water-based, now with color ?

[JonHitThingWithRock]

So this is likely a relatively insane question, but i'm wondering if one could add dyes or stains to an entire quart of water-based finish, so that it basically does exactly what polyurethane does when you apply it (as far as coloring goes). basically the idea is to avoid doing a coat of shellac before the water-based topcoat. i did some tests with shellac and dyes before applying the topcoat and compared them to polyurethane, and not only was the poly 10,000 times easier to apply, but it looked infinitely better. i imagine that if i experimented enough i could find a perfect match to poly, but trying to then figure out the ratios to add colorant to an entire quart of water-based would likely make my brain explode, and i'm not even sure that they could be mixed directly into water-based finishes.

I realize that minwax has experimented with this and come up with a wiping water-based finish with color in it that apparently doesn't wipe very well, but it's near-impossible to find, probably overpriced, and only comes in a small container. I'm imagining a world where i can pop open a can of water-based finish, and spray or brush on a finish that imparts color as it's applied in the same way that poly or varnish does.

Has anyone experimented with this at all?

Jon

[ztifpatrick]

General Finises make a good range of water based stains that work well. I know it's not the one step process your looking for, but they are good.

[PaulMarcel]

I've put Transtint in General Finishes Polyacrylic with success. But the caveat is that I wasn't doing exactly what you are trying to do. I had something already colored and wanted the finish tinted the same color to add depth. It wasn't going on raw wood.

That said, you can mix Transtint into water-based finishes pretty easily since they are concentrated and don't mess up the emulsion chemistry (like pouring General Finishes water-based dye into the mix would).

Though I haven't tried it, you could likely dye the finish successfully with powdered dyes and add a bit of water to compensate for the thickening effect (depending on how much you add).

[atomicmike]

General Finishes also makes Enduro Var, which is a water-based urethane with an amber tint, much like polyurethane. It doesn't necessarily color the wood exactly like poly does, but it still has a nice warm tone. And it's a nice finish to work with, too.

- Mike

[bois]

The challenge with trying to color and top-coat all at the same time, is that you are no longer dying the material you are basically glazing it. So your finish might obscure the actual wood grain or muddle the top coat a bit. It sounds like you are trying to just get a slight tint to make a water based poly look like an oil based poly, but the risk is still there. I 100% agree with Mike that GF EnduroVar is almost indistinguishable from an oil-based poly to my eye. It's also incredibly durable to the point where it's even flooring grade. I did a video blog post last year that shows the results on hard maple with Trans Tint dye. This was for the tops of some pedestals I built for a bridal shop, and women with spike heels stand on these all day, and after 6 months they are still in great shape, so I have no problem recommending the product from a durability standpoint. Here's the link to the vid:

Faux Show

[JonHitThingWithRock]

Thanks everyone for all the tips and advise, I took a look at the Enduro Var, and it looks promising, i'm definitely gonna have to give that a shot

Jon

[sancho]

Jeff Jewitt sells Enduro tinted to various colors. check out his site at

heres a link.

http://www.homesteadfinishingproducts.com/htdocs/generalfinishes.htm#enduroclears

Scroll down to where he says it can be tinted with custom colors.