# pre staining pine



## soundmun (Apr 23, 2015)

Hi there, newbish here and for the past months discovered my love for woodworking . Q : I want to stain pine . This is for miror frame in the bathroom . I have dyes ( rustins) and stains (Behr) but no conditioner . any alternatives to avoid bloochiness? 
also here is the design --> which color you advise to stain ( or dye ) and finish ? ( Tru oil, Danish, linseed )
Edit- shared sizeable image . stains are water based.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_HU2gN8DE0-aVR0UWUwN21LYTBRRUpFMm9QOUpYczB1MmJj/view?usp=sharing


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

Welcome to the club. First you need to work out your finish procedure on scrap wood before using it on your project. Be sure to sand the scrap wood just the same as the project. 

If you have the means of spraying dyes are less likely to blotch than oil stains. Still that doesn't mean you can't do a good job with oil stains. You just have to understand that pine has spots that are softer than others and the soft spots tend to absorb more stain. By using a prestain conditioner you make the surface more uniform so the stain goes on more evenly. Now a prestain conditioner is a sealer and it takes a little tinkering to get the formula right. If you apply it too concentrated the wood won't stain and too thin and the wood will go blotchy. Once you get the brand of wood conditioner tuned right be sure to write down how you mixed it. If you use the same formula on every wood prone to blotch you will get a feel for what color stain you need to achieve the color you want. It will take a darker color than if you didn't use a conditioner. 

The picture is too small to really help you choose a color. As best as I can see it wouldn't take much color.


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## soundmun (Apr 23, 2015)

thnx for the info. I dont have a dedicated sealer as well. so, can this options present same idea : finishing oils :
linseed, tru. danish?


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

If you mean by sealer the wood conditioner, I make my own by mixing boiled linseed oil and mineral spirits 50/50. Others here have had high praise with the Charles Neil Blotch Control. Charles is a member here and has sent me a sample but I haven't had an opportunity to try it yet. An actual sealer would only be used if you planned to use a film finish such as polyurethane. 

As far as finishing oils Danish oil is a mixture of linseed oil and sometimes tung oil with old fashion varnish and mineral spirits and sometimes pigments. For what you are doing the Danish oil would be a better choice. It's a little more water resistant than linseed oil. The mirror will likely steam up once in a while and have water run down across the bottom rail.


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## soundmun (Apr 23, 2015)

Steve Neul said:


> If you mean by sealer the wood conditioner, I make my own by mixing boiled linseed oil and mineral spirits 50/50. Others here have had high praise with the Charles Neil Blotch Control. Charles is a member here and has sent me a sample but I haven't had an opportunity to try it yet. An actual sealer would only be used if you planned to use a film finish such as polyurethane.
> 
> As far as finishing oils Danish oil is a mixture of linseed oil and sometimes tung oil with old fashion varnish and mineral spirits and sometimes pigments. For what you are doing the Danish oil would be a better choice. It's a little more water resistant than linseed oil. The mirror will likely steam up once in a while and have water run down across the bottom rail.


 thnx alot for this info- i will gladly use the linseed mix as a sealer. 
BTW, isnt the purpose of the mineral spirit to deluite the linseed oil? should I let it dry for a while before staining?


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

soundmun said:


> thnx alot for this info- i will gladly use the linseed mix as a sealer.
> BTW, isnt the purpose of the mineral spirit to deluite the linseed oil? should I let it dry for a while before staining?


Yes the mineral spirits dilutes the linseed oil. If you put linseed oil on the frame without thinning it it would seal the wood so much you would never be able to stain it. It would be almost like putting a coat of varnish on the wood and then try to stain it.


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