Classic Dark Pine Trim Recipe?

[Andrew More]

Does anybody have a decent recipe or information on replicating the classic dark wood (usually pine) with white plaster look of older homes?

I am currently planning to replace a good amount of trim in a 100 year old house, but I can't seem to replicate the dark wood look of older homes. Most of the stains I've tried have come out much lighter, even "dark" stains like Varathane Ebony. Maybe this is just a result of age?

[Jim Becker]

Pine trim, especially old growth heart pine that was a lot more common "back in the day" does naturally darken quite a bit and it's not the same effect as can be had with most "stains". You may need to use a combination of dye and stain as well as, perhaps, spraying a toner over top to tweak the color. It may take you a bit to tweak the finishing schedule. One thing...you'll have less of an issue if there's no direct intersection of new with old, so plan your project accordingly if you can. That might entail removing more of existing from an area and replacing with new in a contiguous fashion and then relocating the old to another area that also has old, matching trim.

[Tom M King]

I've never seen it done. 40 years of aging will do it. The trouble with staining Pine is that the light colored grain is softer, so soaks up stain, whereas the darker grain won't soak up hardly any. That causes the natural difference between the early and late wood to reverse if tried to make too dark, so then it doesn't even look like Pine. It will all blend together pretty good after 40 years.

[Mel Fulks]

You already have the light part , “ just add streaks to taste” . I’ve seen people so entranced with their just realized talent that they
cancelled orders for real stuff . When they do fail they just paint it a solid color and are , “ really glad we changed our minds”. Google up
where to buy materials….and find out how many hours it’s gonna take you to become “a real artist” !

[Andrew More]

Pine trim, especially old growth heart pine that was a lot more common "back in the day" does naturally darken quite a bit and it's not the same effect as can be had with most "stains". You may need to use a combination of dye and stain as well as, perhaps, spraying a toner over top to tweak the color. It may take you a bit to tweak the finishing schedule. One thing...you'll have less of an issue if there's no direct intersection of new with old, so plan your project accordingly if you can. That might entail removing more of existing from an area and replacing with new in a contiguous fashion and then relocating the old to another area that also has old, matching trim.

So it's unlikely to be a specific stain or technique, and more likely a "patina" from BLO getting older. Thanks.

FWIW, this is more the look I'm thinking about.

https://empire-s3-production.bobvila.com/slides/38025/vertical_slide_wide/outdated_design.jpg?1592425108

[Maurice Mcmurry]

Faux Painting will get you the color but not the deep dark translucent look that is so desirable. My brothers are professional painters and have mastered some high end finishing techniques. To make new light color wood look like old dark wood we use penetrating stain first followed by dry brush application of Old Masters Masking Stain. As described by Mel Fulks. Gum turps, pine tar and roof tar are sometimes in the penetrating stain recipes. One job required 4 coats of stain.

[Tom M King]

Thanks for the picture. That looks different than what I was thinking about for old Pine. Around here, a lot of it never had any finish on it, but while it does darken a lot with age, it doesn't get that dark.

[Jim Becker]

I agree with Tom...there's a lot of pine trim in this area which has many homes that are as old as pre-Revolutionary time frame structures as well as other local woods. The color in that photo is a lot more like the oak that is also fairly common. Regardless, to match it, it will likely take a multiple step finishing/coloration regimen. That's the nature of this kind of beast.