Wood Staining with Chemicals

¶ It should be noted that most of the aniline and coal tar dye stains used by the furniture finisher and others for the finest kind of work are both chemical and aniline in composition, that is, each formula contains both aniline and chemical coloring matter.

¶ Stains on hard, close-grain woods like maple take a color slowly. A stain which gives a very light color on such woods produces darker and quicker results, as well as somewhat different color tones, when used on open-grain woods like oak and chestnut, and upon poplar, soft pine, etc. Then stains which are used on woods, which are naturally colored, like gum, redwood and Circassian walnut do not produce the same coloring effect as upon white or nearly white woods. Therefore, to stain hard and close-grain woods to match soft and open-grain woods, mix your stain much stronger, and the reverse is true too, naturally.

¶ The number of colors which can be produced by the use of chemical stains is limited, of course, but when you can secure the color wanted by the use of chemical solutions the finish is superior to any other. The chemical stains make the most of the natural beauty of soft woods, enhancing the grain figure and retaining the natural color shadings of the wood. Chemical stains are considered superior even to aniline and other eoal tar dye stains in transparency and permanency of color in strong light. On hard woods they are also superior.

¶ When, chemical stains are used on hard woods like maple, oak and birch, it is important to apply the stains uniformly over the surface in order to avoid blotched areas of color. A coat of water washed on first with a sponge just ahead of the stain coat will help greatly to spread the stain evenly, if it is done before the water is dry.

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