# Advice on finishing bookcase



## vcreed (Jan 13, 2012)

First let me start by saying I am new here and this is my first post. I am also new to wood working. I have recently finished a 6' x 8' birch ply bookcase that was built into an alcove. I spent a lot of time planning the project and putting it together. Now I am to a part that really makes me nervous, the finish. I have done more research and reading than I care to admit but still have a ton of testing and planning ahead. I have a couple questions and was hoping to get some opinions on.

1) I have decided to go with General finishes. I ordered their gel stain, wood conditioner and their premixed dyes. Are 
these good products to use? I have found several places talking good about their stains but found nothing on their
dyes.

2) Does anyone have a favorite dye color to go with stain? I am using a darker gel stain color. Either Antique Walnut,
Dark Mahogany or Java. The dyes I was looking at were red, yellow and orange.


3) Any suggestions, advice or secrets on how to proceed once I decide on color? (I do not have a sprayer)

Thanks in advance for any help ​


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## sawdustfactory (Jan 30, 2011)

Practice on scraps before attacking the case itself.


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## vcreed (Jan 13, 2012)

I have about 9 pieces from when I cut the selves to length. I pray I find the color that I like and I can duplicate my success onto the all ready standing bookcase, lol.


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## vcreed (Jan 13, 2012)

Also are there any tricks to getting the stain out of the corners?


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## sawdustfactory (Jan 30, 2011)

Lots of rags. Wrap a rag around a putty knife to get right into the corner. Go easy on the stain in the corners in the first place too.


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## vcreed (Jan 13, 2012)

Good idea! Thanks. It's going to be interesting. It's to bad my first finishing job had to be assembled before stain, lol. Makes things much harder.


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

vcreed said:


> Also are there any tricks to getting the stain out of the corners?


I use 2 brushes (1"). One carries stain (not dripping wet), to dab in the corners and feather out into the grain. The other brush is used right after the wet brush, and kept fairly dry by continually dabbing into a clean dry cloth to draw out excess stain and blend it in.









 







.


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## vcreed (Jan 13, 2012)

Very interesting, I will keep that in mind and put it to use. Thanks!


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## vcreed (Jan 13, 2012)

Finally received my stains and have to say that it no contest so far. The Java is by far my favorite of the colors. It went on beautiful!! Much, much better consistency then any of the Minwax Gel stains that I have used in the past. Now I just have to play with the dyes which are suppose to be arriving today. 

Anyone have any opinions on using dye? (Good or bad)


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## vcreed (Jan 13, 2012)

Wow!! Dyes really, really change the color. Does not even look like the same stain now, lol. The red dye with the Java Gel stain is just breath taking! Then when I put the first finish coat on, wow again. The dye really made the wood grain pop! I guess the next step is to attempt to transfer this success of the large test pieces over to the bookcase.:sweatdrop:


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## Paul W Gillespie (Jul 7, 2011)

Lets see some pictures. Even the test pieces, unless you want to surprise us with the finished project.


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## ArmedFerret (Aug 24, 2011)

Did you dye on top of the stain or before it?


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## vcreed (Jan 13, 2012)

I will have to get the pictures of the test pieces up and posted. I'll do that tonight or tomorrow. 

I put the dye on before the stain. Never even thought of putting it on after, humm, lol.


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## vcreed (Jan 13, 2012)

Heres a couple of them. The dark red tinted one is the one I like.


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## vcreed (Jan 13, 2012)

I sanded to a 180 should I go even lighter?


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## ArmedFerret (Aug 24, 2011)

agreed, that looks great with the red!

it's your call on how far you want to go; i typically will go to 220. the finer you go, the smoother the wood will be to the touch. If you plan on building poly up with a good number of coats (sanding with 320 or higher in between, of course), it's not as important.


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## vcreed (Jan 13, 2012)

Was considering doing three costs of poly. I only did two costs on the test scraps in the pictures. Shares the advantage of doing additional coats? And yes, I did sand between coats, lol.


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## jambo (Jan 24, 2012)

vcreed,

That dark red finish looks great. Would you mind sharing what brand, type and color of dye stains you used on the lighter red and darker red pieces? 

Did you use any other steps in the finishing process other than dye followed by the gel stain? 

Thank you!


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## vcreed (Jan 13, 2012)

Thanks! The brand is General Finishes. I ordered it from amazon because there is no place around here that sells it. 

The dark red test piece was done with one coat of red dye ( I believe emperor red). Then a heavy coat of Java. That I followed up with two poly costs.

The board in the middle was done the same way but with orange instead of red.

As far as how I applied things I used a rag for both the dye and the stain. As soon as I had the board completely covered with the dye I waited maybe a minute and wiped the excess off. I only let the stain on for about a minute as well.

I've considered going back and seeing what letting the strain on for five minutes would do.


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## vcreed (Jan 13, 2012)

Anyone know if the veneer strips on the edge of the plywood are going to stain a lot different? I know the solid birch crown molding will.


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## vcreed (Jan 13, 2012)

The bottom two selves have been finished since these pictures. Now for the top coats!


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## michal89 (Feb 1, 2012)

*Re:*

Wood fishing is a good article here. Keep it up.. Awesome post.!


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## ArmedFerret (Aug 24, 2011)

that looks fantastic! it's the exact color i'm looking for on my router cabinet. :yes:

:shifty: heads up--i'm totally going to steal that combo from you. :laughing:


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## vcreed (Jan 13, 2012)

Thanks guy! And steal away, lol.


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## vcreed (Jan 13, 2012)

Finished with a few books in place, only another hundred books to go, lol.


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