Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 (Tek) 9/28/84 based on 9/17/84; site tekig4.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!tektronix!tekig5!tekig4!briand From: briand@tekig4.UUCP (Brian Diehm) Newsgroups: net.rec.wood Subject: Re: Need help with stains, varnishes Message-ID: <217@tekig4.UUCP> Date: Fri, 16-Aug-85 13:38:25 EDT Article-I.D.: tekig4.217 Posted: Fri Aug 16 13:38:25 1985 Date-Received: Mon, 19-Aug-85 22:20:05 EDT References: <708@spuxll.UUCP> Organization: Tektronix, Beaverton OR Lines: 34 > I am replacing some of the trim in my 30 year-old house, and am trying > to match the existing trim. > > I have tried the stains of several manufacturers. I've used several > different flavors (oak, maple, teak), and in all cases > I get a product that covers much too heavily. On the other hand, > I have tried appling clear varnish (the only varnish I've > been able to find) over my sample (pine) trim, and I get no color > change in the wood at all. > > My question: Is there such a thing as an "orange" varnish? The finish > provided by the clear varnish exactly matches the finish of the existing > trim. I now need only to darken the wood slightly. *** REPLACE THIS MESS WITH YOUR LINEAGE *** Well, yes, there IS orange varnish. Particularly, clear varnish that is 30 years old. It could simply have been clear when the original owners applied it. You might consider having a paint store carefully custom tint a stain for you. I did this with some stuff I wanted LIGHT gray - they took their stain base (clear), and added about 1/10th the amount of black tint than normally required for a middle gray. It worked very well, but that was for an indoor application. HOWEVER, if the original application was a "hard" finish, (i.e., varnish, Varathane, or even paint), then you MUST strip it before applying stain. I don't know if I'm insulting your experience here, but be aware also that exterior stains come in "transparent" and "heavy body" versions, the latter being as opaque as paint. -Brian Diehm Tektronix, Inc. ( I don't claim to know Tek's position vis-a-vis your situation. Hell, I don't even know what they paint THEIR buildings with!)