Dying Wood

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tdukes

New User
Eddie
Was wondering how fabric dye ofr food coloring would work for dying wood? Anyone ever tried?

TIA
 

Berta

Berta
Corporate Member
I have read articles that say food coloring works. So does spices. I haven’t tried it.
 

TENdriver

New User
TENdriver
Eddie, It would be helpful to know what exactly you would like to dye. Including the type of wood. Also, how you intend the item will be used.



Sunlight and even the common fluorescent light can quickly alter or even strip away most dyes. Light and oxygen can even alter the natural colors of wood.



My off the cuff answer would be to use nothing less than Transtint dyes, but that’s based on research from a few years back. Transtint is supposed to be more lightfast than common aniline dyes. I do have an aniline dyed curly maple table that sits in a sunroom, and it has faded some. Frankly, it’s done far better than I originally expected.


FWIW, Once upon a time, I used to work with antique textiles that were dyed with natural dyes along with items that were dyed with the earliest aniline dyes. The natural dyes were madder, cochineal, indigo, verdigris etc.
 

tdukes

New User
Eddie
Eddie, It would be helpful to know what exactly you would like to dye. Including the type of wood. Also, how you intend the item will be used.



Sunlight and even the common fluorescent light can quickly alter or even strip away most dyes. Light and oxygen can even alter the natural colors of wood.



My off the cuff answer would be to use nothing less than Transtint dyes, but that’s based on research from a few years back. Transtint is supposed to be more lightfast than common aniline dyes. I do have an aniline dyed curly maple table that sits in a sunroom, and it has faded some. Frankly, it’s done far better than I originally expected.


FWIW, Once upon a time, I used to work with antique textiles that were dyed with natural dyes along with items that were dyed with the earliest aniline dyes. The natural dyes were madder, cochineal, indigo, verdigris etc.

I saw a neat little smart device holder on the interweb. They appeared to be white oak dyed green, red, blue, yellow, etc. Thought it would be some good Christmas gifts. Didin't want to spend a fortune for a mass quantity of different colored dyes.
 

TENdriver

New User
TENdriver
Eddie, The company that produced the aniline dyes I’ve used used to offer a sampler pack of dyes. I think they used to charge (15 years ago) about $30 or $40 for the sampler. Those were good quality aniline dyes. I can look for the company if that’s in your price range.

Or, I see a sampler on Amazon that may work as well for you. The quantity would be similar.

https://www.amazon.com/Wood-Dye-Aniline-Color-Powder/dp/B00BAKWTMQ

Never used these, but probably they would still perform better than fabric dyes or food coloring.
 

tdukes

New User
Eddie
Eddie, The company that produced the aniline dyes I’ve used used to offer a sampler pack of dyes. I think they used to charge (15 years ago) about $30 or $40 for the sampler. Those were good quality aniline dyes. I can look for the company if that’s in your price range.

Or, I see a sampler on Amazon that may work as well for you. The quantity would be similar.

https://www.amazon.com/Wood-Dye-Aniline-Color-Powder/dp/B00BAKWTMQ

Never used these, but probably they would still perform better than fabric dyes or food coloring.

Thanks! I saw those also. I went to their website and saw where its only 5 grams of each color. Doesn't seem like much. Maybe it doesn't take much but when you start blending primary colors to make secondary colors, would it be enough?
 

TENdriver

New User
TENdriver
I’m currently sequestered in a room with this little guy, so I couldn’t run down to the shop.

attachment.php


Surprisingly, I did manage to remember the aniline dyes vendor:

http://www.wdlockwood.com/

Cost will be higher but you get to choose any six colors from their selection.

OTOH, based on your project, I’d probably just go for something like that Amazon package. Or, if I was on a really tight budget, maybe the food coloring. Though we made a red velvet cake a few years back, and I remember being appalled by the cost of all the red food coloring!
 

TENdriver

New User
TENdriver
Thanks! I saw those also. I went to their website and saw where its only 5 grams of each color. Doesn't seem like much. Maybe it doesn't take much but when you start blending primary colors to make secondary colors, would it be enough?


Double check how much dye it produces. I think it’s a quart of dye for each color which is enough to do large cased pieces. Aniline dyes are pretty potent.

You will want to handle both the powders and their solutions with some respect and care as they will do the job on your skin and clothing! Clothes will be permanent. The stained skin will eventually return to normal. Goes without saying, you won’t want to spill or slop the dye onto anything you didn’t intend to color!!!
 

tdukes

New User
Eddie
I’m currently sequestered in a room with this little guy, so I couldn’t run down to the shop.

attachment.php


Surprisingly, I did manage to remember the aniline dyes vendor:

http://www.wdlockwood.com/

Cost will be higher but you get to choose any six colors from their selection.

OTOH, based on your project, I’d probably just go for something like that Amazon package. Or, if I was on a really tight budget, maybe the food coloring. Though we made a red velvet cake a few years back, and I remember being appalled by the cost of all the red food coloring!

