Sometimes, when you look at your wooden furniture, it begins to seem to you that it is outdated, but at the moment there is no opportunity to buy a new one. What to do in this case? The simplest solution is to decorate an existing one. One of the decorating methods is .

Let change appearance wooden furniture, enhance the natural texture and shade, help even out the color of the product, give it a new refined shade, as well as increase the protective properties of the material itself and mask various defects.

The process of wood tinting is not at all complicated and you can easily do wood tinting with your own hands.

For this it is enough:

  • decide on the choice of tinting composition
  • understand tinting technology

How to tone wood?

Do-it-yourself wood tinting begins with the choice of tinting composition. Ready-made compositions can be purchased at any hardware store.

For this purpose, you can use:

  • pigment compositions. Pigment is small colored particles that are mixed with a viscous base, which will allow them to linger on the surface. Pigment particles, when applied to the surface, fall into the recesses in the material (scratches, chips, natural recesses) making these places more rich color than the rest of the surface. This allows you to emphasize the structure of the tree. As a basis, stain or oil is used. stain allows not only to improve or change the color of the product, but also protect the tree from pests, rotting, mold, moisture. With the help of wood stain, you can give the wood a beautiful natural shade. Wood tinting oil is also often used. For tinting, you can use linen, sunflower or olive oil. oil will give the surface a shine, make it smooth. Such tinting will be absolutely safe, since the oil does not have toxic components. Furniture can be tinted with oil even for a children's room. The oil penetrates deeply, filling the pores of the wood, but does not clog them, allowing the wood to breathe. Wood tinting with oil allows you to extend the life of the material.
  • Dye-based formulations are water-based or solvent-based paints. Such compositions allow in every possible color. Compositions with dyes impregnate the wood, while not changing its structure, penetrate deep into the fibers, allowing the color to even out over the entire surface. A slight disadvantage of these types of tone horns is that due to the water that is part of the wooden surface the pile rises, therefore the material must be further processed to achieve a smooth surface.

Wood tinting - technology

You can tint wood with a spray gun, dip small wooden parts in a solution, or paint by hand. It all depends on your desire and on the area of ​​​​the tinted surface. A large area is easier to treat with a sprayer, quite small parts can be dipped in-grown, medium-sized objects and embossed products are more convenient to paint by hand with a brush.

Consider the process of tinting wood in stages:

  • Before tinting, the surface must be prepared. Sand thoroughly and clean. If you use stain for tinting, in order for it to lay flat, you need to sand the surface with high-grain sandpaper, then moisten the surface with water and sand again, but with fine-grain sandpaper.
  • Next, we proceed to the application of the tinting composition, it must be applied nearby. We remove the excess with the help of matter.
  • Let the compound dry completely. It is important to understand that the final color of the product can only be understood after the paint has completely dried. When the surface is dry, it will become clear whether a second layer needs to be applied.
  • The last step in wood tinting is applying varnish to the surface.

Irina Zheleznyak, Correspondent of the online publication "AtmWood. Wood-Industrial Bulletin"

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Sooner or later, but all interior items begin to require partial restoration or even complete replacement. This pattern has not bypassed wooden products.

You can refresh their appearance in several ways, among which decoration with oil paints or the use of self-adhesive film is not the last. However, wood tinting remains the simplest and most common. In other words, painting with compositions designed specifically for these purposes.

How to tint a tree

Wood tinting is a fairly easy process that requires only accuracy. This work can be done in several ways, differing only in the materials used.

Acrylic paint is a synthetic mixture of water, pigment and a binder. This paint is very durable external factors such as high humidity, light or temperature changes. Acrylic paint impregnates wood well, while not only protecting it, but also allowing the material to breathe. Among positive qualities note the almost complete absence bad smell, as well as a wide range of different shades. In addition, acrylic paint can be purchased not only in hardware stores. To transform small wooden parts it would be wiser to buy a small amount of paint in specialized art or book stores.

Mordant or paint fixatives - a dry substance of chemical origin, which is diluted with clean water before being applied to the surface of a tree. Mordant can be called a forgotten wood coloring technology, which is completely unfair. Because tinting with this coloring composition is able to rid the wood of an uneven rough surface, since it is not absorbed into the wood, but is clogged into its small pores. With the help of mordant, it is possible to obtain very bright and saturated shades just due to its chemical origin. The disadvantage of using mordant for tinting wood is that with further interaction of the painted surface with moisture, stains may form. Therefore, it is imperative to cover the treated wood with a layer of varnish.

Stain is a woodworking liquid that deeply impregnates and stains it. This is the simplest and affordable way wood tinting, as it does not require an additional layer of varnish and gives a fairly bright shade.

