Matching Stain

In the last blog I talked about how to repair a Dinning Room chair with  loose spindles and how to tighten them up with glue and dowels.  I had also mentioned you would have to touch up the stain and finish on the chair where you sanded the dowels smooth where it meets the leg.  The touch up of the stain and finish is what today's blog is about.

I do not want to discourage you from trying, but to inform you that it is really hard to have an exact match of stain if you do not know what color and brand is on your piece, especially if the piece is an antique.  If you know the color and brand of stain then you are all set to go, but keep in mind the age of the piece may have a slightly different look then what new stain would even though it's the same brand/color.  The brand I use the most is Zar because I have the most access to these. Zar is a gel stain and if I can not find a base color close enough to what I need, I will look for another gel stain by General Finishes. 

The first thing you want to be aware of is safety!  It is important that you do not mix different brands because you could have a chemical reaction.  The only sure way to know if you would get a chemical reaction is if they were mixed, so be safe and stick with one brand. You can mix different stains in the same brand with each other to get a color that should come close, if not an exact match.  There is no science when it comes to matching a finish.  I mix up small amounts of stain, but make sure there is enough to finish the project, in a small container with a wooden stick. Tongue depressor or Popsicle types work great.  I start with the majority of it being the base color, which is the closest that I can get to match the piece, then add teaspoons of a darker color until I get something that will match as close as possible. 

Once in a well ventilated area with your work surface under your piece covered and gloves on your hands, you're ready to begin applying the stain...after you read the directions on how to apply.  Remember that gel stain is fairly thick so you need to be careful while applying it. Make sure you use a lint free cloth to wipe the stain on, making sure you apply in the same direction. If you apply in multiple directions, it will show; this is also the reason that I prefer using a cloth instead of a brush or sponge. One coat of stain is usually all that is required. After the piece has dried for at least 24 hours I then will put a coat of finish on, usually polyurethane.

Another simpler, but possibly more costly, way of doing a color match is to have some one do it for you.  I have never used them, but Sherwin-Williams will mix stains for you. 

I hope that this helps you out with the projects around your house.  Feel free to contact me at  weberwooddesigns@gmail.com with questions about your particular repair so I can possibly offer some suggestions to your specific needs.  

Thanks
Dennis Weber
Weber Wood Designs

Repairing loose spindles on a Dining Room Chair

There is nothing like sitting down for a nice family meal and feeling like the chair that is under you is about to let you down.  The repair of a dining room chair is one of the most common repairs that I have to do for people.  The repairs of a wobbly chair are usually attributed to loose spindles.  To get the most life out of a solid chair, the best thing to do to repair these loose spindles by taking the joint apart.  First, look carefully to see if there are any mechanical fasteners (nails or screws) that are helping to hold the joint together.  If there is a fastener then do your best to try and remove the fastener with out damaging the surrounding area.  If there are no mechanical fasteners holding it together then go ahead and give it a tug to see if  the joint pulls apart.  If the joint does not come apart see if a clamp spreader will push it apart. Once it is apart you can use some Titebond glue, which you can purchase at most hardware stores, then use your clamp and clamp it back together.  You can continue this process for all of the loose joints that will come apart.

For a joint that will not come apart you have a couple of other options.  You can use  Quick-Set CA glue (cyanoacrylate adhesive) and let it seep down into the cracks around the spindle. Depending on the size will depend on whether you want to use thin, medium, or thick glue.  This works pretty well but sometimes it takes a few times to fill up the crack. The glue may seep out the other side, so make sure you have something to place under your work space.  This glue sets fast so work quick and do not allow it to get on your fingers or you may be wearing it for a while.
Another option for loose spindles is to put a small cross dowel into the joint or put another mechanical fastener into the joint. I make it so that the fastener/dowel goes in at a 90 degree angle to the spindle itself. To use a dowel, drill a small hole (the size of your dowel) into the leg, but not all the way through. Put some glue on the dowel and insert it into the hole.  Once the glue dries you can cut off the dowel with a flush trim saw and lightly sand the dowel end.  Now you have two choices, you can leave the dowel its natural color or you can stain the dowel to match the stain of the chair.  We will cover this part in a later blog.


I hope that this helps you out with the projects around your house.  Feel free to contact me at  weberwooddesigns@gmail.com with questions about your particular repair so I can possibly offer some suggestions to your specific needs.  
Thanks

Dennis Weber
Weber Wood Designs