# Can redwood sapwood be stained to match the heartwood?



## rrdesigns (Sep 4, 2009)

I've got a remodel project where I have removed a double door and need to install Boston style redwood siding in its' place to match the existing siding in the rest of the room. The original siding is a beautiful straight close grained heartwood which has been clearcoated. The only siding I have been able to locate (without spending an arm and a leg for heart only redwood and then milling it myself) is a mix of heart and sap wood. Any tips on how to blend the two into a homogeneous color that looks more like heartwood are appreciated.


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## Sawkerf (Dec 31, 2009)

You might try staining some sample pieces, but I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for a good match. You're probably gonna have to bite the bullet and get the good stuff for this project.


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## rrdesigns (Sep 4, 2009)

Autumn, do you tint the sapwood to match the heartwood, then stain them both together to your final color, or chase the final color from the beginning?


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## rrdesigns (Sep 4, 2009)

Thanks Autumn, that article looks very helpful. I spent part of today at the best paint store in town and they steered me in another direction. I'll post the results after I give it a try.


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## rrdesigns (Sep 4, 2009)

Can sapwood be stained to match heartwood? Yes it can. Pre-stained the sapwood with Mohawk's red mahogany stain diluted with Lacquer thinner. Followed it, after dry time, with my custom color to match the existing siding. Everything blended beautifully. You'd never know the trouble I started with if the pics didn't tell the tale. (The custom color applied directly with no pre-stain left an obvious difference in the final product. This extra step solved the problem.)



















Pics of the finished project with the final color applied to follow.


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## Stenaught (May 29, 2020)

Hi Beth, when you stained the raw wood, did you have to mask off the heartwood or apply the stain to only the sapwood (without masking), or did you just apply the diluted stain to the whole board?


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## rrdesigns (Sep 4, 2009)

I used a brush to apply the stain to the sapwood. No mask used because I wanted to blend the color without creating a noticeable line.


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## pottz (Sep 15, 2015)

im sold that is a as is a perfect blend,congrats,


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## Stenaught (May 29, 2020)

Thanks Beth! One more question, what ratio of stain to lacquer thinner did you use?


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## rrdesigns (Sep 4, 2009)

Sorry. It was nine years ago. I have no recollection. Just experiment on a test piece to come to your own result preference.


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