I'm looking for some user info on Zar stain. Is it worth the extra money. I'm
planning using it on Oak to darken it up some.

"Creekbuster" wrote in message
...
I'm looking for some user info on Zar stain. Is it worth the extra money.
I'm
planning using it on Oak to darken it up some.


I have used it. IMHO you cannot spend too much on a quality stain. It is
thicker than the typical stain.

Creekbuster wrote:

I'm looking for some user info on Zar stain. Is it worth the extra money. I'm
planning using it on Oak to darken it up some.

funny you should ask. I just stained a project with it last night.
(Actually I used it to fill in light pores on some dye stained red oak.)
I use it instead of that horrible smelling, slow drying Minwhacks crap.
It's pretty good. It is much thicker than most stains and works well.
Drying time is 1 day, max. There are plenty of colors to choose from.

Dave

"Creekbuster" wrote in message
...
I'm looking for some user info on Zar stain. Is it worth the extra money.
I'm
planning using it on Oak to darken it up some.

Only you know whether it is worth the extra money to you. I only use ZAR.
It dries very fast.
Jim

I am a big fan of Zar products. IMHO well worth the money on quality
work.

Mike

"Creekbuster" wrote in message
I'm looking for some user info on Zar stain. Is it worth the extra money.
I'm
planning using it on Oak to darken it up some.

IME, it is a high quality stain thast is consistent from can to can. It's
the only stain I use on the oak furniture I make for myself ... the "114
Provincial" works nicely without going too dark for my taste.

--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 8/07/05

Zar is pigment stain that has an oil-based binder. It, of course,
behaves differently that a dye stain or a pigment / dye stain mixture. If
you like Zar, you might want to consider Benjamin-Moore interior stain,
Tripp, Old Masters, Colony, or Red Devil. These are all oil-based binder
pigment stains. Interestingly, some MinWax stains are just pigment, like
Cherry, as opposed to their Puritan Pine (dye), or their Special Walnut
(pigment / dye). I believe Olympic and General Finishes are pigment stains
but I do not know if they use an oil-based binder.

Good Luck.

"Creekbuster" wrote in message
...
I'm looking for some user info on Zar stain. Is it worth the extra money.
I'm
planning using it on Oak to darken it up some.

Thanks for all the great info on stains. I feel I'm still on the beginning of
my learning curve.

"Baron" wrote:

Zar is pigment stain that has an oil-based binder. It, of course,
behaves differently that a dye stain or a pigment / dye stain mixture. If
you like Zar, you might want to consider Benjamin-Moore interior stain,
Tripp, Old Masters, Colony, or Red Devil. These are all oil-based binder
pigment stains. Interestingly, some MinWax stains are just pigment, like
Cherry, as opposed to their Puritan Pine (dye), or their Special Walnut
(pigment / dye). I believe Olympic and General Finishes are pigment stains
but I do not know if they use an oil-based binder.

Good Luck.

"Creekbuster" wrote in message
.. .
I'm looking for some user info on Zar stain. Is it worth the extra money.
I'm
planning using it on Oak to darken it up some.

"Creekbuster" wrote in message
...
Thanks for all the great info on stains. I feel I'm still on the
beginning of
my learning curve.


One other think to keep in mind when using a new brand, or color for that
matter. Always test the new brand/color on a scrap before risking your
project. And with all the money and time you put into a project the finish
you apply is not a place to start cutting corners. The better brand stains
and finishes will most often make your work look like a pro did the work.
With most brands sold in home centers you have a 50/50 chance of a good
result IMHO.

Creekbuster wrote:
Thanks for all the great info on stains. I feel I'm still on the
beginning of my learning curve.

snip everything under the top posting...

We all are.

I used it once and found it to be excellent. Much thicker and of higher
quality than the borg's stuff. But I had a hard time finding it after
the first time.

RonT

"Ron Truitt" wrote in message
...
I used it once and found it to be excellent. Much thicker and of higher
quality than the borg's stuff. But I had a hard time finding it after
the first time.

FYI I typically find Zar at the local Better hardware stores.

In the Austin Texas area most of the hardware stores are out or going
out of business due to the invasion by Walmart and the borgs.

Georgetown just lost one that had been in business for over 100 years
and another that had been going for decades. Too bad. If they had it
they were alot faster to deal with and they always carried things no one
else did.

RonT

Ron Truitt wrote:

In the Austin Texas area most of the hardware stores are out or going
out of business due to the invasion by Walmart and the borgs.



RonT

that must make it tough to find hardware, because I was just in a
Walmart tonight and they don't really have that much in the way of
hardware. just a few odds and ends. HD covers that genre in a fair to
middling sort of way. I don't know how a store with so many square feet
can still not have what I'm looking for, but as often as not, they DON'T!

Dave

Damn if I'm not suddenly having trouble finding ZAR Wood Stains here in
Houston. Had to drive all over town to find it (Sherwin-Williams off N.
Gessner seems to be the only S-W left in town that carries it, Berings no
longer carries it, and nor do any of the Ace Hardwares I called).

Like everything else, 2nd rate crap is ubiquitos, quality harder to find ...
and at $3/gallon/10mpg city in the truck, a 30 mile round trip is adding a
lot to the price.

--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 8/29/05