I mixed a bit of black dye into my shellac and got a weird, cool grain pop

I was refinishing an old oak dresser and wanted a deep, warm tone, not just brown. On a whim, I added about a teaspoon of black TransTint dye to a pint of my dewaxed shellac. When I brushed it on, it didn't look great at first, but after it dried and I sanded it back, the oak grain had this amazing, dark definition I've never seen before. It looked almost like old, aged wood. Has anyone else played with adding dark dye directly to their finish instead of just staining the wood first?

3 comments

3 Comments

stella_scott9621h ago

Oh wow, I always thought you had to stain first and then finish! That's a brilliant trick. I might have to try that on my next project with some walnut stain mixed in. The idea of getting that aged look in one step is so cool.

laura48611h ago

Actually find that mixing stain into finish makes the color go on unevenly. The pigment tends to settle weirdly and you lose control over the depth. You'll get a more consistent aged look by staining first and then using a tinted topcoat.

anthony_wright9h ago

Wait, you mix the stain right into the finish?