Staining Oak black

[Chris Yarish]

I'm looking to refinish my 1980's oak kitchen cabinets. I'm looking for a black finish...almost like a laqeur, but rendering the grain still visible.

I don't have a spray applicator so this would have to be a rub-on application. I've tried using OLD MASTERS Spanish Oak wiping stain from Lee Valley to no avail. It is a "heavy bodied oil based masking stain".
I have done 3 applications on a well sanded door and left them on for varying durations.
App 1: 30 minutes
App 2: 2 hours
App 3: 12 hours.

Only getting grain penetration, and only slight stain penetration on surface areas without deep graining.

Any suggestions?

Much appreciated.

[Lars Thomas]

It's usually not an issue with oak, but how high (grit) did you sand them? I also wonder if you got all of the old finish off. If you wet them slightly with water, does the grain raise? I've used the waterbased Minwax 'Ebony' with very good results. Follow this link for the results on an Ash project (very similar to oak).

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=18206

[Phil Phelps]

It sounds as if you don't want a solid black finish. Usually 150 grit on oak is fine enough for sanding. You say "refinishing". Is there a coating of something left behind your stripping? If that, in fact, is what you did.

[Steve Schoene]

On bare oak, to get a really dark finish, I would start with a water mixed aniline dye. With a concentrated mix, you should be able to get very dark. This will penetrate the surface. You can then seal this with a coat of dewaxed shellac, and if the finish doesn't look rich enough, you can apply a stain with pigment, such as the one you used at the beginning (it will be used as a glaze here) and then use a clear top coat.

Try variations on scrap until you get the look your after.

[Jamie Buxton]

You'd probably need to remove the old finish for most stains or dyes to work. Stripping all that finish will be Big Work, and it involves nasty chemicals. Me, I'd build new doors and drawer fronts before I'd commit to the stripping job.

You might consider painting the cabinets. A thin coat of paint colors the surface, but lets any surface texture telegraph through. I've painted ash, and it is a nice effect. You can see that there's wood underneath, but the color is whatever the paint supplies.

For a thin coat, the paint should be sprayed, not brushed-on latex. Latex is so thick that it covers any grain. I use an HVLP rig, but you can get good results with a spray can; I once painted an entire motorcycle with spray cans, and it worked well.

If you try painting, you should be careful to remove any grease off the cabinetry. I'd scrub it several times with spray cleaner, and finally with denatured alcohol.

[Reg Mitchell]

i recently saw where someone took a brillo pad and put it in venigar and let it deslove. the solution will remain clear. put it on Oak and the tanic acid will turn the wood dark and black. I haven't tryed this myself but i do know tanic acid will turn Oak very dark almost a black

[Wes Bischel]

Reg, I think this is what you are referencing:
http://www.joewoodworker.com/ruststain.htm

I've used this formula and it works great. Between this concoction and ebony stain, you will achieve a black black. Either on their own, gives a dark brown black in my experience.

Wes

[Chris Yarish]

Well, I haven't done a wholehearted "refinishing".
I took a "spare" door and sanded with an 80 grit with my palm sander, then dropped progressively to only 120. I just wanted to get a visual of what the stain I had in the shop would do.

Yes, there is both a stain and a poly coat, kind of that browny-something look they loved in teh 80's and plastered everywhere.
Can I use "Polystrippa" to remove all the old gunk and then begin sanding. I was going to sand to 400 or so....but cautiously sanding as the panels are just 1/4 veneer.

Hope this helps further the advice. I appreciate what has come so far....especially that TV stand/bureau coloring.

[Reg Mitchell]

I think that is it Wes.....I read it somewhere where guys were looking for an alturnative for ebnoy wood for doing some Gree&Green furniture, thanks for link.

[Frank Hagan]

Well, I haven't done a wholehearted "refinishing".
I took a "spare" door and sanded with an 80 grit with my palm sander, then dropped progressively to only 120. I just wanted to get a visual of what the stain I had in the shop would do.

Yes, there is both a stain and a poly coat, kind of that browny-something look they loved in teh 80's and plastered everywhere.
Can I use "Polystrippa" to remove all the old gunk and then begin sanding. I was going to sand to 400 or so....but cautiously sanding as the panels are just 1/4 veneer.

Hope this helps further the advice. I appreciate what has come so far....especially that TV stand/bureau coloring.

We took our doors to a local "dip and strip" place, and for about $200 had them all stripped. I would have spent about $80 on stripper alone, and I saved hours and hours of work. The doors came back completely stripped, but did need sanding as the grain was raised.