# Do oil-based stains come in bright colors? Why can't I find any?



## JavaGeek (Feb 2, 2010)

Hello All,
Between the offerings at Woodcraft, Rockler, and my home centers (Minwax), I couldn't find stain in any bright colors except for in water-based.

Just out of curiosity, does anyone know why that is? 

I am working on a poplar piece for my pre-school-aged daughter and wanted to stain it a bright orange color. 

On 2 test pieces, I have tried the Minwax water based stain after using the pre-stain conditioner recommended by minwax. It roughened the texture significantly and overall was more work and yielded a less appealing piece than staining poplar with conventional oil-based minwax stain from the home center.

Am I missing something? Water-based stain seems like a huge pain and inconvenience. Surely, I'm not the only guy on the planet who'd rather just used oil-based stain.

It seems like all the stain makers only sell shades of browns in oil-based, and a much greater variety in their water-based lineups. Why is that?


----------



## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

I make my own pickling stains with mixing oil base paint, mineral spirits, and a touch of BLO. You can do that with just about any color. If the paint is reduced enough the grain still shows.


----------



## Brian_Hinther (Sep 13, 2009)

I would say because nearly all oil-based stains are pigment-based, and pigments generally come from the earth, which is--of course--brown.

Try investigating dyes. They can be water, alcohol or oil-based and come in the bright colors you're looking for.


----------



## firehawkmph (Apr 26, 2008)

Coffee Geek,
Forget the minwax, it's junk. Go back to woodcraft and get their water based dyes, either in liquid form, or powder. Hint, read the instructions. When you use a water based product, it will raise the grain. Take a damp cloth and wipe the piece first, let it dry, then lightly sand off the fuzz. Now do the dye, it won't raise the grain now. If you don't want to do that, use alcohol to mix with the powdered dye and it won't raise the grain, and it will dry in seconds. The dyes will produce a much more vivid color. Practice on a scrap first.
Mike Hawkins


----------



## glh17 (Jul 7, 2010)

You might find something here.
http://www.homesteadfinishingproducts.com/htdocs/stains.htm


----------



## Colt W. Knight (Nov 29, 2009)

I highly reccomend Transtint dye.


----------



## cusingeorge (Nov 17, 2007)

Go to a really good paint store (read: not Sherwin Williams). Most carry oil stain in a tintable clear base. Have them shoot your color into the base.

They can (and probably have) make any color you want.


----------



## Rob Schramm (Jul 12, 2010)

You can make any color oil stain that you want by taking the color mixed in a quality oil based paint and adding a little at a time mineral spirits. If you want it more opaque simply add less spirits and if you want more add more. If you want more life out of it you can add boiled linseed oil (just a touch will do). A lot of my finishes that I do start with a stain coat like this in a color then I gild it and then move onto stuff like crackles and pull offs.


----------

