Simple First Rule for Staining Wood: Forget It : Coloring: Trying to disguise quality of wood usually fails. But if stains must be used, try a water-based one.

When it comes to staining wood, I follow two very simple rules.

1--Don’t.

2--When breaking rule No. 1, do use water stains.

OK, these are the rules. Let’s take a look at them both in greater detail.

First of all, why should you avoid using stains whenever possible? Quite simply because in most cases, stained wood looks artificial.

This is most often true when someone tries to stain one kind of wood to look like another, more expensive wood. Finishing a piece of pine with walnut stain does not make it look like walnut any more than staining a gravel driveway orange-red makes it look like brick. Even if you get the color perfect, the inherent differences in grain, pore structure and figure will give you away. And chances are you won’t get the color perfect, either.

That’s why it’s difficult to master even the seemingly simple trick of staining wood to look more like itself. People do this all the time, trying to make a brand-new piece of furniture look 200 years old. The most effective way to give a piece the mellowed look of age is to wait. You may be surprised at how quickly the wood will mellow.

For example, a few years back I finished off my living room in a frame and panel design, using cherry veneer plywood and solid cherry lumber. When the paneling went up, it had a pale, grayish pink color, and my wife urged me to stain it.

Instead I applied an oil finish. As soon as the oil went on, the wood took on a deep, warm color. And within six months, it had aged to an even deeper tone. I had to wait awhile, but I got the kind of natural color and patina I would never have achieved with a stain.

Having said all that, I realize there are times when you absolutely have to stain. Not all woods mellow as quickly as cherry and other fine hardwoods. Pine, for example, starts out nearly white, and often takes many years to warm up and deepen in tone. If you want to match the color of something new to something old “right now,” stain may be your only choice.

In that case, make water stains your first choice. These are essentially “aniline” dyes that come in powder form. Mix a packet of powder in a quart of hot water, and you’ve got your stain. Aniline dye stains are cheaper than any other kind of stain, they produce transparent colors that won’t “muddy” your wood as pigmented stains will. They penetrate deep into the wood, and they are very resistant to fading.

Although water stains come in various wood tones such s “red mahogany,” “cherry” or “maple,” I rarely use them straight. For one thing, they usually are too strong, and need to be diluted with more water . . . and this gives you more stain for your money.

Usually, I combine colors and alter the dilution ratios with water to blend the color I want. A good way to do this is mix small batches, measuring your quantities with teaspoons, and keeping records of the formulas as you go. A typical formula might be 4 teaspoons brown mahogany, 1 teaspoon red mahogany, 1 teaspoon maple and 8 teaspoons of water.

Test your colors on a scrap of wood as shown in the sketch, but remember that the color will change as it dries, and again when you finish over it. So be sure to let the stain dry, then apply one coat of your finish before making any final decisions. When you get the color you want, mix up a larger batch using the formula in your notes.

A few cautions:

1--Few paint stores sell water stains. I get mine through specialty catalogues such as Constantine’s, (800) 223-8087 or Woodcraft, (800) 225-1153.

2--Water stains don’t work well for refinishing. Any old finish left behind on the wood can interfere with penetration and create blotchy effects.

3--Water stains can “raise the grain.” When they are applied to dry wood, the water in them can cause wood fibers to swell. Little whiskers of wood may stand up, creating a rough surface. To solve this problem, swab your work with a damp sponge before staining. Let dry, and then lightly sand with 220 paper to knock off any raised whiskers. Now you can apply your stain without fear of any new whiskers sprouting.

WATER STAINS

1. Swab your work with a damp sponge before staining.

2. Let dry, and then lightly sand with 220 paper.

3. Apply your stain.