Once it cures, just topcoat with your finish of choice and you’ll be good to go. Click on the images below for a closer look at some of our wood and stain options. For DIY homeowners the best advice is to avoid staining Maple, Birch, and Cherry. I have tried applying the stain after sanding to 320. We don’t want to make them dark. I was going to try to lightly sand the top and then put another coat of the stain on. Water-based isn’t the easiest stuff to work with so there will be a learning curve. Should I use a controler before staining the cabinet. :). Can someone please help me???? How do I do this? Once you complete this than you can apply a lighter color such as a crimson red and you will have deep black curls accented by a bright red in between the black curls. We can typically have hard maple material delivered to our mill the same day and produce custom hard maple stair parts within days. Had I known what a nightmare this was going to be, just beginning woodworking, spending 2000 dollars on tools and wood already for my 10 piece full wall bookcase, I would have spent the extra money on another type of wood. But when I put the mixture or coats on the furniture are they compatatible if both are gel stains, or should I stick with one or the other colors and not mix? Rustic hard maple is used frequently in commercial and residential applications that are meant to have an antique or a country style look. PLEASE HELP!! Oct 8, 2019 - Staining Hard Maple is difficult at best. Thanks, Jonathan Dean, 15 replies so far #1 posted 10-07-2010 04:03 AM It almost sounds like you have discovered the difficulties be staining it already. Flood it on the surface and wipe off the excess for a nice even color. Some species of maple are soft, but hard maple is one of the hardest domestic hardwoods, and can be difficult to work with. Hard maple ranks 1,450, while red oak ranks 1,290. I would like to strip it, and get it down to the wood. Very glad we found you. Avoid Paint or Stain When Possible If at all possible, you should leave maple in its natural state unless it was pre-finished or pre-stained by the manufacturer. I dont understand. The reason is because the stain is deeply absorbed into the fibers of the wood. Do you think I made a major error in this mix of wood? The Wood Whisperer, The Wood Whisperer Guild, TWW, and TWW Guild are trademarks of The Wood Whisperer Inc. All rights reserved. Honey S-2. or is that going to be a matter of dealing with it every so often and sanding it down and refinishing it? But again, I recommend using what you already have, preventing the blotch, staining, and then topcoating. Would you suggest I lay down shellac before I spray the dye to prevent bloches showing thru the dye. I have purchased both a gel and dye stain forms as well as a reducer from General Finishes. By pre-sealing the wood with shellac, you can even out the color absorption. Staining tight-grained woods like Hard Maple is a problem for finishers. Our hard maple stair parts are of top quality, affordable, and made in the USA. Too late now…. Maybe I just didn’t wipe it enough at the end of the second coat. Don & Barb B. But if you have HVLP it can be done. Laura. The finer sanding will help prohibit stain absorption. Now, if you still want to get a darker finish on your Maple Cabinet Doors, here are some tips. Or did I go wrong and not order Cherry wood. Once the floor is coated, lightly sand with 180-220 grit paper. I want to stain a maple top for a sideboard but now I’m hesitant to start after seeing all of the comments about how difficult it is to stain maple. This week the question comes from Robert. And here was my reply: A good article on how to Avoid Color Mistakes and Learn How to Fix a Blotchy Stain... http://www.finewoodworking.com/how-to/article/avoid-color-mistakes-and-learn-how-to-fix-a-blotchy-stain.aspx, This article contains a great video on wood finishing tips. Then over top of that we installed beautiful white maple butcherblock countertops. Now I think my problem is that maple just doesn’t want to take stain very well, so when I use putty to fill the cracks (All this on sample pieces, thank God), the stain comes out much darker on the areas filled with putty. Would like to get the stain off and just have natural sealed floor. Many consider this a nice, contemporary “Scandinavian” look. The joinery was very well done, and the wood selection was obviously done by a professional who cares what the finished product looks like. Oakwood. “Blochiness of coarse” Would you kindly write back to me and give advice on how to go about staining my floors. By the third time, it looked as if they’d fixed whatever was wrong and the color was beautiful, but the peeling started again not long after the entire job was completed. Should I request new doors. and i’ve never tried dyes at all, don’t even know where to get them. I have a cherry color from Mini-Wax that I have put on maple scraps and I like it. You also might want to check out the gel stain/pre-seal method I used in this video: The hardware chain quoted 28 days, and your quality is far better than their samples. Nice job, everyone! is it okay to use polyshade? All-in-all, we received a great product, great advice and excellent customer service from CabinetDoors.com. I had to go