Wood stain compatible with epoxy

General Discussion
1

Does anyone know of a wood stain or dye that is compatible with epoxy, in other words, if I stain or dye a fin and the stain is dry I don’t want the stain to bleed into the epoxy when I seal the fin.

Thanks

Rolly

2 
Howzit WoodMaven, I think one thing to look for is if the stain is oil based or water based. Not being an epoxy guy, I can't say for sure how it will affect the stain, but any oil based product would seem uncompatable. Aloha,Kokua
3

Kokua is right, look for water based stains and you should be alright.

Always test before you commit !!!

4

Thank you gentlemen, water based it shall be. Eventually I will post pics of what I’m working on and you will see why I was asking.

Rolly

5

I stained a balsa board before glassing with stain that had to be diluted with metholated spirits and no problems with the glassing in epoxy

6

Metholated spirits, what’s that, could you please explain, and maybe even give me a brand name?

Thanks, Rolly.

7

Metholated spirits is a non oily solvent I’ve only known it by this name. The tint is called prooftint It’s made here in oz but theres no web sites on the label only a snail mail address It’s about $5 for a 50ml bottle which will do a whole board easily.

8

Methylated spirits are denatured alcohol or one way of making denatured alcohol. The same formula may also be sold as rubbing alcohol. It’s a combination of ethanol and methanol.

regards,

Håvard

9

Bluejuice,

I found out that Prooftint is made by FeastWatson in Oz, I found the company website and e-mailed them asking for info and local availability or if they knew of a local product that is the same, hope they answer.

thanks for that info,Rolly.

10

Getting in on this one late. Water based stains are the only way to go. Minwax has a whole bunch of the new waterborne stuff. As mentioned, your problem is going to be the softness of balsa. 1) it will soak up stain like a sponge. You might try loading the stain in a cup gun to apply, or you going to use a gallon to get the job done on a 9ft board. 2) you going to get a blotchy color to the application if you use a brush. On most soft woods its recommended that you pre stain the wood with a wood conditioner, but most pre stains I’ve seen are oil based. Pre stains load up the wood so it will accept the stain evenly across all the different densities and grains. Not so much a problem with Oak & Ash, but a big problem with Pine, Fir and our favorite, balsa. So you might try ( I say MIGHT because i’ve never stained balsa) to cut the waterbased stain with …water. I’d say about a 30% cut, then I’d load it into a HVLP sprayer and put on 3 heavy even coats of stain.

Tell us how it turns out?

-Jay

11

I heavily diluted the tint and initially painted it on but the best results I got later on was when I used the same diluted stuff, wet out a rag and rubbed it on.

12

Jay, I am not staining a balsa board, I am doing wooden fins, maple, cherry, that sort of stuff,

I am a cabinet maker/carpenter and I have done my share of staining and dyeing in my time but I have never had to seal it with epoxy before, when I did exterior marine work I have never had to stain anything before I put epoxy over it, I have stained marine exterior stuff but that got varnished, the issue of staining or dyeing and epoxy compatibility has never come up before, I will take the advice and go the water based way.

Rolly.

13
14

Aloha Woodmave,

One more thought: I personally try to avoid staining the natural color of woods as I try to choose a wood based on what it offers naturally. You obviously have a legitimate desire to do so which is fine. So regarding the blotchy affect you get with staining soft woods, the best way to avoid such, or at least diminish it somewhat, is to brush on a coat or two of thinned shellac to “seal” the wood a bit. It is a usual finishing procedure that has been used for centuries and I often use it as a pre-coat prior to varnish and oil finishes. Shellac is thinned with denatured alcohol. I’ve been told by pro glassers there’s no harm with shellac when using either poly or epoxy, and shellac dries within 1/2 hour or less. The home centers sell it in can or spray and spray would be ideal for your fins. Spray on one or two very light coats then stain (water based) as you desire and you should get decent results. Enjoy the ride!

Richard

15

I’ve heard of RIT dye (fabric stuff) used as water based wood tint. Can’t beat the price at the local drug store. Mom or the wife probably even has some in the laundry room or kitchen.

