I don't have the patience to brush such a large project. In the end, I found that the Zar wiping stain in Cherry comes very, very close to the Polyshades Pecan. Once it's stained, I'll decide on a wipe-on final finish.

Props to Woodcraft and a local paint store for testing a bunch of finishes for me. In the end it was the local paint store that found the best match.

[krw]

I don't know why you think it's amazing. Different brands of paint aren't the same, either.

[Ed Pawlowski]

Sometimes even natural finish varies from tree to tree. Stains offer artistic license.

[Leon]

I guess it is like, why don't Ford wheels fit a Chevrolet? Basically product protection.

I had to match Candle Light stain from Lawrence McFadden. They went out of business several years ago. Oddly General Finishes had a very close match with the same name color.

[Sonny]

Often times, when touching up or refinishing parts of/for old furniture, which has/had darkened considerably, I find Minwax oil based English Chestnut is a good match for many of the darkened/"blackened" old finishes.

Lately, I had to rebuild parts for an old oak filing cabinet. Sample stains on oak didn't match. English Chestnut-stained walnut matched the old darkened *finish of the cabinet.

Sonny

[Just Wondering]

How would you resolve this? Have some federal bureaucrat impose a color standard? Have one company make whatever colors it wants, and make everyone else match it? Would you have the standard-setting company make its formula public so others could match it?

[dpb]

On 09/28/2016 7:11 PM, DerbyDad03 wrote: ...

There'd be no challenge in that! :)

I'd think it obvious why and is clearly advantageous that there are the multitude from which to choose.

One can, of course, build any color one wants with dyes and some knowledge of how color works (which isn't all _that_ hard, but it isn't totally intuitive, either, without some education/training).

It's pretty-much a lost art outside of some specialty places in my experience what with the advent of the machine-matching gear.

[Markem]

But make sure the federal government sells the right to impose the color standards. Pantone would be a great choice, so we know the bureaucrat wil say no till they donate to many candidates and have them override the bureaucrats.

[Ed Pawlowski]

Sounds like something the EU would do. Send your paint samples to Brussels for approval.

[whit3rd]

That's not just what one can do, it's what one MUST do. The ritual of dabbing finishes on scraps is an essential part of the joy of woodworking.

Every species, every individual tree, all the oils, stains, pigments, and dyes, are a continual surprise (to me, at least). It's a bit like a treasure hunt, really. So, experiment and enjoy! As with all experimentation, keep a notebook handy.

[dadiOH]

Which only works if the person using it understands what they are doing.

[DerbyDad03]

...and has all sorts of finishes and dyes available to mix, something the occasional weekend hobbyist woodworker (such as myself) might not have.

Now, I could probably come with all sorts of *paint* colors using the leftovers I have, but my supply of stains is limited and dyes is nil. ;-)