Stain build over lighter section to achieve uniform color?


Willin

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I've a tabletop that is ready for finish, species rift white oak.  While I should have chosen my stock more carefully, it is too late now unless I want to buy more lumber and do it over.

 

I will use a cherry oil based stain, then a wipe-on satin clearcoat.

 

Will a second coat of the stain over the lighter part make this look better?

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I would do the light sections only on the first coat, even masking the seam where there is a big contrast. Feather it out as the board gets darker. Oil stains need to be wiped back leaving only what soaked in. Let it dry overnight then do a full coat on the whole top.

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Any chance you have off vuts left to experiment with?

I'm going to suggest you may have better luck getting an even tone by using a dye, rather than a pigmented stain. A tinted top coat may help as well.

I'm sure one of the more knowledgable finishing gurus will chime in shortly.

 

You're 100% correct. A stain will simply color what gets absorbed. getting the two sections to match perfectly will be nigh on impossible, regardless of method. You can get it "closer" but there will be a witness line where the boards are different. Proper wood selection is the best cure for that, but I dont think its a bad thing, its part of the piece. 

 

A possible solution is to bleach the one side. Oxalic acid iirc. You could also use ammonia to darken the pieces and that will be pretty uniform... but pretty dark. 

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