Always review the supply list and gather everything you’ll need before you begin mixing formulas so that you are not left scrambling for necessary tools at an inopportune time.
Don’t over sand after raising the grain. Just lightly knock off the nibs with highly worn sandpaper of the last grit you used. Always cover your work surface with rosin paper that is taped down.
Always level off the powder in the measuring spoon with a knife or a razor blade or a credit card before adding it to water. You need to keep the amounts exactly the same if you ever need to duplicate the recipe.
Always add the chemical or dye substance a little at a time while stirring the water to prevent splashing and/or clumping (in the case of powder).
Always strain the solution before applying it to the wood to prevent undissolved specks from leaving color streaks.
Don’t mix up more solution than you need. Chemicals and dyes lose their potency when dissolved in water so don’t make more than what you’ll need for just a few days.
Always wash your hands before handling the wood to be colored so that the oil from your skin doesn’t interfere with how the wood accepts the color. Even if you are wearing gloves, it’s a good idea to minimize touching the bare wood because unbeknownst to you, you might have picked up a speck or two of chemicals that could rub off on your project.
Always write the formula on blue tape and stick it on its mixing container so that if you are working with multiple formulas—or multiple chemicals—you’ll know which is which.
Remember that the color of the wood while it is wet with the solution on it is the color the wood will be after you’ve applied your coat of finish. The solution will dry lighter but then the clear coat finish will kick up the color again. With stains, however, it works in reverse: the stains dry lighter.
“Trust me. I have made every mistake there is to make in coloring wood, so if I say don’t do something, don’t do it!”
—Brian
Always use a synthetic brush for water-based solutions and a natural bristle brush for solvent-based solutions. Clean your brush immediately after you’re finished.
Always apply the color to the face first and then the edges to avoid wicking. (The exception to this is nitric acid, whereby you apply color to the edges and end grain first.) And always brush the solution on with a fifty percent overlap of the previous brush stroke. You want to keep a wet edge going to prevent lap marks.
Don’t dip your brush all the way into the solution or rest your brush in the solution because the chemicals can react to the metal ferrule. Also any excess solution trapped in the ferrule can possibly leak through when you resume work. You really only need to dip the first quarter of the brush’s bristles into the solution because that is the only effective part of the brush. Dipping your brush deeper than that is pointless, because it can lead to dripping and makes the task of cleaning the brush more time-consuming. After dipping your brush into the solution, tap one side of the bristles against the inside of the container, turn it around and tap the other side to remove the excess liquid. When pausing while working, rest your brush across the top of the container.
Always use a rag to wipe the solution off the wood after you’ve applied it so that you will have an even application of the chemical or dye. This also prevents pooling.
Always write your recipes on the back of your samples immediately—so keep a pencil or Sharpie handy—and also mark which recipe you ultimately chose for your project.
Don’t sand after applying color because you can easily sand through it. You may sand lightly after applying the first coat of finish. Always practice this sanding on scrap wood first so that you get a feel for how much pressure to apply.
Always clean off your work surface to remove any chemical dust or particles when you are finished. Similarly, always seal up and/or dispose of your solutions immediately.
Remember that chemicals don’t work their magic on sapwood as they do on heartwood. Instead they merely deposit their own color there.
Always contact your local environmental or waste management agency for their particular directions on the proper disposal of hazardous waste materials.
Remember that all of the recipes presented here are merely starting points for you. You can make them stronger by adding more of the coloring agent or you can weaken the effect by diluting the solution with distilled water or solvent. Have fun experimenting with different formulas on your scrap wood! Just be sure to keep track of the formulas!