NATURAL WOOD STAINS, Natural Decorating Tips

Natural Wood Stains

Rusty nails left to soak in vinegar for two weeks, then strained, make a natural wood stain.

Walnut husks soaked for several days, then strained, stain wood darker than tea.

Wood can also be stained with chewing tobacco mixed with half water and half ammonia left to set overnight, then strained.

Any stain should be tested on a scrap of wood or on the underside of a piece of furniture before staining.

Furniture color will darken with each coat of stain. Stop before it looks as dark as you want it to because the finish (shellac, lacquer, tung oil, varnish, etc.) will make the wood color even darker.

See Furniture Refinishing for more information.

Reaction Staining

Instead of adding a color to furniture, you can enhance the wood's own color through chemical reaction.

Ammonia fumes can stain new wood to look 100 years old, and in a matter of days. On small areas, ammonia can be brushed on directly. The ammonia reacts with the tannins in the wood.

Strong tea can be brushed onto light wood, with little tannin, to darken it with its own tannins. This can be darkened even further by following with an application of ammonia.

Oak, walnut and mahogany will get browner with ammonia and blackish brown from rusty nails. Pine, maple and birch will get browner with tea or tea followed by ammonia. Some stains will darken as they dry, so go a step at a time. Wood will also look even darker after a finish (lacquer, varnish, tung oil, or shellac) is applied.

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