How to Dye Wood

There are 2 types of dye that you can use for dyeing wood, water based and oil based.

When you dye wood with a water based dye, the water is absorbed by the wood and creates a raised mass of tiny fibres which can ruin the final finish of the wood.

To avoid this when using a water based dye you must sand the wood until it is smooth, dampen the whole surface of the wood and let it dry and then sand the wood until smooth again.

Painting.

The most effective and the easiest way to get s smooth even surface is to use a paint pad, this will help you to get an even coverage, but you will probably still need to use a brush to cover the smaller trickier areas and to blend the dye into the corners.

Brush.

Use a 4inch brush and apply a liberal amount of dye to evenly cover the surface you are working on. Do not brush it out in thin layers, make sure you have enough dye on your brush. Always remember to paint in the direction of the grain.

Rubber.

A rubber is a small lint free rag that is dipped in dye and applied straight to the wood, pour some dye into a dish, saturate the rubber with it, squeeze it gently, the dye should not drip onto the wood, but it should come to the surface of the cloth so that it glides over the wood.

Please note that the above suggestions are for indoor use, if you are staining wood for outdoor use then you will need a protective wood stain.

Make sure the surface is dry, clean and has been sanded down and apply evenly with a brush. For extra protection, treat with a clear wood preserver before you stain it. Make sure that the preserver is totally dry before you start to stain the wood.