Stages of wood tinting

For self painting wooden products need a brush right size and a lint-free cloth.

Stage 1 includes cleaning the tree. Ordinary sandpaper can easily cope with this task, making the surface smooth and prepared for applying the main coloring composition.

Stage 2 - applying paint. The application technique will be exactly the same, regardless of which tinting method was chosen. Excess paint is removed by rubbing with a dry cloth.

Stage 3 - drying. Only after the product has completely dried can one judge the saturation of the resulting shade and uniformity of color. In case of dissatisfaction with the result, you can return to the second stage and apply another coat of paint.

Stage 4 - varnishing. Fixing the result with a thin layer of varnish makes the freshened product more resistant to external influences.

Any successful work done with your own hands brings great pleasure. Wood tinting is no exception. Without special skills, you can give an old wooden piece of furniture a pleasant appearance, while receiving only positive emotions from the process.

Wood tinting, breaking stereotypes

You should not be upset if the boards made of wood of the same species differ in color. Not sure how to make sapwood and heartwood look the same or get the same color as last time? Solving these problems is not as difficult as you think.

Sometimes tinting wood with a stain does not lead to the desired result. Perhaps the finished project and its finishes do not exactly match the color of the existing pieces of furniture, or the strip of sapwood is too conspicuous, and the boards of adjacent pieces are noticeably different in color. Fortunately, there is a simple solution for most of these problems. It's a toner. Toner is a transparent finishing coating with the addition of dyes or pigments. Most often it is nitrolac, but shellac, water-based or alkyd-oil formulations are also used. Such coatings are often available in aerosol packaging, which makes it easier to work with.

Toner has important advantages over stain:
■ it is easier to control the color during application;
■ it creates an even layer on the primed surface, and does not soak into it like a stain, which makes the result more predictable.

Buy ready-made or mix your own

For the samples shown in the photo, we used ready-made formulations based on nitro-lacquer in aerosol cans. Aerosol packages save a lot of time for professional furniture restorers and are very useful for hobbyists. By combining several primary colors in various ratios, you can get many shades.

You can also mix your own toner. To do this, add a water-soluble dye to a water-based varnish, an alcohol dye to shellac, or an oil dye to an alkyd varnish. All components can be purchased from catalogs and online stores. Dyes are available as powders or liquids. If using a powder, dilute it and then strain the concentrated solution before mixing it into the finishing compound. You can prepare a pigmented toner. To do this, mix a small amount oil paint for painting with alkyd or alkyd-oil varnish. Or add some water-soluble paint (watercolor, gouache) to a water-based varnish. If the pigmented toner is applied too thick, it hides the texture of the wood. Therefore, we prefer to use a more transparent dye toner.

When mixing the toner yourself, start adding the colorant (pigment or dye) in very small portions. Check the result and add more if needed.

After obtaining the desired color shade, apply homemade toner to the product using the spray method. It is almost impossible to achieve high-quality and uniform coverage with a brush or swab. If you don't have high performance HVLP paint equipment, try an inexpensive system** - good for small objects.

Get ready for fine work

Regardless of what task you are going to solve with the help of toners, the basic rules for their use remain the same.

Bright lighting. Work only in a well-lit area so that you can clearly see all the nuances of the color. Consider the type of lighting. For example, colors may look different in sunlight and under fluorescent lights.

Application of thin layers.
Hold the spray can or spray gun at a distance of 30-45 cm from the surface of the product, moving the torch quickly and evenly. Apply the toner in the thinnest layer.

Do not hurry. Take frequent breaks from work to allow the toner to dry. Inspect the product from different angles to evaluate the result. One caveat: if the toner is not formulated to match the undercoats, bubbles, cracks, and flaking may appear on the surface. When in doubt about material compatibility, apply a release coat of shellac before applying toner.

Learn to evaluate results

The main purpose of using toner is, of course, obtaining the desired color shade. All skill comes from practice. Over time, you will train your eyes and learn to distinguish colors correctly. But don't worry: the color of most furniture projects is close to the main range of earth colors. If you're unsure, start with light colors and work your way up to darker ones. It is not difficult to make the coating darker, but it is almost impossible to lighten it without resorting to grinding or complete removal. Then you have to start over again.

In addition, it is better to evaluate the effect of applying the toner before applying it to the finished product. Test samples (paintouts) provide an opportunity to see color changes when applying several layers or overlaying different toners. They allow you to purchase exactly what you need for your project. You can try out your own toner. This will require only a small piece of transparent glass. We often use this simple technique to match the color of unfinished products, comparing them with finished ones.

