Stains for Wood

STAINS FOR WOOD The finishing of interior woodwork, and particularly of the finer woods, calls for good knowledge of materials and careful workmanship. All high-class jobs of this sort require several applications and manipulations. Moreover, the finishing must be varied according to the character of the wood used. The more porous or open-grained woods are usually given a paste filler carrying some color before stains are applied, while the less porous or close-grained woods can be brought to a state of fine finish without the use of fillers.

Wood finishers usually classify oak, walnut, ash, butternut, chestnut, and mahogany as opengrained woods with which a paste filler is advisable for a fine finish; while in the class of closegrained woods, where such a filler is not necessary although sometimes used, they put birch, cherry, maple, circassian walnut, gum, white and yellow pine, basswood, spruce, fir, redwood, cedar, and yellow poplar.

Stains are usually designated as "spirit," "oil," or "water" stains, depending upon the vehicle in which the colors are mixed. Spirit stains are usually made with alcohol. It is claimed that the alcohol evaporates so quickly that it is impossible to apply spirit stains evenly on a large surface. Oil stains are used most largely on close-grained woods, and give a smooth finish with excellent effect, but are said to be somewhat less transparent than water stains. The users of water stains claim that they produce clear, transparent colors, and that they can be evenly and quickly applied on all kinds of wood, and also are susceptible to any subsequent method of finishing.

After the wood is stained, the next step is the application of a finishing coat or varnish to preserve the stain. The number of coats of varnish applied depends upon the fineness of finish desired. It may be two or three on woodwork, or a large number on a high-class article like a piano case. Finishes may be gloss finishes, rubbed finishes, or rubbed and polished finishes, depending upon the manner in which applied. Moreover, there are flat finishes which produce the effect of a mission or rubbed finish without rubbing, and so are often used at a material saving in cost.

In the finishing of interior woodwork, it is especially important that the surface be absolutely clean and dry. It is also necessary that the room in which varnish is used be kept as nearly as possible to a temperature of 70°; for if it is cold, the varnish will not set properly.

There are many . manufacturers of reliable paints and stains of all kinds, who will promptly supply samples of their products upon application.