As
part of the day to day production here at Simmonds Polishing we are often
called on to stain joinery to match a sample. Sometimes staining is required so
that a desired colour can be achieved using a light coloured timber and often
it is required to achieve a designer look that can’t be achieved using
traditional timber, (such as a lime white finish or perhaps an unusual colour
like red or blue).
As
professional polishers, our job is to decide not only what colour stain we need
to use so that the desired look can be achieved when the stain is applied over
the timber, but also what type of stain we need to use.
As
a rule, there are two types of stains used; Dye stains and Pigment stains.
Both
stains will colour the timber to the desired colour required but each gives a
very different look to the finished product. Dye stains are basically coloured
liquids that soak into the surface of the timber and simple change the colour
of the timber. They soak into the top mil or two of the timber and do nothing
more than change the colour. With dye stains, you achieve clarity of colour and
a crisp clean look.
On
the other hand, pigment stains are a liquid with finely ground pigments
suspended within. Pigment stains tend to leave a film of fine pigments over the
top of the timber which in turn results in a slightly opaque/muddy look.
Both
stains have their own benefits and also their own problems; Dye stains give a
crisp clean clarity that makes the timber look more natural but will also
highlight every defect whereas pigment stains will look a little muddy but will
help to hide minor defects. Dye stains will soak deep down into the timber
which is great if a scratch occurs because the timber will still retain its
colour whereas a scratch in a pigment stain can remove the stain and leave the
original timber colour showing. Pigment
stains are available in a huge range of colours (much like paint) and can be
applied progressively thicker until they look like a paint finish so it is
quite easy to get an even colour over the whole job but that same finish can
look a little fake. Dye stain on the other hand can be used to tone up your
work and will still allow the timber underneath to dominate which always looks
more natural.
The
polishers job is to balance the needs of production efficiency with the look
the final user is wanting to achieve whilst also taking into consideration the manufactured
quality of the joinery that has been supplied. Each project needs to be assessed on its own
individual merits.
As
always, we are available to discuss the individual needs of each project with
clients, designers and final users at any time. For the benefit of over 35
years of experience in both modern and traditional forms of staining and
polishing call us for any further information.
