Is there a wood doctor in the house? I screwed up.
But first, please don’t suggest for me to go and get new wood or sanding supplies, etc., etc. as I do not have a lot of money. Nor do I have access to any sort of power tools.
First pic below: Completed, but unstained, wood base for my carrier model.
Second pic below: Stained wood base, but with the camera flash off.
Third pic below: Stained wood base, but with camera flash on.
Fourth pic below: Stained wood base, but with living room light on.
So today, I stained the wood base for my carrier model. Unfortuneately, the color I chose is not what I expected or wanted. I bought a can of Minwax Colonial Maple color oil stain. After applying only one coat, the color looks orangeish. I’m not keen on that. So the question is: How do I correct this? I don’t like the color.
A few options are:
OPTION 1: Stick with what I got and just deal with it.
OPTION 2: Buy a new darker oil stain and apply that over the Colonial Maple stain I used.
OPTION 3: Get a can of regular spray paint (Not sure what color, but I was thinking of black) and repaint the entire wood base thus covering up the stain color.
OPTION 4: If I decide to keep the Colonial Maple color, I already put 1 coat down today. Would another coat be needed? Would a 2nd coat make the base look even more “orangish” and worse?
I laid hardwood floors in a previous life. Stripper is what you need. Can be found at Wal Mart, Home Depot, or Lowe’s. Things you need for the job. Stripper, a throw away brush, (called a chip brush, there cheap)a stiff bristle brush (Nylon, not steel). Chemical resistant glove. That’s it. This stuff is NASTY.
The process. 1 Shake the stripper really good. (And in between recoats of stripper.) 2. Protect the area you’re working in with an old towel or drop cloth. 3. Apply a small amount in the center of your board. With the chip brush, spread the stripper over the entire board with the grain. 4. Wait (back of the can will say how long.) 5. Take the nylon stripping brush, and scrub the wood (with the grain). This will remove ALL the stain, back to bare wood. If you have any questions, message me.
If it’s as “nasty” as you say it is in your post, then it’s not an option I’m willing to use. I live in an apartment. I don’t need something really foul smelling stinking up not only my own apartment, but the whole building and other people’s apartments as well.
What type of wood? Looks like pine. Pine usually cast a yellowish/orangeish tint to light stains.I don’t think stripper would work to remove it as stain gets into the grain of the wood. Sanding is the only option to remove it, which you can not do right now. Multiple layers might bring the color you want, while staining a darker color would cover what you have right now. You can always paint it as your last suggestion.
It tends toward a yellow orange hue. If you don’t want to sand it down and start over, you’ll need to get something much darker and stain over the top. I’d recommend getting a piece of scrap material that is the same wood you’re using for the base. You can then stain it with the colonial maple and test other colors over it until you find the color you like. I’m not sure if you can get these for minwax but some brands have sample sized containers for a buck or two.
Yes, I have a small balcony/patio. I don’t do much, if anything, regarding painting and such outside as the winds can be quite unpredictable and you never know which way they’ll blow.
Other questions:
Is it even possible to put another darker stain on top of a lighter colored stain? Pros and Cons?
Or if I decided to spray paint over the oil stain, what would be the Pros and Cons of that? Can I use an acrylic paint over the stain or would a laquer work better?
If you want to use a darker stain, you”ll have to sand it first with 120 grit sandpaper to open up the grain. (Just a little bit). Stain acts like a sealer. After you sand it, wipe it down with a tack cloth. Apply the darker stain.
You could use the bottom of the base as a test area (as long as it wasn’t stained). In a small area put the stain on, wipe it off, then try your darker color. In another small area put on the stain, wipe it off. Let it dry for a few hours. Sand it like above, tack it, then apply the darker stain. You should get a darker result.
I would not try and wipe off any of the stain with mineral spirits. All that’s going to do is reactivate the stain.
If you want to just paint the base, sand it with 120 grit really good. You don’t have to worry about trying to sand the stain away. You just need to be a little bit more aggressive than above.
Once you sand it, use a tack cloth to wipe everything down. It does a great job of getting all the dust particles off, and they can be reused.. They sell these at Lowe’s or Home Depot. They’re cheap. They’re in the stain department. I would wear some gloves when you’re wiping down with a tack cloth. They’re just really sticky. Find a really good primer it’s compatible with wood. I would use any enamel paint to paint over the primer. If you have any questions, message me. I’ll even take a phone call. I really hope this helps
I think that it looks okay but you have the ultimate say. Another option is to keep the base for a later project and visit a thrift shop like Good Will. I’ve found a lot of bases(picture frames, bare wood plaques, or some other type of wall art. Depending on the piece I either stain it or paint it. I never spend more than $5.00 and usually around $2.99. I’m also retired and on a strict budget. Good luck.
No matter what I do or whatever advice anybody offers, one thing is for certain: I totally screwed myself on this project.
I have a confession to make. I don’t know a hill of beans when it comes to staining. It wasn’t something they taught back in my Carpentry class back in high school. I figured I could just brush it on like paint and that would be that. I was wrong and I was stupid.
I’m almost afraid to sand it for fear of screwing up the wood base even more.
I’m thinking of maybe just cutting my losses and biting the bullet so to speak and just using what I got right now.
But whether I leave the base with just one coat as is or put a second coat of the same color stain on, I don’t know yet. I’ve blown about $50-55 on this wood base plus the stain and any other supplies. I can’t afford to throw away another $50+ or more on more wood, sanding supplies, etc.
Don’t be so hard on yourself. We all make mistakes. The most important thing is that we learned from them. Trust me, I’ve learned many lessons on how not to do things. At the end of the day, everything always works out one way or another.. If you decide to keep the base as is, go for it. That won’t be any headache for you. . If you plan on trying to stain it darker, you have to sand it first before you try and re-stain it.
Put the new stain on the wood, let it sit for a minute or two, then wipe it right off. If the stain is not removed, you’ll have a splotchy appearance on the wood, and the polyurethane won’t be able to adhere to the surface.
This is by far the most important thing to do right now @WhatIfRebel.
There is nothing more frustrating than a project that takes an unexpected left turn (we’ve all been there). Take some time to let the emotional aspect fade and look at it with a fresh set of eyes. This isn’t always easy, but in terms of this project, nothing is ruined, it is completely salvageable.
There are lots of knowledgeable replies above with very good information and won’t destroy your budget (we all know how tough it can be these days). We have all seen what you are capable of with your models, I see no reason why you won’t overcome this setback and end up with your desired outcome. Have faith in your ability to do this because we all know you can (little bit of “dad mode” there ).
Like the others have said, first relax. It is only woodworking, not hard.
Stain the base with a darker stain, probably two coats. Then seal with polyurethane. After the first coat is dry, give it a light sanding with 330 grit or finer sand paper. The poly will lift the grain and make it a little rough. Once sanded, wipe off and dust with a rag. Give it another coat of poly and let dry for a couple days in a dust-free space. It will come out looking great and be nice and shiny.
WhatIfRebel, no matter what you decide to do, please remember that it’s your model that is the center of attention and not its base. Take a break from the base and focus on the aircraft carrier build for now.
Thanks for all the advice, everybody. I’m just not sure what to do now. I’ve got a lot of thinking to do.
I’m just stressed. And I know about stressed. It’s “desserts” spelled backwards. Maybe I’ll drown my sorrows in a bowl of chocolate ice cream.
Or better yet, listen to the sage advice of Dr. Henry Jones Sr. from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.
I bought a can of Minwax Colonial Maple color oil stain. After applying only one coat, the color looks orangeish. I’m not keen on that. So the question is: How do I correct this? I don’t like the color.
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