Amethyst

1 pkg Purple

1 Tbsp Wine

Eggshell

1 tsp Tan

1 tsp Yellow

Paprika

1 pkg Golden Yellow

1 Tbsp Scarlet

Apricot

1Tbsp Rose Pink

1 tsp Tangerine

Flesh

1 tsp Tan

1 tsp Peach

Peacock Blue

1/2 cup Royal Blue

1 Tbsp Kelly Green

Aqua

1 pkg Royal Blue

1 Tbsp Kelly Green

Forest Green

2 pkg Dark Green

1 pkg Yellow

Pink

1 1/2 tsp Rose Pink

1/2 tsp Yellow

Aquamarine

1 Tbsp Mint Green

1 1/2 tsp Teal

Gold

1 pkg Golden Yellow

1 1/2 tsp Tan

Plum

1 pkg Navy

1 Tbsp Wine

Avocado

1 pkg Dark Green

1 pkg Golden Yellow

Grape

1 Tbsp Wine

1 Tbsp Purple

Rust

1 pkg Tangerine

1 Tbsp Cocoa Brown

Beige

1 Tbsp Tan

1 tsp Yellow

Hunter Green

1 pkg Royal Blue

1 pkg Kelly Green

Sage Green

1 pkg Pearl Grey

1 Tbsp Sea Foam Green

Bittersweet

1 pkg Golden Yellow

1 Tbsp Scarlet

Ivory

1/2 tsp Tan

1/2 tsp Yellow

Sea Coral

1 pkg Rose Pink

1 1/2 tsp Tangerine

-or-

1 pkg Yellow

Blue Spruce

1 pkg Royal Blue

1 Tbsp Dark Green

Khaki Green

1 pkg Tan

1/4 tsp Dark Green

Shocking Pink

1 pkg Rose Pink

1 1/2 tsp Fuchsia

Bone

1/2 tsp Tan

1/2 tsp Pearl Grey

Khaki Tan

1 pkg Tan

2 tsp Pearl Grey

Shrimp Pink

1 pkg Rose Pink

1 tsp Tangerine

Bright Navy

1 pkg Royal Blue

1 pkg Navy Blue

Lilac

1 tsp Purple

1 Tbsp Mauve

Soft Rasberry

2 Tbsp Cardinal

1 Tbsp Fuchsia

Burgundy

1 pkg Wine

1 pkg Cardinal Red

Lt Blue

1 Tbsp Evening Blue

Spice Brown

1 pkg Cocoa Brown

1 Tbsp Tangerine

Burnt Orange

1 Tbsp Tangerine

1 Tbsp Tan

Lt Turquoise

2 tsp Royal Blue

2 tsp Kelly Green

Teal Blue

1 pkg Royal Blue

1 1/2 tsp Kelly Green

Camel

1 Tbsp Yellow

1/4 tsp Cocoa Brown

Lime Green

2 pkg Yellow

1 pkg Kelly Green

Teal Green

1 1/2 pkg Kelly Green

1 TbspRoyal Blue

Caramel

2 pkg Golden Yellow

1 1/2 tsp Cocoa Brown

Light Green

2 tsp Kelly Green

Tiger Lily

1 pkg Tangerine

1 Tbsp Rose Pink

Celery

1 tsp Yellow

1/4 tsp Kelly Green

Magenta

1 pkg Fuchsia

2 tsp Wine

Violet

1/4 cup Purple

2 Tbsp Fuchsia

Charcoal Grey

1 1/2 tsp Royal Blue

1 1/2 tsp Black

Marine Blue

1 pkg Royal Blue

1 tsp Purple

Chartreuse

1 pkg Yellow

1 tsp Kelly Green

Maroon

2 pkg Wine

2 tsp Dark Brown

Cherry Red

1 pkg Fuchsia

1 Tbsp Scarlet

Misty Lavender

1 pkg Evening Blue

1 Tbsp Mauve

Chestnut Brown

2 pkg Cocoa Brown

2 pkg Tangerine

Moss Green

1 pkg Golden Yellow

1 Tbsp Dark Green

2 tsp Tangerine

Coral

1 pkg Rose Pink

2 tsp Tangerine

Mustard

2 pkg Golden Yellow

1 pkg Tan

Cranberry Red

1 pkg Scarlet

1 Tbsp Wine

Old Ecru

1 Tbsp Yellow

1 1/2 tsp Tan

1 1/2 tsp Peach

Dark Denim

2 pkgs Navy Blue

1 Tbsp Black

Olive Drab

1 pkg Dark Green

1 Tbsp Dark Brown

Dusty Rose

1 Tbsp Mauve

1 tsp Tan

Orange

1 pkg Golden Yellow

2 tsp Scarlet

Want a special color?

Write to us and send a sample of the color you want to match.

It will be helpful if you will tell us the article and type of fabric you plan to dye. Additional dyeing ideas and color information can be obtained by writingto:

RIT Consumer Affairs Department

P.O. Box 21070

Indianapolis, IN 46221

(317) 231-8044

16

I’ll have to give this a try (I just bookmarked it)! It seems like a great idea.

17
Quote:

Aloha Woodmave,

One more thought: I personally try to avoid staining the natural color of woods as I try to choose a wood based on what it offers naturally. You obviously have a legitimate desire to do so which is fine. So regarding the blotchy affect you get with staining soft woods, the best way to avoid such, or at least diminish it somewhat, is to brush on a coat or two of thinned shellac to “seal” the wood a bit. It is a usual finishing procedure that has been used for centuries and I often use it as a pre-coat prior to varnish and oil finishes. Shellac is thinned with denatured alcohol. I’ve been told by pro glassers there’s no harm with shellac when using either poly or epoxy, and shellac dries within 1/2 hour or less. The home centers sell it in can or spray and spray would be ideal for your fins. Spray on one or two very light coats then stain (water based) as you desire and you should get decent results. Enjoy the ride!

Richard

Richard,

I am with you on that one, I usually dislike staining wood as well, but if my idea works out I will try and post pics of the keel I am working on and I think you will agree that it was worth it.

Rolly