Finishing maple!!!!

[Pete Rosenbohm]

Would like to get some help finishing maple. I am using 3/4 maple ply and soft maple lumber. The project is a L- shaped dual computer desk with upper cabinets, and thre lower cabinets. Table tops will be 23" x 72" and 23" x 84" so as you can see a large cover area. I want to use ( colonial maple ) stain, but want no Blotching. I have hvlp spray gun.Any help is appreciated. Thanks:)

[Todd Burch]

Pete, welcome to SawMillCreek!

Since you have spray capability, call a local (to you) or internet supplier of professional finishes and get a NGR (non-grain raising) dye stain in the color you want. After you apply (spray) that, you can shoot a lacquer top coat. This will give you a consistent color without the blotching you would normally get from an oil based pigment stain.

I would also suggest that you consider hooking up with one manufacturer's line of products and using them as the system they were designed to be used in. That way, no hassles down the line (like incompatible finishes).

Todd

[Pete Rosenbohm]

Thanks Todd i was just looking for some answers. I will probably call Jeff Jewiitt over at homestead finishes, but they are on vacation until the week of 7/15. I'll probably go with the dye method, everone i ask this question says dye for no blotching. Thanks again

[Joe Scarfo]

I'm just finishing a small pjct for the MOL.... For the drawer fronts, I was going to paint what I thought was left over poplar from another pjct.

Turned out to be maple so I decided to shoot a clear finish. I love the look of clear over maple.

On the advise of a friend I went with water based, Polycrylic from Home Depot. I think the stuff is from Minwax, I'm not positive though.

The stuff was user friendly and went on great. I'm not pro, just a weekend hacker who shoots w/ a Porter Cable HVLP gun. It worked great.

I wish i had a digi camera, I'd post pics.

Good luck
Joe

[Lee Schierer]

As an option to dye. Try the MinWax "Wood Conditioner" it will even out the stain on Maple and get rid of the blotchiness. Follow the directions on the can and you will be fine.

[Gary Whitt]

How about a shellac seal coat first? ;)
Then you can use most any stain or dye more effectively without blotching.
Then top it off with your choice of finish.

[Kent Cori]

Another vote for the dye approach. It has worked well for me. I suggest trying it on a couple of scrap peices first to make sure you get the right hue that you want. Make sure to cover it with whatever you're planning to use as protective coats because the appearance changes pretty radically (and for the better) once you apply poly or a similar product.

[Gary Whitt]

Here's a link to a thread on seal coating.

http://www.woodworking.org/Exchange/Forum2/HTML/014879.html

Maple, cherry and pine benefit from this approach.