Three ways to improve products with toner

1. Complete color change
The toner makes it possible to quickly change the color of the finished product and get a completely satisfying result, and if you want to add a new product to existing products, then achieve a match in color shades.

As shown in the photo, we needed to match the color of the red oak stool with the finished one, which has a reddish tone. We first tried changing the color of the samples with oil-based stains. Having chosen one of them, which most closely matches the color of the finished stool, they put it on a new one. After drying, the stool was covered with a layer of shellac from an aerosol can. This ensures that the applied toner layer does not soak into the wood, changing the color of the stain. At the same time, the finishing process is noticeably simplified and becomes controllable. Then several thin layers of toner were applied to the pieces of glass, spraying it in the form of a misty haze, and then the colored glasses were placed in turn on the tinted surface. The most suitable color was a piece of glass with an amber-colored toner. Of course, several different shades of toner may be required to match the desired color.

At the next stage of work, we simply sprayed the toner in thin layers on the stool until the color completely matched the finished product. Having finished toning, they covered the product with a layer of transparent varnish to protect the toner from abrasion.

2 Equalizing toning

There is no need to despair when you see a noticeable difference in the color of adjacent parts when the product is stained or varnished. Sometimes planks of the same species of wood have different hulls, and sometimes a band of sapwood stands out like a vein in bacon. To overcome these problems, use a toner that darkens the light areas and matches them in color with the darker ones. This technique is called alignment. On the top of a small table, we glued a shield of cherry boards, in which a light strip of sapwood stood out noticeably, stretching along the seam. The photos show the problem itself and our way of solving it. If you are dealing with cherries, leave the product for several days under direct sunbeams to darken it, and then smooth out its color.

Remove masking tape before toner is applied. On final passes, spray toner all over the surface to smooth out harsh transitions and even out the overall hue. When you are satisfied with the result, stop applying and let the toner dry. After drying, another light coat of toner can be applied to even out the surface color.

In most cases, after drying, it is necessary to protect the toner layer with a clear varnish. It should only be applied by spraying, not by brushing, to avoid damage to the underlying layers of the coating, especially if applying varnish over varnish toner or shellac over shellac toner. A properly applied top protective layer will allow you to wipe the surface without fear of damaging the toner.

3. Patina effect

The technique of applying toner to certain areas of the product to enhance the difference in color and emphasize the relief is called patination. Give your new project an aged look by darkening areas where dust and dirt tend to accumulate to make height differences more noticeable.

This red oak door with embossed paneling, after being lightly stained with stain, had an ordinary appearance. We decided to emphasize its relief by darkening the edges of the panel.
The photo shows how to give the door with a relief panel additional volume.

**Applying toner with a simple spray system

In construction supermarkets, you can find a convenient and inexpensive device that is great for applying toner. The Preval Spray System, manufactured by Precision Valve Corporation, consists of a compressed air spray bottle and a removable glass container. When using it, you simply change the glass containers with toner different colors and purchase a new spray bottle when the pressure drops. One bottle is enough to apply about 450 ml of liquid. After each use, flush the spray head with a suitable solvent to avoid clogging.

According to the magazine "Wood-Master"

The positive properties of wood are enormous: high strength, environmental friendliness, ideal heat-saving properties, natural decorative effect. But when exposed to natural conditions, wooden objects and building wood used for outdoor and internal works, deform and rot. In addition, it is prone to the formation of mold, fungi and damage by insects. However, all these negative nuances are easily eliminated if you apply oil tinting on wood. To protect wood (wood products) from getting wet, to protect against negative influences such as rotting, mold, fungus, impregnation is used - a special tinting oil for wood. The tinting oil is deeply absorbed, filling the pores and fibers, strengthens the structure of the tree, which becomes moisture resistant and acquires increased strength.

The principle of the oil

The principle of operation of the tinting oil is the impregnation of wood, deep absorption, filling of all pores, in order to exclude the access of insects, dust, moisture and dirt to the fibers, to give strength, resistance to negative external influences and biological aging. The tinting oil applied to the surface of the wood emphasizes the natural beauty wood and preserves its natural texture pattern, creates a feeling of warm and natural wood, allows you to give the wood an original appearance and unexpected shades.

What types of wood oils are there?

In the modern domestic and foreign chemical industry, thanks to amazing developments, a wide range of types of oils for wood is presented, including: for interior work, for outdoor work, for different breeds wood, universal, with and without beeswax, for fire protection with the addition of a special material. It is made on the basis of natural resins and oils. Among the main and frequently used natural oils applied sunflower, linseed, soybean, olive, jojoba, resin coniferous trees. The palette of tinting oil for wood is diverse and large, and therefore the oil not only completely protects the wood and extends its life, but also gives it bright multi-colored shades for every taste, giving the product sophistication and beauty.