It's not so much the budget as it is buying more than necessary. Maybe cheaper to buy 2 kits, one for primary colors and a second of secondary colors. I don't need much. Think I'll buy one and see how it works out. When they talk grams, I have no clue what that equates to.
 

TENdriver

New User
TENdriver
FWIW, I’ve never mixed up an entire batch at one time. I’m too cheap to waste the surplus dye.

With the Lockwood dye, you definitely can mix a fraction of the powder into solution and produce a very small quantity of dye. I’ve done entire pieces of furniture with just a small portion of the Lockwood dye package.

I believe the powder does not have a shelf life provided it’s kept dry.
 

tdukes

New User
Eddie
FWIW, I’ve never mixed up an entire batch at one time. I’m too cheap to waste the surplus dye.

With the Lockwood dye, you definitely can mix a fraction of the powder into solution and produce a very small quantity of dye. I’ve done entire pieces of furniture with just a small portion of the Lockwood dye package.

I believe the powder does not have a shelf life provided it’s kept dry.

Going to send you a PM with a link of what I trying to do. This person is selling these so I don't want infringe on his idea. I made three today and they are really clever.
 

danmart77

Dan
Corporate Member
Was wondering how fabric dye ofr food coloring would work for dying wood? Anyone ever tried?

TIA

http://homesteadfinishingproducts.c...ains-and-colorants/transfast-wood-dye-powder/

http://www.wdlockwood.com/

Eddie
I would tell you in simple english to skip the food coloring dyes if that is how you hope to color the wood and then apply a finish. It is not worth the time or trouble.

If you want to experiment with wood and coloring, anniline dyes are the gateway to things you could never do with the stuff in a can.

The 2 addresses above are light reading and provide a basic pathway to move forward.

After 30 years of using mostly water based dyes, I have found the Lockwood dyes the most resistant to sun-light fading. I only did a few experiments after reading some pretty outlandish claims put forth by mostly erudite writers.

The small 1oz bottle make a ton of dye and I recommend them highly. Jeff Jewitt at the top address and the Lockwood dyes are very good products to begin the learning curve.

We did a class at Phil's shop a few years back and I think it went well. Some new ideas and techniques for many. Maybe its time to do another class on the subject?

good luck
 

Hmerkle

Board of Directors, Development Director
Hank
Staff member
Corporate Member
http://homesteadfinishingproducts.c...ains-and-colorants/transfast-wood-dye-powder/

http://www.wdlockwood.com/

Eddie
I would tell you in simple english to skip the food coloring dyes if that is how you hope to color the wood and then apply a finish. It is not worth the time or trouble.

If you want to experiment with wood and coloring, anniline dyes are the gateway to things you could never do with the stuff in a can.

The 2 addresses above are light reading and provide a basic pathway to move forward.

After 30 years of using mostly water based dyes, I have found the Lockwood dyes the most resistant to sun-light fading. I only did a few experiments after reading some pretty outlandish claims put forth by mostly erudite writers.

The small 1oz bottle make a ton of dye and I recommend them highly. Jeff Jewitt at the top address and the Lockwood dyes are very good products to begin the learning curve.

We did a class at Phil's shop a few years back and I think it went well. Some new ideas and techniques for many. Maybe its time to do another class on the subject?

good luck
I think it would be good to offer another class (provided there is interest) I am mad I had to miss that first class!
 

TENdriver

New User
TENdriver
http://homesteadfinishingproducts.c...ains-and-colorants/transfast-wood-dye-powder/

http://www.wdlockwood.com/

Eddie
I would tell you in simple english to skip the food coloring dyes if that is how you hope to color the wood and then apply a finish. It is not worth the time or trouble.

If you want to experiment with wood and coloring, anniline dyes are the gateway to things you could never do with the stuff in a can.

The 2 addresses above are light reading and provide a basic pathway to move forward.

After 30 years of using mostly water based dyes, I have found the Lockwood dyes the most resistant to sun-light fading. I only did a few experiments after reading some pretty outlandish claims put forth by mostly erudite writers.

The small 1oz bottle make a ton of dye and I recommend them highly. Jeff Jewitt at the top address and the Lockwood dyes are very good products to begin the learning curve.

We did a class at Phil's shop a few years back and I think it went well. Some new ideas and techniques for many. Maybe its time to do another class on the subject?

good luck



Dan, It’s been a few years since I looked into dyes. I’d forgotten that Jewitt was Homestead and they market Transtint as being better than traditional aniline dyes.

FWIW, my last look at this was a few years ago when I was determined to replicate an aqua fortis coloring on furniture using Transtint. I was planning to saturate the end grain curl with a very dark brown black. Heavy sanding or scrape to leave primarily the end grain curls dyed, then follow that with a bright yellow and then overlay all that with a red, orange or brown.

I bought the various Transtint dyes and then decided I wasn’t in the mood to do the experimentation it required. Unfortunately, the table I planned on using the finish on is still just sitting down in the shop, which is a shame.
 
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