Make Walnut Darker - Woodworking Talk

djonesax · 01-06-2009, 07:38 PM

I made some speaker stands out of walnut for a Christmas present for a friend. They turned out really well and the color is really nice but….. They aren’t dark enough to match his furniture.... I have already lacquered them, what are my options?

Sand, stain with something dark, and re-lacquer?
Spray a coat of dark tinted lacquer?

I have already tried Dark Walnut Danish oil on a scrap piece and that wasn’t dark enough either. I also tried water based American Walnut and that was darker but still not dark enough. The brown I am trying to match could be mistaken for black in the right light.

Thanks,

David

Rob · 01-06-2009, 08:20 PM

Did you spray the lacquer? If so, call Jeff Jewitt at Homestead finishing or go to a Woodcraft and get some TransTint dye. It will mix with lacquer and you can get that puupy as dark as you need it to be. I have pretty much done away with staining and use TransTint whenever I can. It will also mix with shellac.

rag · 01-06-2009, 08:46 PM

What Rob said.
Don't sand and restain...it's a recipe for blotching.

djonesax · 01-07-2009, 09:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob

Did you spray the lacquer? If so, call Jeff Jewitt at Homestead finishing or go to a Woodcraft and get some TransTint dye. It will mix with lacquer and you can get that puupy as dark as you need it to be. I have pretty much done away with staining and use TransTint whenever I can. It will also mix with shellac.

Yes I sprayed the lacquer. Do I mix this with more lacquer and spray on another coat or two?

cabinetman · 01-07-2009, 10:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by djonesax

Yes I sprayed the lacquer. Do I mix this with more lacquer and spray on another coat or two?

That's what I do. I thin the mix more so than a regular spray coat and mix in the color (the mix has been determined already). I may up the air pressure a bit and back off the subject and just blush on a thin coat in even passes.

Rob · 01-07-2009, 10:33 AM

Like cabitman said.
It's very tempting to spray a little too much solution at one time to get the desired results, of course ending with runs and sags.

djonesax · 01-07-2009, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob

Like cabitman said.
It's very tempting to spray a little too much solution at one time to get the desired results, of course ending with runs and sags.

I have never sprayed a dye before. I usualy spay lacquer out in my driveway and have gotten good results. Any overspray on the concrete is quickly weather'd away. Should I be careful not to get the dye on anything that I dont want to dye including concrete and anything else near by?

Rob · 01-07-2009, 02:23 PM

I would think if the conditions are favorable enough outside to even spary clear lacquer, you'll be safe with the dye. I would put down a tarp and stay away from anything else you don't want overspray on, but I don't think you'll have a problem with a little common sense.

djonesax · 01-09-2009, 03:15 PM

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