[CreativeGuy]

In the past I have use a mix of spar varnish and tung oil as a "rub on" varnish for furniture. I would like to use it on some cabinet doors but would like to add a little color. (orangy-brown) What can I use to add color to this mix?
Thanks,
Steve

 

[ric knows paint]

In the past I have use a mix of spar varnish and tung oil as a "rub on" varnish for furniture. I would like to use it on some cabinet doors but would like to add a little color. (orangy-brown) What can I use to add color to this mix?
Thanks,
Steve

Hiya Steve,

Interesting concoction you have there...Are you mixing equal parts? Both being oils (or oils & alkyds, or oils and alkyd urethane), you shouldn't have any problem blending some interior oil stain to move you toward the color you want. I'm gonna assume these cabinet doors are not bare wood and have some kind of finish on them already? If so, your oil/spar/stain blend isn't going to penetrate very deeply (depending on what type of prep you're doing), so you may need to apply a few apps to get the color as deep as you want. When choosing your stain, you may want to go to a darker stain than you'd normally choose, since it's not gonna go as deep as the stain by itself over bare wood.

Also keep this in mind, interior oil stains are mostly solvent - and it won't take much to really thin out your blend so extra apps may be necessary. If you normally add thinner (mineral spirits) to your oil/spar blend, you may want to back off until you see how the stain affects your mix. Good luck and let us know how it turns out (send pics if you got 'em).

 

[CreativeGuy]

Adding stain.

Hi Ric,
Thanks, Yes I mix them in equal parts then apply with a rag or brush then wipe off excess before it sets up. Then I buff it out and reapply. I do this until I have "built up" to the desired finish. I have used this on bare wood in the past but never have added a stain to it. Thus my question. Thanks for the reply.
Cheers,
Steve

Interesting concoction you have there...Are you mixing equal parts? Both being oils (or oils & alkyds, or oils and alkyd urethane), you shouldn't have any problem blending some interior oil stain to move you toward the color you want. I'm gonna assume these cabinet doors are not bare wood and have some kind of finish on them already?

 

[GB8]

Help with outdoor furniture

I love the Spar varnish/Tung oil mixture idea. I never thought of that. I have some old oak chairs with cushions that are really for indoor use. I really want to put them on our porch so they would not (normally) be rained on nor have a lot of sun baking them during the day (Florida). I was going to pickle or whitewash the oak and then seal with some kind of water resistant finish. But...when I saw your post I thought I might be able to use your mix. Do you think this would provide enough protection for the wood and could I use this over the whitewash or pickle methods? Or, what would the wood look like if I didn't stain it at all? Does the Spar varnish/Tung oil preserve the color of the oak or would it yellow with time? Right now it kind of has a yellow look to it that I do not like. Any thoughts and advice are appreciated!

 

[ToolSeeker]

Is it just my area that it is getting hard to find spar varnish everything now is going to spar urethane. Have not used it because I have not really had good results with poly urethane.

 

[user1007]

Resin pigments should work if you cannot work with oils anymore. I should think if you need just a subtle mix, some pure pigment not suspended in a stain would work as well.

It will plug the grain but shellac will give you a nice orange-brown color. Then wipe your mix over it.

As for the poster looking for a whitewashed look. It is old fashioned but gives a wonderful subtle look to oak (more dramatic on open grain woods) and buffs to a really nice finish. Try a couple coats of lime wax. You can tint it I guess. Experiment on finished wood too that still has grain texture.

 

[CreativeGuy]

GB8, I'm not sure what the result would be applying my mix over whitewashed or pickled finish. My experience is that It does tend to darken a bit over time. But I think it would be good for your application. You may need to re-apply after a couple of years though.
Cheers,