We are finishing an open stair rail around our basement stairs. The
wood scheme in our new home is dark red oak vs natural finished oak
flooring. Provides a very nice contrast. The rail in in a craftsman
style that matches the rest of the house. We decided to do the large
box newels, heavy rail and foot rail in the darker red, and stain the
simple square, rounded balusters in natural stain that matches the
floor.
I have had good luck putting MinWax natural on oak + polyurethane to
get very close to the floor colors. However, the balusters aren't
quite getting there with the natural stain and a couple of coats of
wiping poly. Need a little more amber.
Has anyone had experience with adding a drop or two of oil based stain
to poly to darken a tad? I have googled several variations of 'poly +
stain' but most responses are folks trying to bypass the staining
process. We just want to 'kick the color up a notch'.
Any suggestions?
RonB
RonB wrote:
> We are finishing an open stair rail around our basement stairs. The
> wood scheme in our new home is dark red oak vs natural finished oak
> flooring. Provides a very nice contrast. The rail in in a craftsman
> style that matches the rest of the house. We decided to do the large
> box newels, heavy rail and foot rail in the darker red, and stain the
> simple square, rounded balusters in natural stain that matches the
> floor.
>
> I have had good luck putting MinWax natural on oak + polyurethane to
> get very close to the floor colors. However, the balusters aren't
> quite getting there with the natural stain and a couple of coats of
> wiping poly. Need a little more amber.
>
> Has anyone had experience with adding a drop or two of oil based stain
> to poly to darken a tad? I have googled several variations of 'poly +
> stain' but most responses are folks trying to bypass the staining
> process. We just want to 'kick the color up a notch'.
>
> Any suggestions?
>
> RonB
Oil based poly and oil based stain will mix just fine. The key word
here is mix(ture) so if it sits a while, stir it (don't shake).
oilier than thou,
00 1/2
Oil based stains are pigment stains. While they will mix with poly but
the results will be very unpredictable. Transtint liquid dyes will mix
with anything but I would suggest using shellac as the base, tinit it
as needed, then cover with poly after it dries.
In fact, a few coats of an amber shellac might just do with no
tinting. Be sure its dewaxed (Bullseye is not).
On Jun 7, 3:23=A0pm, RonB <[email protected]> wrote:
> We are finishing an open stair rail around our basement stairs. =A0The
> wood scheme in our new home is dark red oak vs natural finished oak
> flooring. =A0Provides a very nice contrast. =A0The rail in in a craftsman
> style that matches the rest of the house. =A0We decided to do the large
> box newels, heavy rail and foot rail in the darker red, and stain the
> simple square, rounded balusters in natural stain that matches the
> floor.
>
> I have had good luck putting MinWax natural on oak + polyurethane to
> get very close to the floor colors. =A0However, the balusters aren't
> quite getting there with the natural stain and a couple of coats of
> wiping poly. =A0Need a little more amber.
>
> Has anyone had experience with adding a drop or two of oil based stain
> to poly to darken a tad? =A0I have googled several variations of 'poly +
> stain' but most responses are folks trying to bypass the staining
> process. =A0We just want to 'kick the color up a notch'.
>
> Any suggestions?
>
> RonB