Properties and characteristics of tinting oil for wood

All tinting oils have very important properties when interacting with wood. Wood soaked in oil:

  • becomes less susceptible to wear, dirt, chipping, cracking and scratching;
  • does not fade in the sun;
  • does not respond to changes in temperature and humidity;
  • ideal for porous wood species, because, penetrating deep into the pores of the tree, it does not clog them, while the tree “breathes”;
  • non-toxic, harmless for impregnation in children's rooms;
  • does not require pre-treatment of wood with soils;
  • does not require constant dilution and mixing while working with it;
  • does not have an unpleasant and pungent odor.

Oils for wood tinting are characterized by the fact that, regardless of their composition and scope, they resist the formation of bacteria, are well and quickly absorbed, and increase the life of the treated products. And not only. There are special oils for wood, which are typical for wooden household items, a variety of wooden and plywood shelves that interact with food. Buy tinting for wood and treat places of high humidity on objects kitchen furniture very important, as it is able to prevent the appearance of mold bacteria on wood.


How are tinted oils different from each other?

Tinting oils differ from each other in composition, application technology and purpose (for outdoor or indoor use), but they all serve mainly to protect wood from destructive influences. external environment and aggressive influences of a different nature.

Linseed oil is in particular demand among consumers, after tinting which surfaces acquire a beautiful silky, matte sheen or a clear, natural shade of colored linseed oil, according to the color palette. Others characteristic features linseed oil is the best, compared with other oils, absorbency, and opposition to the development of bacteria. Linseed oil can be used as an independent decorative coating, both for interior and exterior use. wood impregnation linseed oil improves the appearance of wood, increases the service life of products, is perfectly tinted for any shades. Processed products are resistant to cracks, fading, drying.

Advantages of oils over other formulations

Wood has never gone out of fashion, it is rightfully considered the most popular material in construction, as the noble shades of valuable wood fill with luxury and wealth. If earlier wood was popular only due to the lack of other materials for construction, now wooden materials We try to buy for the main reason - environmental safety, durability. What to use for processing (tinting) wooden structures, pieces of furniture, various products in the house, in the country, in the apartment, in the bath, on the balcony, in the garage? With all the variety of materials for wood processing, in order to ensure a long and effective service life, it is worth choosing and buying the material that technical specifications suitable for specific uses. When choosing a material, you must consider:

  • type of wood;
  • operating conditions (humidity, air or room temperature);
  • the history of previous coverages, if any.

Basically, wood stain, varnish, oil are used to tint wood.

Liquid impregnation for wood, called stain, in its basis of manufacture can be water, alcohol and oil. It is produced in the form of a ready-to-use solution and in the form of a powder, it allows you to paint basically in the shades of any wood from the lightest to the darkest. Water-based stain has a significant drawback - it lifts the wood fibers, which makes the wood susceptible to moisture. Therefore, before applying the stain, you need to wet the tree, hold it for a while, then saturate it with stain.

Alcohol-based stain dries very quickly - this is the main drawback, as a result of which stains form on the treated surface. Uniform coloring is obtained if the stain is applied from the spray gun.

Oil stain gives wood any color that can be obtained by mixing oil-soluble dyes, is diluted with White Spirit thinner, dries quickly, does not pick up fibers and is applied evenly. To achieve the desired coloration of wood, it must be covered with at least two layers, and each of these layers must be completely dry.

You can buy wood stain in various colors: rosewood, mahogany, oak, teak, walnut. To most accurately match the colors, they can be mixed with each other, getting the desired shade.

Lacquer when applied to wood forms a protective dense layer (film) with a depth of no more than 1 mm. If a varnished wood is exposed to temperature changes, it can crack and exfoliate. The lacquered surface has some difficulties in restoration. The old layer of varnish must be removed, the surface sanded and the wood surface varnished again. One of the disadvantages of varnish is the content in it harmful substances. It is also important that a small amount of moisture can pass through the varnished surface, but it will not be able to go back, which leads to early destruction of the surface of the wooden product.

The advantages of oils over other formulations are clearly obvious. Oils consist of natural substances, are absorbed into the structure of the tree, do not create a protective film, retain the natural texture of the tree, are not afraid of temperature changes, while the tree does not crack, it becomes soft and velvety. For a long time, for example: the parquet floor was covered with oil, although special choice there were no oils. At present, it is possible to buy environmentally friendly parquet oil with high quality indicators freely. It can be both transparent and with the addition of dyes (two in one - impregnating floor protection and its simultaneous tinting in desired color or shade). The wooden (parquet) floor covered with oil looks very natural.


