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Thread: Staining No. 2 Yellow Pine (aka Knotty Pine)

  1. #1
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    Staining No. 2 Yellow Pine (aka Knotty Pine)

    I think this question was asked last month, but I can't find the thread. I am trying to generally match existing 100 year old knotty pine with new stock. The old stuff has that yellow hue with which you are all familiar.

    I was going to get a test board and seal both sides with shellac. Then try different methods for each section of the board. Adding various hues of Transtint dyes to a second layer of shellac and using a gel stain. Top coat all sections with polly and pick the best match.

    Does this sound like the correct plan?

  2. #2
    More than likely the yellow is due to the old varnish that has yellowed. Dyes won't do it for you. You can reproduce that look with amber shellac. Now if you plan on using polyurethane to topcoat it will be necessary to get a de-waxed amber shellac which I believe is only available in flake form. A plain varnish will adhere to standard shellac but polyurethane won't. If you spray the finish you could also topcoat with shellac or lacquer.

    Matching a color will take some tinkering. If the old wood was stained you will have to stain the new wood before applying the amber shellac. Depending on how much yellow you need you may need to dilute the amber shellac or put two or more coats on. Try it on scrap first before your trim.

  3. #3
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    Be careful that you don't reverse the lighter grain to become the darker. I don't like Minwax stains for much else, but they do have several that you can mix, and match that work pretty good on YP. Buy some of the little sample sizes, and measure your testing carefully. Add the color into Natural a little at the time. Our SW store carries a better selection of the little ones than the box stores. I made a good living with YP for several decades.

  4. #4
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    I have the same issue. I was able to match using a mix of General Finish gel stains followed by multiple coats of amber shellac.

  5. #5
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    Frank, what was the mix of General Finishes gel stain? The lightest the company seems to have is "new pine."

  6. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by Thomas McCurnin View Post
    Frank, what was the mix of General Finishes gel stain? The lightest the company seems to have is "new pine."
    You could always take the lightest color and dilute it with a clear varnish or brush it on thinner.

  7. #7
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    I apologize for the delay in getting back to you, as I just saw this.

    If you are looking for lighter than New Pine my mix won't help. Over the years our woodwork as gone to a pumpkin pine. My mix is:

    1 Part Prairie Wheat

    1 Part Nutmeg

    1 Part New Pine


    Quote Originally Posted by Thomas McCurnin View Post
    Frank, what was the mix of General Finishes gel stain? The lightest the company seems to have is "new pine."

  8. #8
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    New pine is more brown than yellow.

    What is really close is a Transtint Honey Amber, a yellow-brown mix. I've made up some test panels with and without a water based pre-conditioner, then the honey amber transtint mixed with more water, then a spray shellac seal coat over that and it is looking good so far. I'll note that in Homestead's site, it describes the honey-amber tint as matching the yellow tint of old knotty pine.

    I'll continue over the next day and will report back.

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Frank Drackman View Post
    I apologize for the delay in getting back to you, as I just saw this.

    If you are looking for lighter than New Pine my mix won't help. Over the years our woodwork as gone to a pumpkin pine. My mix is:

    Okay, so I've got the finishes on the way, do you apply them in order, or do you mix them all together and apply at once? Thanks!

  10. #10
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    50 drops of Dark Walnut to 13 drops of Yellow Honey Amber per quart.

    Didn't seem to matter if I used a pre-conditioner or not. For reasons that I do not fully understand, the water based dye does not blotch as much as oil based stain.

    Quick spray of shellac in a can

    Water based poly.

    I added a few drops of the Honey Amber to the poly for fun.

    Worked nice and more or less matched the knotty pine.
    Last edited by Thomas McCurnin; 10-07-2019 at 11:11 PM.
    Regards,

    Tom

  11. #11
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    Sorry for being slow again.

    Equal parts mixed thoroughly together then applied like a typical gel stain. After it dries apply the amber shellac, as many coats until you get the color you want.

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by Frank Drackman View Post
    Sorry for being slow again.

    Equal parts mixed thoroughly together then applied like a typical gel stain. After it dries apply the amber shellac, as many coats until you get the color you want.
    Thank you!

  13. #13
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    Update: While using the Transtint in water on pine 50-13-5 mix outlined above, I got a pretty good color match on samples, and with poly, it looked good on the samples.

    When doing the first board, I was challenged by the water as a carrier to the dye. The slightest drip from a brush would immediately soak in and make that area of the pine darker with drip and run marks. Great care had to be taken to apply the dye in sufficient quantity to moisten the surface, but not to produce excess drips and runs, which have to be rubbed or sanded out later. The bottom line, while the color formula was great on samples, water as a medium for the dye was not user friendly. I suppose if it could be lightly sprayed, it would work out better.

    I'm moving on to a tintable gel stain, and staring over with samples.

    What a PITA.
    Regards,

    Tom

  14. #14
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    You said "brush"...try "rag" for your dye. Water soluble dye is way too thin to apply with a brush, IMHO. Or try spraying if you have a large area to cover.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  15. #15
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    If applying to vertical surfaces, you might diminish the effect of runs by starting at the bottom.
    Rustic? Well, no. That was not my intention!

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