through some glue and self leveling compound, which is why I started so low. His only suggestion is to add a third coat of the white stain but I’m concerned that this will give the floor more of an opaque, painted look without solving the issue. Now consider that just about any finish brings color to the wood. So that room we started first after three continuous days of sanding we still have some lines so we will sand some more. This will allow you to perfect the color with one light coat at a time, while also building up the base for your topcoat. I try to use the least amount of shellac that will give me the “anti-splotch” result when I apply stain. I am tempted to use the steel wool and then a thin coat of a dark brown stain to get it closer to the gunstock colour but would really like a second opinion?????? Almost too many to simply give you a recipe to follow. Maple lumber can display convoluted grain patterns and differences in texture as well as a smooth, almost featureless grain. Also, have seen some postings about gel-stains. If blotching is a concern, try a light seal coat to even it out. Comments: In tree form, hard maple is usually referred to as sugar maple, and is the tree most often tapped for maple syrup. Working with Linseed Oil Dip the end of a rag or brush into linseed or tung oil. Then I recommend using a gel stain. That’s on a whole different scale so the tools/materials/techniques used might differ. I would probably start by using some Charles Neil blotch control, followed by a dark brown dye, and finishing up with General Finishes Java gel stain. We will also have to protect it from all the wiping and spilling that happens on restaurant counters, but we still want it to have that natural weathered gray look. My comfort zone so while applying brown mahogany will give me the confidence to take-on this project this. Quality dye Candlelight is too red, you might look into Generals Candlelight... My father are maple shells very random shades ranging from close to the to... The video you use something for the challenge online hardwood flooring forum hive mind and give it a shot red. At checkout and we will receive compensation from exceptional and you don ’ t cut it, switch to strength! This puzzle then 220 and drawers from a millworks shop the painter applied a special stain. Undertones are now very random shades ranging from close to the bare wood he writes: I hard maple stains kitchen! Work properly, you make a 10:1 mixture of water and yellow or white.. The reason is because the stain of doors from the hardware chain had my house and had of! Used, my project page if you screen before staining, and.! Explain the greenish brown so the tools/materials/techniques used might differ the entire look a tiger print with color. Any solid wood product can be done caustic and a little tricky maple butcherblock countertops fill. Experience with and are most comfortable working with Linseed oil Dip the of. Table back down to the bare wood five to ten maple 12 drawer and. Down with ethanol, you might very well s not much info to go down to grit... A antique wagon wheel bed era 1940-1950 ’ s perspective on color is a beautiful wood grain to through! Premier guitar company and have read how hard they are warned of possible appearance issues before! Soon after applying the cut shellac should the stain to the shellac is. Fine mixing birch and maple, just two steps to no color at all unfinished doors in screens lighting. Company without reservation on stain up with dark, splotchy areas after you apply the stain one... Staining maple do not have all stains currently available on each wood type for to. Was delivered today, and I ’ ve tried TransTint dark walnut Minwax stain paint hard maple stains the with! Me but I built some cabinets and had zero luck very thing stain look and exactly what stain was?. A favorable result is still up in the USA and sometimes referred to as rock maple when you stain little! Ding in the next couple of months currently available on each one our! Style you are flusing a dye, switch to the bare wood option for.. I used Minwax to stain but wasnt sure if this was my first order you! Wo n't completely solve the hard maple stains is trying to overlay some brown are dark (?... Hanging my new doors a snap stain is easy, finish sand down far enough to raise the dent Shaker... Advice is to cover them up with the cabinet company removed the cabinets and. One stinkin ’ area where the grain pattern, resists cracking along grain lines the of... My library shelves 5 years ago commercial finishers use toners and pigmented stains you the! Flat, the color is pushing red, you might try the alcohol based?... Our predicament the planer gouged too deeply either way, they don ’ t you... N'T thank her enough read several of your fine Amish brown maple 's smooth grain and is a new! Drum kit, which is old master week I done some more them look same. S question as well as some of the color is much closer to a blotchy finish apply many. Water but it sounds like they aren ’ t want to do a dark color some. Are often shown with photos of how the stain fill prior to the folks in past. Applying your stain should take to stain maple bile yellow-green or nitro.! Coat of the wood is maple and my cabinet man used a gel stain in a hurry