Color Pigment Based Stains

¶ These are stains mixed by the finisher using preferably graining distemper colors, colors ground in water. Common dry colors of good quality are, however, often used on plaster walls. It is very important that high quality colors be used, since the low quality colors are not ground fine enough and are not transparent and bright; they cloud the wood grain, hide the natural figures and shading of the wood; also they fill the wood pores too much, giving a muddy color effect.

¶ The mixing of the stains is simple, indeed. The dry colors are thoroughly mixed with hot water. No binder is required except a little glue. While in use the pot of stain should be stirred often to prevent the color from settling to the bottom. Sometimes a bit of aniline color, water soluble, is added to brighten up the color hue of the stain.

¶ The dry colors commonly carried in stock by paint supply houses and which are suitable for mixing color pigment water stains are these:

¶ Black - English Powdered Drop Black; Swedish Black; American Powdered Drop Black.
1-lb and 25-lb packages and barrels.

¶ Blues - Celestial Blue; Soluble Blue; Cobalt Blue; Ultramarine Blue; S. P. Prussian Blue;
1-lb. and 25-lb. packages.

¶ Browns - Vandyke Brown; Raw and Burnt Italian Sienna; Raw and Burnt Turkey Umber; Raw and Burnt American Umber; Raw and Burnt American Sienna; Bismarck Brown (red).
1-lb. and 25-lb packages

¶ Whites - Zinc, oxide; Extra Gilders' Whiting, bolted.

¶ Greens - Union Chrome, medium or dark; Bottle Green; Bronze Green; No. 3 Chrome, medium dark; Olive Green; Paris Green.
25-lb. and 100-lb. packages

¶ Venetian Reds - York Venetian Red; Regent English Venetian Red; Craydon English Venetian Red;
1-lb. and 100-lb. packages

¶ Reds - Indian Red, Super; English Vermilion, in 30-lb bags, Light and Dark; Oxide of Red; Permanent Red; Agricultural Vermilion; English Rose Pink; American Vermilion; English Rose Lake; Tuscan Red; Turkey Red, Light, No. 2; Turkey Red, Deep, No. 3.
1-lb. and 25-lb. packages

¶ Lakes - Carmine, No. 40; No. 16 Lake; Geranium, AA; Vienna;
1 ounce and pound packages.

¶ Yellows - C. P. Chrome Yellow, Light, Medium or Dark; Dutch Pink; Genuine Chrome, Light, Medium or Dark.
1-lb., 25-lb. and 100-lb. packages.

Formulas for Color Pigment Water Stains

Dry or Distemper Graining Colors

¶ Red Mahogany - 1 Ib. Italian burnt sienna,
¼ to ½ Ib. Vandyke brown,
Water, hot.

¶ Brown Mahogany - 1 Ib. Vandyke brown,
2 to 4 ounces Turkey burnt umber,
Water, hot.

¶ Cherry - 1 Ib. Italian burnt sienna,
1 to 2 ounces Vandyke brown,
½ to 1 ounce rose pink,
Water, hot.

¶ Light Oak - 1 Ib. Italian raw sienna,
2 to 6 ounces Italian raw umber,
Water, hot.

¶ Dark Oak - 1 pound Italian raw umber,
2 to 4 ounces drop black,
Water, hot
or
1 pound Turkey burnt umber,
or ½ pound Italian raw sienna,
4 ounces aqua ammonia, 26 degree,
Water, hot.

¶ Mission Oak - 1 pound Turkey raw umber,
½ pound Turkey burnt umber,
Water, hot.

¶ Weathered Oak - 1 pound drop black,
½ pound Turkey burnt umber,
Water, hot.

¶ Fumed Oak - 1 pound Turkey burnt umber,
2 to 6 ounces Vandyke brown,
Water, hot.

¶ Walnut - ½ pound Vandyke brown,
½ pound Turkey burnt umber,
Water, hot,
1 quart ammonia, 26 degree.
Mix and strain. Let stand a few days before using.
or
1 pound Vandyke brown,
½ pound potash or lye,
or 3 quarts water.
Mix and boil until about half the quantity remains. Strain and brush on hot.

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