Oil application methods

Oil treatment of wood begins with surface preparation.

  • do not wipe the surface with a damp cloth (wood moisture content should not exceed 15%);
  • clean the wood from dirt and plaque and dry well.
  • if the work is done outdoors, then the weather should be sunny, and if indoors, then it should be dry.

Rubbing means that the tree is rubbed 3-4 times along the fibers with a cotton cloth or any other lint-free cloth soaked in oil. You can also use a brush or applicator for rubbing, but in this case, the oil consumption will be much higher.

When applying, constantly remove excess oil with a clean cloth.

Always be sure to maintain the consumption indicated by the manufacturer on the bank.

After drying of the 1st layer, if necessary, cover the 2nd layer to obtain a darker color.

In the second way, by soaking, small items are processed: crafts, knife handles and other items. In this case, the product is completely immersed in oil for a certain time, then rubbed and dried. The disadvantage of this method is the high consumption compared to the rubbing method.


Advantages of ZAR tinting oil over other oils

ZAR oil products are in great demand among buyers. The presented product has no analogues in the world. It is always on sale, it is used mainly for interior woodwork. When applying oil to horizontal surfaces, it is recommended to top coat with ZAR polyurethane varnish, regardless of the base, or with tung oil. When using it outdoors, it must be topcoated with outdoor varnish (ZAR Ultra Exterior).

The formula of linseed and tung oil allows you to apply them on vertical and horizontal surfaces.

The uniqueness of ZAR tinting oil for wood lies in the fact that the consumption of this oil reaches 70 sq.m. for 1 quart (0.946 l) of oil. Compared to oils from other manufacturers, this consumption is at least 2 times less.

The advantage of these oils is that they are fast drying oils compared to other oils such as soybean, hemp, sunflower. The product coated with ZAR tinting oil, in comparison with other oils, does not fade over time during operation and is not toxic. The UV filter in the formula of these oils does not allow the wood to burn out under the influence of sunlight.

The surface treated with ZAR tinted oil has a very high level of water resistance and durability. Another advantage of using ZAR oils is that it gives the wood a noble matte shade.

Antique wooden furniture always serves as an interior decoration. But what if you want to update the situation a little? Yes, and the natural color of the wood seems to be completely bored ... Solid wood furniture tinting- great way out! Do-it-yourself tinting is not so difficult. The main thing to pick up necessary materials and be extremely careful in the process.

Choosing materials

For tinting wood, several types of coatings are suitable on their own. Their choice depends on what result you want to achieve in the end. Here are the most common coloring compositions:

  • acrylic paint. You can buy it not only in hardware stores. It impregnates the surface well, but there is a significant minus - when the tree strongly absorbs the tinting composition, the fibers of its structure rise strongly. Therefore, it is better to mix acrylic with other decorating materials. For example, with molding or glazing.
  • Mordant. This is a dry pigment that is diluted with water before application. A big plus is that such a dye does not impregnate the surface, but simply clogs small particles of wood. Toning with this composition will help to avoid irregularities and roughness of the structure. The mordant does not just color, it penetrates deep and acts chemically. So, the brightness of the resulting colors is guaranteed! But after tinting the wood with this method, the array must be varnished. Otherwise, if moisture gets on the furniture, stains may remain.
  • wood stain. Most best option for tinting wood with your own hands. It does not pick up the fibers and does not require an additional layer of varnish. You can also purchase patination - this is almost the same as stain, but its shades can be adjusted.

Along with the dye, buy a special woodworking brush or roller, a swab, and a lint-free cloth. It is better if the brush is made of natural bristles, although synthetic materials such as nylon or polyester are also suitable.

Getting Started with Toning

Toning can be done in several ways. Paint by hand, spray or dip into solution. The most common method that can be successfully applied at home is brush painting. So, the old wooden bedside table is already ready for its color transformation. And here's what she's up to:

  • Cleaning and grinding. Before painting, it is important to level the surface and make the wood structure as smooth as possible. An ordinary skin will help with this.
  • Stain application. Using a roller or brush, spread the paint evenly over the wood along the grain. And to remove the excess, simply rub the stain with a dry cloth or swab.
  • Paint drying. This step is extremely important. It is better to be patient and wait until the layer dries well. Only in this case it is possible to evaluate the final result of the work and the resulting shade. If it is not saturated enough, then you can apply the stain again.
  • Lacquering. This completion of tinting prolongs the wear resistance of a colored wooden product.

Do-it-yourself wood tinting- the process is quite laborious. However, if you love creativity and are not afraid to try new things, then such work will certainly bring maximum pleasure. And bright wooden interior items will delight every day!


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