Black stain internal timber?

[andymet87]

Hi all,

Renovating a 1780s cottage and want to make the timber look a bit smarter before we plaster and repaint.

Current timber is a mix of black finishes and we're looking to apply a dark stain across everything to tie it all together a bit.

What do I use?

Should I just use a black ronseal style stain or will that smell etc once the house is dry and warm? Like http://www.wickes.co.uk/Ronseal-5-Year-Woodstain-Dark-Oak-750ml/p/117996

All pointers welcome! Thanks!

 

[foxhole]

You don't need an exterior stain.
http://www.homebase.co.uk/en/homebaseuk/sadolin-interior-stain---english-oak---750ml-476578

 

[JohnD]

If you want a black one, I think they call it "Jacobean Oak."

"Dark Oak" is brown.

"Colron" is the wood dye, with no varnish content, just colour, so you can wax, varnish or polish it afterwards. On grained or rough surfaces you can apply it quickly with a brush, on planed wood you can rub it on with a rag. They make a water-based version now.

http://www.colron.co.uk/products/wood-dye/colron-refined-wood-dye/

 

[Deleted member 174758]

"Dark oak" (or antique oak) is dark brown, "Jacobean oak" is very dark brown - for black the name is "ebony"

 

[andymet87]

thanks! so I'll look for ebony - trouble is the interior stuff seems hard to come by and the exterior stuff is everywhere. is there any reason why i should not use the exterior stuff inside?

 

[Deleted member 174758]

It'll cost more. Try Chestnut Products. The cheapest way, though, is to make your own brew. Ebonising liquor is basically made by soaking steel wool, iron filings, iron nails, etc in strong white vinegar for several weeks in a warm place and then straining the resultant brew. The steel wool needs to be washes out before immersion because as made it has an oil coating which inhibits the action of the vinegar. The bottle needs to have a loose top because the process gasses off (and for that reason should ideally be performed outdoors). Be careful using this stuff as it stains absolutely everything made of oak, mahogany or walnut (as well as other things). Before applying the ebonising liquor the timber needs to be given a coating of strong, well-brewed black tea - basically tea that has been made with about 4 or 5 times the normal amount of tea leaves, left to absolutely stew for hours then strained off. We used to re-use the tea washouts from the workshop (which were collected in a big bin) when I was an apprentice. This "tea solution" contains loads of tannin and when the ebonising liquor comes in contact with it it creates a black stain. It often takes 2 or 3 tea followed by liquor coats to build-up the required level of black. It's also the cheapest way to ebonise stuff - as well as being a very traditional way of doing it

 

[andymet87]

Many thanks - the trouble is that we need to go it thud week..! Will look at Chestnut stuff as you suggest.

 

[JohnD]

you can also buy wood dyes from places that specialise in that sort of thing, often in large containers.

It's best to buy plenty in one go, as future batches may not quite match. Black will probably be OK.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_f...d+dye+black.TRS0&_nkw=wood+dye+black&_sacat=0

Liberon seems to have a good reputation for wood-finishing products.

 

[Gerrydelasel]

If you just want pure dye then you can't go wrong with Littlefair.
https://www.littlefairs.shop/produc...iendly-water-based-wood-dye-traditional-range