Need help staining alder dresser

11 years ago

HI, bought beautiful unfinished alder dresser for my spanish colonial place. I've used wood conditioner and gel stains before, but woodworkerssource.com has great pic and recipe for color I want. Any one have experience using Golden Fruitwood dye, then Zinsser Sealcoat and then gel stain?I appreciate any input. Im getting cold feet, afraid I"ll mess up, even though I have sample boards to get my stain right: Here is link to #2 effect: (and text)

http://www.woodworkerssource.com/blog/tips-tricks/6-alder-wood-finishes-for-rustic-reclaimed-weathered-or-distressed-looks/

Alder is a wood that doesn’t accept stains very well, resulting in
blotchy color. Even though we’re going for a rustic or distressed
appearance, a blotchy stain can still look downright ugly. Perhaps try
this finishing method to get nice, even color. For greater effect, fill
the cracks with black epoxy before applying this finish.

Apply a light colored dye. In this sample, that’s Golden Fruitwood, and it makes a light reddish to pink color.
Apply a sealer. Zinsser SealCoat is a fine choice because it’s
universal. One coat is all you need, let it dry, then if it feels like
it needs it, do a quick and light scuff sand to remove dust nibs in the
sealer.
Apply a gel stain to glaze the color. For this sample we used Old
Masters Dark Walnut Gel Stain, which is a very dark brown. Wipe it on to
the surface, then wipe it off. Be careful to be gentle enough that the
gel leaves a good, even coat of color on the board.

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Comments (3)

salex
11 years ago
First and foremost: Start with one small piece (e.g., a drawer front). Do all the steps. If you're happy, great; if not, it's only one piece - sand it to bare and start over with a different finishing process.

I have not done this exact series of steps but regularly use a similar process: 1 application of a custom-mixed water-based dye (a mix of 3 TransTint colors, to match all my other wood); 1 coat of SealCoat; and then either several coats of clear, or a coat of gel stain followed by the clear coats. Here are the things I think will be important to know for your first time using this process:

Step 1: The dye. This is when you're most likely to see blotching, especially with soft woods like alder. Start by applying the dye very lightly - you can always apply more to make it darker. Applying dye as a spray is usually less likely to blotch than wiping or brushing.*

Step 2: The SealCoat. I have applied SealCoat with rags, foam, and bristle brushes. The denatured alcohol in the SealCoat can actually lift the dye a bit if you get aggressive in your application, so since you're starting with a dye, I'd recommend using a bristle-brush suited for oil-based finishes. Keep in mind that SealCoat most definitely dries quickly and gets tacky as it dries - work quickly.

Step 3: The gel stain. Easy. Use one rag to apply, and a clean, dry rag to wipe off. If it's not dark enough, repeat (while still wet).

Again, start with just one small piece... and good luck!

*If you get major blotching with just the dye, you can try starting your second attempt -
on clean, sanded wood - with a very thin application of SealCoat or a
50/50 mix of SealCoat/denatured alcohol, then a light high-grit sanding,
and then apply the dye.
casseybug
Original Author
11 years ago
Thank you Salex. Since the pic on recipe looks so much like what I want, I'm going to follow the recipe. I have scrap Alder. Thanks for your technique tips....definitely appreciate it.
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salex
11 years ago
That is a nice-looking finish. Please post photos when you're finished! I don't have many wood-working friends and I love seeing other people's work.