I’m picked up a table at a garage sale for 40$. It looks like this. With the top being ash butcher block. I’ve sanded the table down with 60, 80 and 120 grit paper and have wetted the table. I’m in the process of hitting it with a little 320 paper to just to take down any raised grain.
I looking for anyone with any experience with wood dyes. Specifically I’m looking at General Finishes dye stain as I’ve heard it is pretty easy to work with. I’m thinking of doing a layer of amber color and then layers of dark brown. This will be my first time working with wood dye so any hints would be great.
I’m also looking for suggestion on the clear coat after the dying process. This table will hopefully be my families main dinning table for years to come and want a strong durable finish.
Be careful with 320 grit, you could close up the pores in the wood and get uneven staining. Try everything out first on the bottom of the table. I’ve never stained wood in layers before so can’t offer any advice, but I’d be cautious about the effects. Again, try every thing out on the bottom of the table first. I think I’d use a hardening oil finish like Danish Oil. That will darken though. You might want to see what that looks like on the bottom before doing any staining. That’s just my preference though, there are lot of clear coats that can be used.
Very quick and easy finish that looks nice but needs occasional redoing: tung oil
My favorite finish: Tru Oil (it’s for finishing gun stocks. see sporting goods places)
I prefer the Tru Oil because once you have a smooth sanded surface you can apply the oil with a cotton ball in thin layers, letting them dry, cleaning up with steel wool, and then repeating, for a dozen or so passes.
Done that way, it’s a goof-proof way to get an excellent surface without the blobs and bubbles that come so easily with poly.
If you are good with poly, I would say go with that, it’s probably the easiest way to get to a durable shine.
In addition to a “… strong durable finish”, you want a nice-looking stain job, not a globby mess.
You might want to buy a cheap cutting board made of similar woods than sand that bare then refinish it first for practice.
Testing on the bottom side of your actual table as suggested above is a good last-chance check for how your particular hunks of wood will take your particular stain after your particular sanding & prep techniques. But I would not want to be learning staining techniques from the git-go under there.
Thanks for the help everyone. I have been doing some color tests in the area where the leg panels meet the underside of the table. With what I’ve heard and researched about wood dyes vs. stain is that you are supposed to use multiple layers to build a deep warm tone. **TriPolar ** I’ve heard about fine grit sanding closing off grain so I’ll be careful and do a little more research. I’m just looking to take down any wood that raised after the wetting process.