I'm building a DVD storage unit for DVD's and have been building it with poplar.
I have tried a few stains on some test boards and can't seem to get the wood
dark enough. I would like to have it look like a dark walnut. Has anyone
finished poplar in a dark stain. Thanks

You need to give more info.

What kind of stain have you tried?

I would suggest a dye stain. Available at woodcraft. I have been very
happy with Transtint dye stain. Just dilute with alcohol or water.



"Keith" wrote in message
news:1109286320.b36b1b98682ec5fc49d5924f6fbf0392@1 usenet...

I'm building a DVD storage unit for DVD's and have been building it with
poplar.
I have tried a few stains on some test boards and can't seem to get the
wood
dark enough. I would like to have it look like a dark walnut. Has anyone
finished poplar in a dark stain. Thanks

I've posted links to this piece a few times, but I'm proud of it so
what the heck.

It is Poplar and I used General Finish Rosewood water based (eco safe)
stain. Check it out. Go to the picture gallery for the closeups
http://www.sonomaproducts.com/Furniture/JL-BC-POP.htm

This color is likey too red for you if you want Walnut but you could
check their other colors.

A few tips.
1. Don't sand too smooth prior to staining, maybe 220 on the raw wood.
2. Raise the grain with warm water before staining and lightly sand it
off after it drys.
3. Really put lots of stain. I put it on like its paint then kinda
grind it into the grain with the cheapest bristly paint brush I can
get.
4. Let it stand 10, 15 even 20 minutes until it actually start to dry
some in places
5. Wipe it down with a rag to get most of it off
6. Sort of buff it out with a clean cloth. This water based stain has
lots of solids. Its sorta like mud. You really need top wipe it down
good.

Be real careful with dye stains. I only like them for wide open spaces.
If you have seams or the inside and outside of a box, it can be real
difficult to get an even color. Dye will hide in the seam and wick out
later into the surrounding wood.

Also hard to do a smal patch at a time because it dries in just a
minute and overlapping coats will be darler and you really have to
feather it in.

Can get amazing results and very dark very fast but tales a lot of
close attention and practice.

Also hard to do a smal patch at a time because it dries in just a
minute and overlapping coats will be darler and you really have to
feather it in.

I have also noticed that. You really do have to apply it quickly (with
alcohol anyway). I havent used water, but im guessing water will increase
your application time. Im too afraid of raising the grain with water.
Maybe a alcohol/H2O mixture would be better.

I first tried dye stain on maple when i couldn't get it dark enough. Boy
does dye stain get her dark. You can go as dark as you want with a dye.







"SonomaProducts.com" wrote in message
ups.com...
Be real careful with dye stains. I only like them for wide open spaces.
If you have seams or the inside and outside of a box, it can be real
difficult to get an even color. Dye will hide in the seam and wick out
later into the surrounding wood.

Also hard to do a smal patch at a time because it dries in just a
minute and overlapping coats will be darler and you really have to
feather it in.

Can get amazing results and very dark very fast but tales a lot of
close attention and practice.

"Keith" wrote in message
news:1109286320.b36b1b98682ec5fc49d5924f6fbf0392@1 usenet...

I'm building a DVD storage unit for DVD's and have been building it with
poplar.
I have tried a few stains on some test boards and can't seem to get the
wood
dark enough. I would like to have it look like a dark walnut. Has anyone
finished poplar in a dark stain. Thanks

If you want some "cover" in addition to color, use an oil stain. Minwax
Jacobean is _very_ dark. With an oil stain, successive applications will
leave more pigment. With dyes, hardly worth it.

On Thu, 24 Feb 2005 18:15:38 -0500, Keith wrote:


I'm building a DVD storage unit for DVD's and have been building it with poplar.
I have tried a few stains on some test boards and can't seem to get the wood
dark enough. I would like to have it look like a dark walnut. Has anyone
finished poplar in a dark stain. Thanks

well why not use walnut (G) I hate stains they always look fake.

--
Knight-Toolworks & Custom Planes
Custom made wooden planes at reasonable prices
See http://www.knight-toolworks.com For prices and ordering instructions.

I have tried darker oil walnut stains but they didn't seem to get dark enough.
I'll try some darker wood stains not in the walnut family. Thanks

This is my first project so I choose poplar so the mistakes would not cost to
much. If I had it to do it over again I would not use polar again as there are a
number of polar colors and trying to get boards that match has been tough.
Another lesson learned. I have been looking at wood supply houses in the area
and will get my wood from somewhere else then Lowe's.


Steve Knight wrote:

On Thu, 24 Feb 2005 18:15:38 -0500, Keith wrote:


I'm building a DVD storage unit for DVD's and have been building it with poplar.
I have tried a few stains on some test boards and can't seem to get the wood
dark enough. I would like to have it look like a dark walnut. Has anyone
finished poplar in a dark stain. Thanks

well why not use walnut (G) I hate stains they always look fake.

Keith...

You might want to try some samples on soft maple. I built a TV stand
for my 62" Mits a couple of months ago and used dye stains and would
agree that the inside corners can be bitches.

