# Looking for prep and technique suggestions for paint over old oail stain finish



## S Hobbs (Jun 12, 2012)

I, I have an old maple dresser that I stained 25 yrs ago with basic oil stain. I want to repurpose into a room with a beach decor and want to refinish with a whitewashed blue.









Something that will work with this picture frame. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Live in California so products are a bit restrictive. Thanks in advance!


----------



## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

It's hard to tell from the picture but if the wood has just been stained and doesn't have a clear coat over it you can thin down and oil based blue paint to use to whitewash it. Then if you want a chemical coating over it you can just lightly sand it and use an oil based polyurethane. I wouldn't put too many coats on it because the polyurethane will yellow in time making the blue turn green. If you would let the blue dry a couple of weeks it could be coated with a water based polyurethane which wouldn't have the yellowing effect but wouldn't be as durable.


----------



## S Hobbs (Jun 12, 2012)

Thanks Steve, yes no overcoat was put on original finish. I am not sure I can get an oil based paint here in CA retail. Do you have a suggested product?


----------



## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

I don't know whats available in California or not so I will throw you some more options. The particular product isn't important. An oil based paint is just boiled linseed oil, pigment and thinner. For this purpose all you are wanting is the pigment and a binder to work it on with. You may be able to get supplies at a art store. If you can get some boiled linseed oil you can mix a artist oil based paint with it to make the whitewash. It wouldn't take very much. A 1.25 oz tube of the blue would probably tint a gallon of linseed oil. You would have to start it in a small container because the artist paint will be a thick paste and will be hard to stir it. Another option is Minwax makes a stain I believe is called pickled oak. It will be literally whitewash and white in color. You can add a blue aniline dye to this stain to alter the color. The aniline dye comes in powder form and is available online or at suppliers of professional finishing suppliers. Another option is if you can get is you can do this with latex paint. Now the problem with doing this with latex paint is it dries very fast and you will have to work really fast to get it uniform. Using latex I would brush it on full thickness in small areas and wipe it off immediately with a clean cloth. This would be much easier with the oil finish. You could put the paint in a sprayer and spray a much bigger area and take you time to wipe it off. Since the oil paint is not trying to set up immediately you have a greater chance to get the color uniform.


----------



## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

S Hobbs said:


> Thanks Steve, yes no overcoat was put on original finish. I am not sure I can get an oil based paint here in CA retail. Do you have a suggested product?


You can still buy One Shot...a sign painters oil base paint in quarts. You can thin it, and there are many colors.










 







.


----------



## S Hobbs (Jun 12, 2012)

Steve Neul said:


> I don't know whats available in California or not so I will throw you some more options. The particular product isn't important. An oil based paint is just boiled linseed oil, pigment and thinner. For this purpose all you are wanting is the pigment and a binder to work it on with. You may be able to get supplies at a art store. If you can get some boiled linseed oil you can mix a artist oil based paint with it to make the whitewash. It wouldn't take very much. A 1.25 oz tube of the blue would probably tint a gallon of linseed oil. You would have to start it in a small container because the artist paint will be a thick paste and will be hard to stir it. Another option is Minwax makes a stain I believe is called pickled oak. It will be literally whitewash and white in color. You can add a blue aniline dye to this stain to alter the color. The aniline dye comes in powder form and is available online or at suppliers of professional finishing suppliers. Another option is if you can get is you can do this with latex paint. Now the problem with doing this with latex paint is it dries very fast and you will have to work really fast to get it uniform. Using latex I would brush it on full thickness in small areas and wipe it off immediately with a clean cloth. This would be much easier with the oil finish. You could put the paint in a sprayer and spray a much bigger area and take you time to wipe it off. Since the oil paint is not trying to set up immediately you have a greater chance to get the color uniform.



Ok! So I took the plunge and I am pretty happy with the result. I used minwax water based in charcoal to deposit color. And yes that was difficult to control even with their primer base. Then I used rust oleum ultimate wood stain in sunbleached...brushed on and rubbed off. the process lifted a bit of the blue but not too much. Anyway, I like the result. It has depth in color with the maple wood undertones, the blue and white. So I am hoping you have a suggestion for a finish layer. I want something durable but I want a Matt, hand rubbed look like what I would get with wax. Thank you again for your suggestions!


