[OP]
Member
I have had problems getting water based aniline dye (liquid) in the pores of red oak. The pores crevices remain unstained. I recently had the same problem (although not as bad) with water based gel dye (Clearwater Brand). Is there any way to prevent this problem? (soap or something to reduce surface tension?)
Member
If you are using transtints, try mixing the dye with 50/50 water/alcohol, this helps with bridging issues. You can also seal the current dye, then mix up a diluted glaze that you rub into the pores, then rub it off the other areas.
My best success with transtints is to use the 50/50 alcohol/water mix, spray it on heavy, spread with gray scotchbrite, let it sit for 2 minutes, then wipe the whole thing down gently with cheap paper towels. This really helps to even out the stain, gets the pores a little darker and takes off any excess that has a tendency to lift during the sealing process.
Member
The oak pores can really stand out with a dye! Sometimes badly, other times not so bad. I used to come back over the dye with a thin shellac working it just a bit with a brush. That would lift a little bit of the dye, and the shellac would then set up in the pores and color them. This takes some practice. You can really mess things up if you don't use a delicate touch. When I messed up, I'd just clean up the mess with alcohol and try again.
Doing the glaze after a sealing coat like Tom said works well too.
Bottom line, I found using pigments is the way to go for red oak. My long schedule for red oak would be to dye, oil stain, dry, seal with shellac, dry overnight, topcoat. You could hop on this schedule, and apply a pigment and work forward.
My shortened schedule for red oak would just be a wb pigment stain, top coat.
When using white oak I don't have to pore issue. So that's usually my first choice in oaks so I can just spray dye and top coat. This really allows you to subdue the cathedrail grain patterns. Whereas the pigment stain really makes them jump out.
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