Next time around I'm going back to oil stains I think. There seems to
be more working time to even things out.

Mike



On Fri, 25 Feb 2005 14:34:44 -0500, Keith
wrote:

I have tried darker oil walnut stains but they didn't seem to get dark enough.
I'll try some darker wood stains not in the walnut family. Thanks

This is my first project so I choose poplar so the mistakes would not cost to
much. If I had it to do it over again I would not use polar again as there are a
number of polar colors and trying to get boards that match has been tough.
Another lesson learned. I have been looking at wood supply houses in the area
and will get my wood from somewhere else then Lowe's.


Steve Knight wrote:

On Thu, 24 Feb 2005 18:15:38 -0500, Keith wrote:


I'm building a DVD storage unit for DVD's and have been building it with poplar.
I have tried a few stains on some test boards and can't seem to get the wood
dark enough. I would like to have it look like a dark walnut. Has anyone
finished poplar in a dark stain. Thanks

well why not use walnut (G) I hate stains they always look fake.

On Fri, 25 Feb 2005 14:34:44 -0500, the inscrutable Keith
spake:

I have tried darker oil walnut stains but they didn't seem to get dark enough.
I'll try some darker wood stains not in the walnut family. Thanks

This is my first project so I choose poplar so the mistakes would not cost to
much. If I had it to do it over again I would not use polar again as there are a
number of polar colors and trying to get boards that match has been tough.
Another lesson learned. I have been looking at wood supply houses in the area
and will get my wood from somewhere else then Lowe's.

Yes, find the local hardwood stores and look around.

The actual cost of using ****wood + RBS:
---------------------------------------

Combine the price of the poplar, the cost of the stain, and add the
many hours of headaches you have with attempting to use them. Then
compare that mess to having spent a few bucks more on real walnut.
NOW you can determine the real cost.

(Hint: The pain AIN'T worth it!)


---
- Sarcasm is just one more service we offer. -
http://diversify.com Web Applications

This is my first project so I choose poplar so the mistakes would not cost to
much. If I had it to do it over again I would not use polar again as there are a
number of polar colors and trying to get boards that match has been tough.
Another lesson learned. I have been looking at wood supply houses in the area
and will get my wood from somewhere else then Lowe's.

just giving you a hard time. I just hate stain myself.

--
Knight-Toolworks & Custom Planes
Custom made wooden planes at reasonable prices
See http://www.knight-toolworks.com For prices and ordering instructions.

Steve Knight wrote:


This is my first project so I choose poplar so the mistakes would not cost
to much. If I had it to do it over again I would not use polar again as
there are a number of polar colors and trying to get boards that match has
been tough. Another lesson learned. I have been looking at wood supply
houses in the area and will get my wood from somewhere else then Lowe's.

just giving you a hard time. I just hate stain myself.

Having come up the same way, I can say ain't nothin' like the real thing,
baby. I've got a couple three projects around here that are stained poplar
from Lowe's. I'm not ashamed of them, or trying to hide them from public
scrutiny, but I sure am glad I found a place to procure the real stuff.
Stained poplar just doesn't look a damn thing like walnut when you get down
to it.

--
Michael McIntyre ---- Silvan
Linux fanatic, and certified Geek; registered Linux user #243621
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Rue/5407/
http://rosegarden.sourceforge.net/tutorial/

-------------------------------------

Combine the price of the poplar, the cost of the stain, and add the
many hours of headaches you have with attempting to use them. Then
compare that mess to having spent a few bucks more on real walnut.
NOW you can determine the real cost.

(Hint: The pain AIN'T worth it!)


==============
Boy do I agree with what you said....
I can do without the headaches, I can do without the mess,
and I can do without spending my time attempting to make something
look like it is something else...

Bob

Larry Jaques wrote:
On Fri, 25 Feb 2005 14:34:44 -0500, the inscrutable Keith
spake:


I have tried darker oil walnut stains but they didn't seem to get dark enough.
I'll try some darker wood stains not in the walnut family. Thanks

This is my first project so I choose poplar so the mistakes would not cost to
much. If I had it to do it over again I would not use polar again as there are a
number of polar colors and trying to get boards that match has been tough.
Another lesson learned. I have been looking at wood supply houses in the area
and will get my wood from somewhere else then Lowe's.


Yes, find the local hardwood stores and look around.

The actual cost of using ****wood + RBS:
---------------------------------------

Combine the price of the poplar, the cost of the stain, and add the
many hours of headaches you have with attempting to use them. Then
compare that mess to having spent a few bucks more on real walnut.
NOW you can determine the real cost.

(Hint: The pain AIN'T worth it!)


---
- Sarcasm is just one more service we offer. -
http://diversify.com Web Applications
It sounds like you are building up a collection of stains. I have many
also and if I have had occasionally needed to match or achieve a
particular shade. I have mixed my own by combining stains. If all are of
the same brand you can usually mix and match as necessary. i.e. 1 part
Jacobean to 2 parts dark walnut will provide a very dark walnut. You
make not like the Hue change the Jacobean gives, I didn't, but adding
1/2 part red mahogney took care of the problem and a second coat of
stain after overnight drying game me the color I wanted. In my case I
was using Minax oil stain to match an older piece that required a
replacement end piece that was damaged during a move.

