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Coloring Finishing And Painting Wood

23. Advantages of Pigment Oil-Stains:

1. They are easily prepared.

2. They are very easy to apply, even by children.

3. They do not raise the grain, consequently sponging and resanding are unnecessary, and two operations are saved.

4. They may be used on thin veneers without danger of loosening the glue.

5. They are cheaper to apply than water-stains, consequently they are used on cheap furniture, and frequently in house-finishing.

6. They are good to use on the interior of case-goods where raising the grain and resanding.are difficult.

7. They generally contain a certain amount of some drying-oil, such as linseed-oil, and in drying leave a thin varnish-like film which protects the wood to some extent.

8. A drying-oil, such as linseed-oil, unless it is bleached, darkens the wopd even without being mixed with any colors.

9. Oil-colors can be mixed with wood-filler, and this combination stains and fills in one operation.

10. Oil-stains can be used successfully on certain very absorptive woods, such as cypress which becomes very rough and porous when water-staining is attempted.

11. Stains containing a drying-oil, such as linseed-oil, do not penetrate as deeply into the wood as they do when turpentine is used. Stains with drying-oils as the vehicle give an even, flat tone, however, because they do not penetrate unevenly in spots on account of irregular wavy or end-grain around or near knots.

12. Attractive effects can be produced with several of the pigment oil-stains on some of the close-grained woods, such as poplar, cherry, maple, white pine, and even on walnut which is somewhat porous.

24. Disadvantages of Pigment Oil-Stains:

1. Oil-stains do not penetrate deeply, and as a result they are easily cut through by sandpaper, or are quickly worn off by use.

2. Re-staining is difficult with oil-stains, therefore the proper color must be secured with one coat. (If the stain is raised with benzene, another darker color can be applied with some success.)