----------



## S Hobbs (Jun 12, 2012)

Here is a photo of the side of the dresser. Sorry about the blurriness... Just to see color range.


----------



## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

Normally I would suggest an oil based polyurethane but it would not be good for your project and may not be available in California. What ever product you use to topcoat you don't want any finish that would yellow over time. I would recommend using Minwax water based polyurethane. It will stay clear. I'm sure it is available in a satin finish to give you the matt finish you want.


----------



## S Hobbs (Jun 12, 2012)

Steve Neul said:


> Normally I would suggest an oil based polyurethane but it would not be good for your project and may not be available in California. What ever product you use to topcoat you don't want any finish that would yellow over time. I would recommend using Minwax water based polyurethane. It will stay clear. I'm sure it is available in a satin finish to give you the matt finish you want.


Thanks Steve. Headed to hd this morning. Will post photo when done. Couldn't find hardware pulls that I like anywhere so I am going to make my own.

Sent from my iPad using Wood Forum


----------



## S Hobbs (Jun 12, 2012)

Ok, so this was torture. Now I know why pottery barn charges so much! I get the "why" on water based products and liked the fact that I could work with the garage closed up to reduce any dust settling on the surface. But, this stuff is definitely not for the faint of heart. I cannot imagine a beginner having any success with this stuff. I used minwax water based wipe on poly. The surface sets a film within 60 seconds of laying it down. I tried following the directions as written...don't do that! There is no way you can get a smooth finish "wiping" it on. Sanded that coat with 400 then tried a brush, that worked well and was able to tip it. But the overall finish was still a little too thin for what I was looking for so went for a third coat. Oh, and even tried a sponge and quickly stopped using that. So, my final finish layer was with a brush and I think I am where I want to be. Still have to mfg my own pulls though. Here is a look before I make the pulls.

Sent from my iPad using Wood Forum


----------



## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

S Hobbs said:


> Ok, so this was torture. Now I know why pottery barn charges so much! I get the "why" on water based products and liked the fact that I could work with the garage closed up to reduce any dust settling on the surface. But, this stuff is definitely not for the faint of heart. I cannot imagine a beginner having any success with this stuff. I used minwax water based wipe on poly. The surface sets a film within 60 seconds of laying it down. I tried following the directions as written...don't do that! There is no way you can get a smooth finish "wiping" it on. Sanded that coat with 400 then tried a brush, that worked well and was able to tip it. But the overall finish was still a little too thin for what I was looking for so went for a third coat. Oh, and even tried a sponge and quickly stopped using that. So, my final finish layer was with a brush and I think I am where I want to be. Still have to mfg my own pulls though. Here is a look before I make the pulls.


It works much better when sprayed. Many that use it aren't willing to apply the finish the way that it works best. It's not a one or two coat finish.










 







.


----------



## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

When ever you brush a clear coat over a pickle finish you run the risk of rubbing the color off. It would be better off to be sprayed. If you are going to do it though, brush the finish on with a very soft brush and put as little on per coat as possible. This will minimize the brush marks. It is unnecessary to use a sandpaper as fine as 400 with a brush on finish, 220 is sufficient. Just be real careful you don't rub the color off. If you sand through it you can't touch it up and have it look right. All you are trying to do between coats is to get off any dust that might have settled in the finish as well as smooth out the grain being raised. On water based I would put at least two coats on before doing any sanding. I don't care for the water based finish but sometimes it's needed. It takes twice as many coats as a conventional polyurethane and because it has water in it raises the grain so it takes more sanding between coats. In you case a conventional polyurethane would have initially looked fine but over the next months and years you would have seen it turn greener and greener because of the yellowing of the finish.


----------



## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

In your experimenting you will find that allowing all previous coatings to dry before applying another, that you won't be rubbing off any color. I wouldn't be too concerned about any "grain raising", as if it happens it's minimal and will get taken care of with any in-between sanding done that would be commensurate with applying multiple coats.









 









.


----------

