# Stain suggestions - something pink (not red)



## tyskkvinna (Mar 23, 2010)

Hi all,

I'm working on a rather large project ( a bed !) and I was hoping for some suggestions from you all for the stain. I'm using fairly light woods - pine, maple - with a few accent pieces in different ranges - oak, ash, hickory and walnut.

I want to stain it, definitely not paint it. I'd like to give it a kind of deep colour that has a distinctive pink tint to it. So not just a pink stain, but a "wood colour stain' with a pink background. Kind of like English Chestnut or Red Mahogany, but not so much red. Do I make sense?

I usually use Minwax, and they don't have anything like what I'm looking for. I'm up for using a new brand, but I'm not sure where to start. I don't mind making this a multi-step process. And of course, I am expecting the different woods to take the colour differently.

I've tried using Minwax's gel stain tinted a colour and pretty much hate it. Are any brands better for this?

Thanks !


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## TopamaxSurvivor (May 2, 2008)

Sounds like dye tiime to me


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## tyskkvinna (Mar 23, 2010)

I don't mind working with dye, but I never have…. Can I use it over a stain? Or is there a colour combination that fits my description already around?

I don't mind trying new things.


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## Ingjr (Feb 21, 2010)

Look over some of the custom stains they can make from Minwax at the HD. Lots of stuff and a couple pinks if I remember right. They usually have a chart with the colors right above the stain. It's the water based stuff.


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## tyskkvinna (Mar 23, 2010)

That article on dyes is great! That sounds like exactly what I need. Can I use a combination of dye and stain, or should I try to find the precise colour I want in the dye?

I've used the custom stains from Minwax… I've been sorely disappointed with them every time. Finally I decided to stop throwing money on it.


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## wisno (Feb 26, 2010)

I think you should make your stain yourself, you can use color wheel theory as a guide to do it. 
Yes you have to multiple coloring to get your color.
Do your red dye stain in the first, then to get the pink looked it is better you do it with a red white glaze on it.
The finishing step should be:
- Stain ( red purple)
- sealer
- Glaze ( white red)
- Sealer
- Coloring ( find a good stain color to match your final color)
- Top coat

Try in a small panel, see the result before do on your product.

good luck


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## tyskkvinna (Mar 23, 2010)

oh hey I love the idea of raising the grain and then knocking it down. That would probably look pretty awesome for some of this!


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## HarryWoodFinisher (Apr 13, 2010)

Wood Kote makes a gelled stain they call "Jel'd Stain 550 Premium." Sounds like exactly what you are looking for, color is called blood red but looked pink to me. Had to look at the fan-deck to remember the color. If you look at their online color chart, the red looks like it would be more pink but that is just your computer screen playing tricks on you, the blood red actually looks pink. Benefit to stain over die would be that it is far easier to apply. Follow it up with a Polyurethane and you should be good to go.

Good Luck! Post some pics when you are done.

Cheers!


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## tyskkvinna (Mar 23, 2010)

Has anybody here used TransTint?

http://www.woodcraft.com/Family/2001718/2001718.aspx

I can purchase this (somewhat) locally, but don't want to put down the cash for it if it's a dud..


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## SnowyRiver (Nov 14, 2008)

TransTint works well. I recently used it on the clock in my gallery. I mixed dark mission brown and red. It took a bit of experimenting on scrap pieces, but it worked well. I mixed it with alcohol. It also is fast drying. I then used an oil stain over it. If you dont want to go through mixing a color, try checking out the Cabot stain line. They have quite a few standard colors, and they also have many colors that can be mixed at the store. Lowes has Cabot stains and a color chart. I prefer Cabot to Minwax since I think their stain has a richer and deeper color.

Good luck.


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## tyskkvinna (Mar 23, 2010)

I prefer to mix the dye myself to get exactly what I want - I'm comfortable doing so as I'm a watercolourist. Colour theory and I are good friends 

That clock looks great! Very even tone to it and I love how the grain turned out.


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## bluemax (Aug 17, 2009)

Aniline dyes are really nice and not to bad to use but they have a big draw back. They are not colour fast. In a year or two you'll find that the colour starts to fade and if your piece of furniture is in the sunlight, the side facing the sun will bleach out far faster than the side facing away from the light. Have you considered tinting the top coat and using it like a toner?


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## Wingstress (Oct 10, 2008)

Try Lockwood's water soluble dye powder. Fantastic stuff, easy to use, great information on your website, won't cost you much.

http://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/Merchant/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=toolshop&Category_Code=CLW


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## CampD (Nov 8, 2008)

Tint the 1st sealer coat with dye also, lighter mix, it helps set the base, sand, then tinted sealer again.


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