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Coloring Finishing And Painting Wood
Each solution should be mixed separately before pouring together, gradually adding the black solution, however, until the correct color is obtained. Other spirit-soluble colors may be used to produce a more accurate tone when applied to the light portions.
The chief objections to this method of evening up tones are that spirit-soluble stains are somewhat fugitive, and the grain is obscured to some extent. The effect is somewhat like that produced with varnish-stains.
Oiling with boiled linseed-oil is the next step after sanding and staining sap-streaks, and this brings out the real color which is clear and transparent with no pigment to obscure the beauty of the grain. The oil should be diluted with about three parts of turpentine or naphtha. Raw linseed-oil warmed or heated can be used to great advantage, but it dries very slowly, and slows up the finishing process. The diluted boiled linseed-oil penetrates the wood deeply and leaves no gum or residue in places that are difficult to rub.
Slightly better results can be obtained by giving the fumed wood two or more coats instead of one of the diluted boiled oil, rubbing it well into the wood first with an oil-soaked pad and later with dry or nearly dry rags, waste, or other cleaning material. The oil should be allowed to dry two or three days between coats, and even longer, if possible, before any other finish is applied over it.
50. Procedure for Fumed-Oak Finish.—The steps in finishing an article of white oak, in chronological order, are as follows:
1. Raise the grain of the wood, by sponging the surface with water, and then allow it to dry.
2. Re sand the entire sponged surface, to remove all fuzz which always appears on wood after wetting it with water.6
3. Apply a coat of a tannic-acid solution containing about 1/2 oz. of tannic-acid powder to the quart of water. ( Use part or all pyrogallic-acid solution for a more reddish tone.) If none of these acids is at hand, open the pores by sponging with water, and fume longer.
4. Fume in a tight fuming-box or room for 6 to 48 hours, depending upon the box, the strength of the ammonia, the wood used, and the shade of brown desired. Use approximately 1/4 pint of 26° ammonia in charging a box having 64 cubic feet of space.
5. Test for color with a spot of oil in an inconspicuous place on the article. Another coat of tannin solution may be applied and the article re-fumed for a darker color.
6. Stain all sap-streaks to even up the color. Slightly stain any boards or portions that are too light.
7. Sand the surfaces lightly with Xo. 000 sandpaper.
