![]() ![]() When a tree is cut, milled, treated, and finished, the grain pattern can either be revealed or obscured. Grain pattern is the name given by woodworkers to the way the pores arrange themselves within the tree. Two trees of the same species that were cut, treated, milled, and stored at the exact same time and under the exact same conditions may react differently to the same stain. Understanding these factors is important to mastering the art of stain matching. Matching wood stain is a difficult process to get right, for a few reasons, including the grain pattern, species of the wood, and the wood’s age. Read our guide on how much stain you should apply to your wood project. You’ll only be able to do this if you’ve written down the recipe. When you find something that works, you’ll want to be able to recreate it exactly. Use a fresh, clean, plastic or glass container instead. Don’t add a stain into another container. Use a measuring cup intended for liquid to carefully measure the amounts of stain you put in. If the color you want is halfway between two previous samples, mix up three samples: a 1:1 ratio, a 2:1 ratio, and a 1:2 ratio of the different stains. If you apply them together, the stain will not bond well to the wood. Do not mix oil-based stains with water-based stains.With a blend of two – or even three – different stains and a lot of patience and experimentation, you should be able to get a very close match to the existing stain. Mixing stains is easier than it sounds, as long as you follow a few simple rules. Thinning stain can sometimes be a good option as well. ![]() If none of the test swatches come close, you can move on to mixing your own stain – check the section below for some helpful tips and tricks. Try adding another coat if the hue looks right, but is too light. If none of the options you purchased from the store look exactly right, don’t despair. If you think you’ve got a match, show it to friends or family and see if they confirm your opinion. Place the boards next to the target wood and evaluate the color match. If possible, take your test boards and the target wood outside, into natural light. Ventilate the area to whisk away stain smells. Oil-based stains dry to the touch in six to eight hours. Water-based stains dry in two to four hours. If the stains all have the same base, you can blend or feather them at the edges – you might get the best results from mixing two stains. With a clean brush, apply the different stains to the boards. Write the same numbers or letters on the different samples. Use a permanent marker to separate the test board into swatches and label each one with a number or letter. Try a few different shades of the same color, or the one color with several different bases/finishes. Half-pint cans of sample stain are an easy way to test different stain options and select the best match. The stain can will often bear a label listing what pigments were used, and will help the paint counter employee choose the same or a similar base. If you have any leftover stain from the original project, bring the can as well. Bring a sample of stained wood to your local home improvement store’s paint counter. If you’re trying to match old furniture with new, use an inconspicuous area such as the underside of the new table. To avoid frustrating mistakes with near matches, make the cuts needed for your project and use the scraps for test boards. It’s impossible to predict the appearance of stain before it has been applied and given time to dry. Make sure you’ve removed any finish on the wood prior to staining. For a good match, choose wood of the same genus and species as your target wood, that is close in age, and which has a similar grain pattern. Review the section below on why matching wood stain is so difficult. Follow the steps belows to get a perfect match on your next stain project. Why Is It Difficult to Match Wood Stain?Īs the old saying goes, close enough only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades. ![]()
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