Water Based Finishes & Stains

¶ Water stains are those which are composed of coloring matter soluble in water and which have a water vehicle as the principal part of the liquid. If you will think of them as four kinds in this one group it will be easy to learn their characteristics and the best use which you can make of them. They are: water soluble aniline and other coal tar dye colors; chemical (acid and alkaline) water stains; color pigment water stains; and dyewood water stains.

¶ The first group, aniline and other coal tar dye stains, is the most modern and most important stains for the wood finisher in the building field for fine work, but the oil and spirit aniline and coal tar dye stains are used more extensively in this field, for ordinary work.

¶ The second group, chemical acid and alkaline stains, is little used in the building field, but in the furniture trade there is growing use of them and the honors are about equally divided between the chemical and aniline coal tar dye water stains.

¶ The third group, color pigment stains, are those made by the finisher with ordinary high grade tinting colors in dry form or what are called distemper graining colors. Pigment water stain is seldom used. Oil pigment colors are used for small jobs on soft woods and for repair work, making oil stains.

¶ The fourth group, dyewood water stains, is practically obsolete. Since the introduction of aniline and coal tar dye stains, finishers cannot afford to spend the time needed to cook and fuss around with mixing stains from dyewoods, roots, bark, gums, berries, etc.

Next Page: Modern Water Stains.