Oil-based pigment stain

Overview

Oil stain is ground pigment carried in oil, resin and mineral spirits. Fine Woodworking describes pigment stains as ground mineral powders in a binder that work best on open-grain woods, because the particles lodge in pores and grain instead of dissolving into the fibres. You wipe it on, let it sit and wipe the excess off. It colours but does not protect, so it always needs a clear topcoat.

Pros

• Cheap, sold everywhere, easy to apply by hand with a rag.
• Slow drying gives time to wipe evenly.
• Pigment collects in open pores, which gives oak and ash strong grain contrast.
• Layers well over dye for depth; see Pigment vs dye stain explained.

Cons

• General Finishes says penetrating stains blotch on pine and maple.
• Pigment can sit in the pores and leave them dark. A Popular Woodworking cherry recipe notes that stain alone leaves dark pores on cherry and fixes this by sealing the pores with a gel topcoat before a gel stain goes on.
• Slow to dry. General Finishes says 24 hours or more; Minwax advertises "dries in 2 hours" for its own product, which is a manufacturer's best case.
• Oil-soaked rags and steel wool can ignite (see Safety and environment).

Suitability

Best on open-pored hardwoods such as White oak and Red oak. Poor on Hard maple, Eastern white pine and Radiata pine unless you use Pre-stain conditioner and washcoat or switch to Gel stain, which sits on the surface. General Finishes calls a conditioner optional with its oil stain; Minwax recommends one on softwoods. Fine Woodworking's cherry recipe avoids blotching by sealing with shellac and colouring with glaze instead of relying on a single penetrating coat.

Coats and application

1. Sanding: General Finishes says 120, 150 then 180. Minwax says sand to 220. Finer sanding gives lighter colour, so decide on a sample board (Colour matching and sample boards).
2. Stir; do not shake (Minwax).
3. Wipe or brush on liberally, then wipe off the excess.
4. For a darker colour apply a second coat. Minwax says not to sand between stain coats; General Finishes says apply 1 to 2 coats.
5. Let it dry, then topcoat. General Finishes says oil stain needs 72+ hours before a water-based topcoat. A Fine Woodworking recipe using Minwax Dark Walnut on oak lets it dry about a week before a water-based topcoat.

Example schedule from Fine Woodworking (Arts and Crafts look): water dye first, Minwax Early American stain left 5 to 10 minutes then wiped, dry overnight, amber shellac seal, gel-stain shading, then 2 coats of oil-based polyurethane.

Example for cherry (Fine Woodworking #267): stain thinned 50% with mineral spirits, wiped, dry 12 hours, seal with SealCoat shellac, glaze with dark walnut stain, dry 12+ hours, then topcoat.

Compatibility

• Under oil-based topcoats once dry.
• Under water-based topcoats only after the long dry time above.
• Over Water-soluble dye stain or Alcohol and oil-soluble dye stain: the classic layered colour.
• Under Shellac or Dewaxed shellac: a common barrier coat before glaze or gel stain (Glaze and antiquing glaze).
• Keep steel wool away from water-based finishes; the iron leaves marks.

Care and repair

The topcoat does the wearing. A scratch through the film shows pale wood; touch up with stain and reseal. Because the pigment is in the pores, stripped wood may keep a ghost of colour; sample before relying on removal.

Safety and environment

General Finishes lists aliphatic hydrocarbons and warns that rags may spontaneously combust; it advises a water-filled sealed metal can. Minwax carries a DANGER label that rags, steel wool and sanding residue may ignite, plus a lead-paint warning for old finishes. Ventilate. General Finishes says to use within a year of opening.

Related

• Gel stain: thicker, less blotchy on difficult woods.
• Water-based pigment stain: low-odour, fast-drying alternative.
• Pigment vs dye stain explained: why the two behave differently.
• Pre-stain conditioner and washcoat: for blotch-prone woods.