On open-grain woods with large pores the stain sometimes bridges
over the open cells filled with air. A stiff brush is needed to apply the
stain and rub it into these cells. With slow drying stains it is a good
plan to use a short bristled large brush, like a shoe brush, handy to
rub in the stain after spreading it with the regular flat wall brush.
To get an even coloring on end wood, the boards cut across the grain
you must use a fairly dry brush. The end grain soaks up stain rapidly
and will dry a darker color than the balance of the wood if a full brush
loaded with stain is used on them. The same is true of porous sap streaks
and rough knots. When these parts are treated,(as described earlier in
this chapter) the stain can usually be flowed on full the same as on the
balance of the surface.
As a rule two medium thin coats of stain are better than one heavy coat
on close-grain wood for darker effects. Penetration is slow on these
woods and it is better to apply the stain warm, when the water stains are
used. On these woods one sanding is usually enough to smooth down
the grain raised by two coats. On any raw new wood the stain must be
applied more freely than on a treated wood. When you start to apply a
brush load of stain on a surface, try to take up the same amount of stain
every time you dip the brush.
The brushing and wiping of water stains require more skill than the
application of oil stains. This is especially true when working on soft,
porous woods like white pine, bass, poplar, fir and gum. These are
more absorbent than woods like maple, birch and cypress. Water
stains penetrate more deeply and more quickly then oil stains, leaving
dark spots where each brush load of stain is first put in contact with the
wood. So after dipping the brush be sure it is not overloaded to the
point where it may drip and blot the soft porous surface. Then apply the
stain with light, long and rapid sweeps and lay the color off, distribute it
evenly, with as few strokes as possible in order to gain a uniform color.
It is safer to make the stain very thin and apply two coats on these woods
to gain a darker effect. If a water stain appears too dark after application
some of the color can be removed if wiped over evenly with a wet cloth
(water).
A spirit stain should be wiped to lighten it, with a cloth dampened with
benzene. Care must be taken in any case, however, to avoid wiping
harder in some places than in others, or a light streaked surface or
mottled effect will result. Oil stains are easy to apply because the
finisher has plenty of time to brush them on evenly and they do not
show laps and joints. Such stains do not penetrate as deeply as water
stains, although when they contain benzol they penetrate deeply
enough for all practical purposes. The oil stains may be spread and
allowed to stand a quarter or half hour and can then be wiped off to
remove any excess stain not absorbed by the wood.
If the color is too light a second coat may be put on after the first coat is
dry. If it is too dark some of the color can be removed by wiping with a
dry cloth and more of it will come off if the cloth is dampened with
benzene or turpentine. Care must be taken, however, to avoid wiping off
in spots or streaks. The oil stains are especially good for soft porous
woods in the brown colors, but do not give such dark colors on maple,
birch and other close grained, hard woods.
The cleaning of brushes used in stains should be done as soon as the
job is finished, laying the brushes flat to dry with the bristles straight.
A brush should be cleaned with the same thinner liquid as was used in
the stain or in a solvent of that liquid. Brushes used in oil stains should
be cleaned with benzene, naphtha or benzol. Brushes used in water
stains should be cleaned with water.
