Carlos Posted September 21, 2019 Report Share Posted September 21, 2019 I have a wood project on which I got birch wood that has very interesting heart wood shapes surrounded by sapwood. I originally got general finishes oil arm r seal but after trying it on a sample I feel the wood is too light in color and the heart wood doesn’t stand out as much as I like it too. I want to darken all the wood while keeping the heart wood shapes darker so the shapes pop or stand out from the rest of the wood. Any input is appreciated since I am new to wood working. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted September 22, 2019 Report Share Posted September 22, 2019 Any surface stain or dye will darken all the surface to the same degree, so the contrast between heart and sap will remain about the same. There are some chemical reaction methods that MAY darken the heart more, but I have no experience doing so. If you have scraps available to experiment with, you can test the effects of various ph levels, using vinegar, ammonia, or even baking soda solutions. Some light colored species respond more strongly if first treated with dark tea to add tannins. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carlos Posted September 24, 2019 Author Report Share Posted September 24, 2019 Wtn thank you for your reply. I think im going to try a dye on scraps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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