Maple Chair Stain

[Allan McLean]

Have sanded older maple LR chair down to bare wood. Looking for a somewhat dark stain. What recommends? Any help with procedures?

Allan McLean Perth ON Canada.

[Marc Spagnuolo]

Hi Allan,

My recommendation would be to start with a washcoat of dewaxed shellac. It is possible that there is some finish left on the surface or deep in the grain and the shellac serves as a universal bonder between the old and the new finish. The shellac will also serve as your sealer coat and will help your dye/stain absorb more evenly (a typical problem when staining maple).
Now achieving a dark consistent stain can be a bit difficult with maple. I would recommend a few things. First of all, you can add alchohol soluble dye to your shellac washcoat which will give you a base color. Then you can follow up with your stain of choice. You can use a powdered dye or even a standard commercial stain. My recommendation would be to use a home-made concentrated dye stain. If the absorption is still uneven, you can always use a gel stain. This type of stain tends to stay on the surface giving you a more intense and even color. At this point, you can seal in the stain with another coat of shellac and then top-coat with your finish of choice. If you still want to touch up your color a bit, you can always tint your poly or just use a commercially available toner.

I know its alot of info, but these are the methods that work for my refinishing projects. Obviously there are many ways to skin this cat. If you need more info, feel free to email me.

Marc

[Allan McLean]

Thank you Mark for your advice. Much appreciated.eh!!!
Allan McLean