|
© 2002 George Hoffman, courtesy IGMA Forum
Staining
The following
question on staining from Anne H. is answered below by Julian
Biggers and Sally Hoffman
Q: Do
you recommend staining furniture before gluing or staining after gluing? -
Anne H.
Julian's response--
Stain
AFTER gluing for the strongest possible bond of the joints of the piece
you are making. Many ingredients in stains inhibit the glue from doing
its best job. That may not be so important on parts that do not have
any stress placed on them, and the weakness may not show up for some
years.
The proponents
of stain before gluing are concerned about the lighter blemishes
or "ghosts" that may appear upon staining after a messy
glue job. The blemish is caused by glue soaking into the wood grain
and keeping the stain from penetrating the same as on surrounding
raw wood. The problem can be eliminated by using a tinted glue such
as distributed by Houseworks, Inc. With tinted glue, you can see
the excess or smudge and remove it by scraping or sanding. Even when
all the glue cannot be removed, it will blend in with the color of
the dark stain.
Short
answer: Glue before staining and use a tinted glue.
A note
from the Frugal Woodworker: You can purchase tinted glue or make
your own by adding a few drops of very dark brown acrylic paint to
white wood glue. Test on scrap before using.
Sally's
response--
When to apply stain is a matter of personal preference and...the style
of the piece you are working on plays a big role. I agree with Julian
that glue should be tinted so you can see the places you need to clean
up before staining.
I personally find that if a case piece or cupboard is being constructed
pre-staining or painting the interior sections is better. This allows
free access and smoother brush work when applying the stain or paint.
Take great care to keep the stain out of any joinery grooves as this
will weaken the glue's bonding ability. Steps would be as follow.
1. Sand the wood lightly
2. Wipe the wood with a tack cloth or non-lint cloth (panty hose work
well) to remove sanding dust.
3. Apply stain with a small brush ( I have always liked a #7 water color
sable) or a small sponge brush. Apply the stain in one direction.
4. Wipe away excess stain with the non-lint cloth --panty hose. I prefer
the panty hose here as it does not remove too much stain.
5. Check to be sure the areas that are to glued are free of stain, if
necessary clean them lightly.
6. Allow stain to dry before gluing pieces together. This may take overnight
if you have used an oil base stain. Follow the manufacturer's suggested
drying times.
|