matching cheap pine

[Mike Dowell]

I'm refinishing a table top and I need to match it to the base. I stripped the leaf first and was going to finish it first to make sure I've got a color match.

I've tested numerous midway stains on a test piece with no match whatsoever. I would ask about transtint dye mixed into lacquer to make a toner but unfortunately, this table must be finished with a a more durable finish so I was going to use polyurethane.

Thoughts?

ForumRunner_20140820_145132.jpg

[Curt Harms]

I'm refinishing a table top and I need to match it to the base. I stripped the leaf first and was going to finish it first to make sure I've got a color match.

I've tested numerous midway stains on a test piece with no match whatsoever. I would ask about transtint dye mixed into lacquer to make a toner but unfortunately, this table must be finished with a a more durable finish so I was going to use polyurethane.

Thoughts?

ForumRunner_20140820_145132.jpg

I'm no expert (understatement of the day) but how about transtint in dewaxed shellac/Zinnser SealCoat as a toner? That should also prevent any blotching issues. You could apply poly or other durable topcoat over the shellac. I don't know if you could use a 'water-based' topcoat and put transtint directly into it. It goes without saying but experiment on scrap first.

[Mike Dowell]

Interesting. So unlike lacquer, shellac is compatible with poly? I love it! I'm assuming you refer to spraying this shellac toner?

Thanks for the reply by the way!

[Tom McMahon]

I can't tell for sure from your picture, but it appears that the table was stained with a pigment stain. You cannot match a pigmented stain with a dye. The dye will always appear more transparent than the stain even if you get the color close, the chatoyance and depth will be wrong. If it was colored with pigment, mix your stains to get a match. If you get close with pigment you can adjust with a toner. If I was trying to match your table I would start with a maple pigment stain and add to it to get a match.

[Mike Dowell]

Tom - Very good stuff - thank you.

I don't think this table was stained at all. I think it was buried in toner and I have come to this conclusion because when I stripped it, 95% of the color came off with the finish. The table top was almost as pure as it is in the picture. Would you suggest a gel stain? Or pretreat with conditioner and use regular minwax colonial maple?

I notice that pine doesn't seem to absorb lighter color oil/pigment stains very well.

perhaps the honey maple from here? http://www.minwax.com/wood-products/...nwax-gel-stain

Please advise.

[Tom McMahon]

If it was a toner it was probably one of these http://www.mohawk-finishing.com/cata...asp?ictNbr=170 but who knows which one. It's imposible to tell what it is for sure over the net. All you can do is get some pine and experiment with what you can get.

[Curt Harms]

Interesting. So unlike lacquer, shellac is compatible with poly? I love it! I'm assuming you refer to spraying this shellac toner?

Thanks for the reply by the way!

Conventional wisdom is that dewaxed shellac will stick to most anything and most anything will stick to dewaxed shellac. I think Tom has the right idea. Make sure the initial coat is somewhat lighter than the desired color then make it gradually darker. This has an added benefit if one area is lighter than the rest of the piece, make another light pass there.