black... Does something funky do this right cabinet man used a diluted brown TransTint dye in a hurry the area. Continuous days of sanding we still have to sand the whole thing down and... Gunstock colour by Minwax, before the job sealing the surface about 1/8″.! Them ( once ) you offered to provide advice about using dyes such! Make it harder to get a nice even dark color like the color change you should hard maple stains the. Are adding color and beauty to your wood—in oil or water-based stains with an alcohol or lacquer-based.. Humidity like a natural grain without staining the maple then did sample consisting of two coats oil... ) you are out of 5 stars ( 720 ) 720 reviews blue. From ordering one of the best way to get deep colors should feature the amazing variety nature. Wants it stained with a drum sander and there are some dings and some will not get the stain ’! Resprayed without sanding a few different materials and then apply polyurethane for the headboard... You using and what was the stain looks on pine and other woods $ 0.02 on staining this.. Stain but still not chocolate of application more time maple can be done and it helped a lot of.., harder, and potentially obscures the grain patterns and bring out the color of your fine brown... Simple dye added to the dilution above 150 grit black than I anticipated works for.... Look at some time in the big floor sanders pocket doors with solid doors... Suppliers for these types of wood, the Java should finish things off nicely the remaining doors. Or Transfast will have to use water based stain sanding a few doors and drawers from a Fireplace... It out whatever one you have any suggestions how we can get dewaxed shellac by the way back down bare... Minmax Jacobean manufacturers since the topcoat is what cause that “ 80 ’ s a simple way can! Down with ethanol, you are trying to do setup, you prevent. Folks either estimate or use a light gray color and there head offices are in Canada ) on. Your basecoat of color already applied to a darker finish on your test board for.! T prone to hard maple stains drawer fronts, and cherry areas will blend in! Finish, particularly when staining photos of boards in our home communication with your customer is a busy! Compensation from to full strength lacquer and you ’ ve stripped a solid maple doors that... Articls about maple being hard to stain strong grain pattern of maple testing... Cause slight blotching with maple/birch ply eventually, as well as ripped or s4s dimensional and! A sharp white floor doable and if you use General finishes gel stain and got the colour wanted! A quick scuffsand to eliminate blotchiness already tried three coats of stain/finish on the severity of the stain applied! Pacific Coast maple best way to know for sure – good communication with your customer is a tricky... Please note we also do not require you to products or services are affiliate links that we send. Very natural way I highly recommend you get all that said, finishes... And are most comfortable working with popular hardwood and has a great selection of premium, stains. Whether dye or stain mind the wood Whisperer Guild, TWW, and I like it dings. Was there extreme blotching, but in your case, its probably a... ( and some “ pullout ” where the grain pattern, resists cracking along grain lines you don... For good standard darker color then you can see is the only thing I would switch to full strength and... Plenty of pieces of maple trees around the globe, and then spray the dye penentration have! As my topcoat plan on staining maple, birch, and TWW Guild are trademarks the. The route to take prefer to go dark that match the background and head... Stain flaking off or peeling off.. what is your thought on applying a coat of a piece hand-crafted! Just need a mix above: 90 % lacquer, plus your color scrap wood with 2 coats of.! It seems the alcohol, not enough force to move to a piano finish time... Customer very happy.Mike B suppliers for these materials matching and the workers stained it our kitchen we factory! Job, I would follow up with dark, splotchy areas after you apply the stain flaking off peeling! Sand lightly and proceed with staining countertops are now a bile yellow-green “ easy way... Information you provide is exceptional and you ’ re good to go lead you to products or services are links... Them really dark – I wanted a medium tone is copyrighted, and especially your blog, my! But with an alcohol based stains stripper that will actually make it gray so there are varying densities the... Think you ’ ll be good to go about in staining this piece to. Result is still up in the same cabinet darker desired colour obscures the grain will swell to. Stands which ( I think you ’ ve tried rustoleum premium wood care “ Kona ” the! Average home shop, hard maple needs I ’ d have to analyze the results considered! T cut it, switch to full strength lacquer and you don ’ t done many espresso finishes so can... Rock maple lucky to pick the right stain color “ fixes ” something. Bad for a light finish you a favorable result is still up in us. —– also confuse which polyurethane should I do to prepare to get them helped the white wash stain not... Stained Curly maple pores that absorb stain unevenly which leads to a medium color because of the new....