As long as you keep track of the mix (write it down) you can test with
small amounts. I soldered a stiff copper wire to an old metal thimble
(swmbo hasn't missed it yet) to use as a dipper. Once I get the shade I
want, it is easy to mix up a large enough batch to do the project from
your notes. Two words of caution here. 1. Make sure your stains are
completely mixed prior to testing and remix about every 10 minutes.
These are pigment stains and will begin to settle very quickly 2. When
done, if you like the mix you came up with and want to save it, make
sure you label the formula on the jar/can. I can tell you the next time
you want to use it, there will not be enough to complete the new job.
Mix up a new batch and add the old to it and mix well. (DAMHIKT)
HTH - George

On Sat, 26 Feb 2005 11:59:15 -0500, the inscrutable Bob G.
spake:

-------------------------------------

Combine the price of the poplar, the cost of the stain, and add the
many hours of headaches you have with attempting to use them. Then
compare that mess to having spent a few bucks more on real walnut.
NOW you can determine the real cost.

(Hint: The pain AIN'T worth it!)


==============
Boy do I agree with what you said....
I can do without the headaches, I can do without the mess,
and I can do without spending my time attempting to make something
look like it is something else...

And NEVER achieving the goal. Speaking of which, I was appalled at
the walnut piece Jeff Jewitt did in the latest FWW. With all the
stains and glazes, it looks just like stained alder/poplar/pineywood.
Egad, man! I liked the sapwood as it was, TYVM.


---
- Sarcasm is just one more service we offer. -
http://diversify.com Web Applications

On Sat, 26 Feb 2005 13:44:11 -0500, the inscrutable George Geddes
spake:

Larry Jaques wrote:
On Fri, 25 Feb 2005 14:34:44 -0500, the inscrutable Keith
spake:


I have tried darker oil walnut stains but they didn't seem to get dark enough.
I'll try some darker wood stains not in the walnut family. Thanks

This is my first project so I choose poplar so the mistakes would not cost to
much. If I had it to do it over again I would not use polar again as there are a
number of polar colors and trying to get boards that match has been tough.
Another lesson learned. I have been looking at wood supply houses in the area
and will get my wood from somewhere else then Lowe's.


Yes, find the local hardwood stores and look around.

The actual cost of using ****wood + RBS:
---------------------------------------

Combine the price of the poplar, the cost of the stain, and add the
many hours of headaches you have with attempting to use them. Then
compare that mess to having spent a few bucks more on real walnut.
NOW you can determine the real cost.

(Hint: The pain AIN'T worth it!)


---
- Sarcasm is just one more service we offer. -
http://diversify.com Web Applications
It sounds like you are building up a collection of stains. I have many

You're quoting my post and saying that, so you're obviously confused,
George. I like fine hardwoods to look their best and sure as hell
don't discolor them intentionally. Feh! Repent, STAINERS!


-
Yea, though I walk through the valley of Minwax, I shall stain no Cherry.
http://diversify.com

Larry Jaques wrote:

You're quoting my post and saying that, so you're obviously confused,
George. I like fine hardwoods to look their best and sure as hell
don't discolor them intentionally. Feh! Repent, STAINERS!

But toners are OK, right, or do we have to limit our choices to only the
clearest superest blondest flavors of top coats too?

Like I said in my various rambles about the jummywood derby car I did,
orange shellac actually makes jummywood look good. It has interesting
possibilities. I'm glad I decided to try something that wasn't the
clearest superest blondest flavor for a change. Nyah.

That car lost its ass, BTW, and so did my son's own walnut/jummywood
offering. He didn't get a trophy for jacques schitt this year.

--
Michael McIntyre ---- Silvan
Linux fanatic, and certified Geek; registered Linux user #243621
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Rue/5407/
http://rosegarden.sourceforge.net/tutorial/

On Sun, 27 Feb 2005 00:39:38 -0500, the inscrutable Silvan
spake:

Larry Jaques wrote:

You're quoting my post and saying that, so you're obviously confused,
George. I like fine hardwoods to look their best and sure as hell
don't discolor them intentionally. Feh! Repent, STAINERS!

But toners are OK, right, or do we have to limit our choices to only the
clearest superest blondest flavors of top coats too?

Toners suck, glazes bite, and stick with Platina. Ya follow?


Like I said in my various rambles about the jummywood derby car I did,
orange shellac actually makes jummywood look good.

Yer taste is all in yer mouth, heathen.


It has interesting
possibilities. I'm glad I decided to try something that wasn't the
clearest superest blondest flavor for a change. Nyah.

Ah, the blonde leading the blind.


That car lost its ass, BTW, and so did my son's own walnut/jummywood
offering. He didn't get a trophy for jacques schitt this year.

Condolences. Maybe you should have entered him instead of your son.


--
"Menja bé, caga fort!"