Staining Hemlock

Ben H

Member
Joined
Apr 14, 2012
Messages
54
Hey guys,

I'm building some faux beams for my basement out of rough saw Hemlock.  Skip planed so I can miter the long joint.  Then rough sanded to 120. 

I can not get this wood to take any stain evenly, it wants to stripe on me.  I've tried, oil, water based powder, vinigar & steel wool, water based, everything I can throw at it. 

Half of the board is rejecting the stain.  I want this look. http://www.fauxwoodbeams.com/beams-custom-handhewn.php 

Any clue how to make this stuff color?
 

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Ben,

I m not a staining expert but my gut feeling is that because because hemlock is a softwood ultimately the process would involve possibly a sealer coat and then a gel stain.  Hopefully someone with more staining experience will post shortly.

Peter
 
I have stained hemlock.
I sanded to 100, washed down with distilled water let dry and applied a water based modified linseed oil stain base from Target coatings (Ultima WR 4000) and then used a  custom mixed General gel stain.
I wanted to see some grain to match the oak I was using. If I wanted to cover the soft grain I would spray light coats of a dye until I built up the color.

 

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Hey Tim,

What color WR4000 did you use? Walnut. 

You achieved the look I want.  Maybe a bit dark, but I can work with that. 

Do you mind expanding on washing down the wood with distilled water....Like spray out of a pump sprayer?  What did that step accomplish?
 
I used the base without color, let it dry and then applied the gel stain.
Tim
 
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