# Problem staining cherry wood...



## Woodcutter (Nov 8, 2007)

I posted this origially to finishing but am hoping to get more feedback here.

Jerry - thanks for your reply re the aging effect of cherry wood.

I just put a second application of stain on some solid cherry wood and now I have a milky white residue in some areas of the wood. After I applied the initial stain, I noticed a few small scratches from the router and a couple of small areas of glue after I glued the boards together to form the panels, so I did some more sanding to remove those blemishes. I restained the entire panel, and they looked good until the stain started drying. Then I noticed a milky substance on some areas of the panel, almost like an oxidation. It only seemed to appear in areas of the panels where I had not sanded it back down to the wood, just areas that had still had some of the original stain. :huh: 

What is this and what caused it? I used the same stain. Could it be the cleaner the brush was soaked in? I wiped the brush clean before using it. 

I did take a rag and dipped it in the stain and used it to rub out this milky stuff. It took some elbow grease and time to get it out. When it dried, some of the milky came back, but not nearly as bad as it was. I'll keep doing that unless someone can tell me of something else to try. I want to be sure I get it all out before I try to put a finish on.

Another question, I know cherry will darken with age. How does stain, and stain with a finish coat effect this aging? Will it still darken?

Thanks.


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## Knot Home (Feb 14, 2008)

Why are you using a brush to apply stain, and what did you clean it in?

You'll get much better results with a rag, and there's no clean up. You can really work the stain into lighter areas to even-up the finish. Wear vinyl gloves. If you're careful they can be reused a couple of times.

What kind of stain are you using?

After sanding, did you wipe the wood down with mineral spirits and/or a tack cloth? There is a surprising amount of dust and debris that doesn't come off, even with a good brushing and compressed air.

Make sure you read and follow all instructions on the can, and take your time. You'll get a nice finish.

Roy


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## Woodcutter (Nov 8, 2007)

Roy,

I'm not sure why I used a brush - I guess because I have always used a brush - bad habits are hard to break. No more brushes from now on. I am using a Minwax oil-based stain. I did use a tack cloth after sanding, but I did not use mineral spirits. I need to start doing that as that seems to be a common suggestion from what I have been reading here and elsewhere. These are all good points - thank you Roy.

I'm still curious if you or anyone else has seen this "oxidation" that has appeared on the stained panels. 

I rubbed all the spots down again last evening with a rag and the stain and it appears it has removed the problem from the panels where this is the second time I've rubbed them down. And the panels where it was the first rub down appear to have improved. Hopefully, the second treatment this evening will clean them up too. If so, then I'll get a coat of poly on it tomorrow evening to seal them.


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## jerry (Nov 1, 2006)

Tack cloths are what we woodworkers save our dirt,oil,grease and dust in to smear it on the next piece we finish. I don't know any finishers personally that use those things.

Jerry


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## Gerry KIERNAN (Apr 20, 2007)

There are commercial wax free tack cloths available to remove dust from a surface prior to finishing, but they should only be used to remove the dust, and thrown away once it starts to build up. They should also be kept sealed in their bags until needed.

Gerry


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## Knot Home (Feb 14, 2008)

I personally use tack cloths for the final wipe before I apply finish on pieces that must be perfect, like a table top, gunstocks, etc. They're particularly helpful for removing steel wool dust between coats of wipe-on poly and oil finishes. Use a light touch when you wipe so as not to leave any of the "tack" on your surface. Use a fresh portion for each use and store unused cloths in a ziplock baggie. Throw them away after use; they're cheap.

Wiping with mineral spirits does a couple of good things: 1) it cleans dust off the surface, and 2) shows any imperfections in the surface, 3) highlights any glue you might otherwise miss.

I don't understand what the "oxidation" could be. I've had excellent results with Minwax stains, even when they're old. I just finished a cherry piece and used Minwax cherry stain on it with no problems at all. Try a test panel with a rag on a piece of scrap before you go any further, and if you get the same results, get a new can. I'm guessing it came from your brush though.

Cherry darkens over time, but the process is pretty slow (faster on unfinished wood exposed to air). Unless you've stained it really dark, I wouldn't worry about it. You won't really notice it change.

Roy


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## Suz (Dec 8, 2006)

Woodcutter said:


> I posted this origially to finishing but am hoping to get more feedback here.
> 
> <SNIP>
> Another question, I know cherry will darken with age. How does stain, and stain with a finish coat effect this aging? Will it still darken?
> ...


I don't have an answer to your other problems, but yes cherry will darken as it ages even after it's finished. Not only that, if you used wood from two different boards to do a "glue up" on a panel the different boards will darken at a different rate. I saw some pictures on the net whereas some woodworker had a beautiful headboard of matched lumber, but after a year it looked almost like a zebra with different colors.
This is one reason I don't like to work with cherry.
Jim


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## Majik (Jan 10, 2008)

Woodcutter, I never use a tackcloth in my sprayroom, every piece that gets finished or stained gets a good vacuum in between every coat.


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## Knot Home (Feb 14, 2008)

It sounds like you've got a handle on your finish Woodcutter. Just to clarify, I don't use tackcloths on everything, only where an exceptionally fine finish is required, as in the examples I cited above. Logs, no; hardwood panels, yep.

Roy


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## jerry (Nov 1, 2006)

It doesn't matter how you state it if a tack rag does its job it picks up some sort of contaminate that is now attached to the cloth. After removing the dust I apply alcohol it cleans indicates any imperfections and drys rapidly, Mineral spirits or naptha could also be used.

Regards

Jerry


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