Aging pine with caustic soda

[fjhart]

I tried a tip from the internet to age new pine. I washed it down with caustic soda, the tip said don't worry if it goes bright yellow, it will fade after 24 hours. well two days later it is still very yellow. What did I do wrong? Too much? Too little? Help!!!!

 

[blackrodd]

The last time i heard this discussion, the easiest way seemed to be putting the new pine in the dip tank with the old juice still in it. I believe this is how the repairs using some newer softwoods looked half decent. Regards Rodders

 

[Cottonwood]

I used that method a few times, I quite like the turmeric effect. Anyway, I used diluted vinegar (sprayed out of a plant sprayer) to neutralise the strong alkali cuastic, then very thourough rinsing with fresh water and a hose pipe

 

[fjhart]

Thanks, but I thought the whole point of using caustic was to make the wood grey, not yellow?

 

[mrpercysnodgrass]

A method I use for aging oak, ( I'm not sure how it will work on pine ). Mix up some vandyke ( in solution ) with soda crystals not caustic soda. Leave overnight and then finish. For pine I make up a casein lactic paint then add raw umber and yellow ochre to the shade desired, works well for me.

 

[Cottonwood]

Thanks, but I thought the whole point of using caustic was to make the wood grey, not yellow?

The yellow color went away after using the vinegar, that was the whole point of using the stuff.....

 

[rafezetter]

errm...I'm an utter philestine I guess but I used ...strong (2 spoons) coffee; apply, wait to dry - 220 grit to take off the nibs and do again.

Of course it wasn't a fancy piece or anything, but I just wanted to take the edge off the brand new pine look.

This is the item I treated:
http://s982.photobucket.com/user/Ra...nts/DSC_0562_zps0437b12e.jpg.html?sort=4&o=21

and this was the original colour:
http://s982.photobucket.com/user/Ra...eFireplace16_zpsb53bf5d4.jpg.html?sort=4&o=17

 

[charlesholz]

I think you've done a nice job of that

 

[CoreDefence]

I've tried this and it works a treat. Rusty old iron nails in a jar of water for a few days. New steel nails are not so effective. Buy a brand of black tea leaves (not teabags). When you've got a nice rusty juice in your jar, mash a strong brew of the tea, when cool paint your pine with the tea and while still damp, give a coating of the rusty nail juice. The Ferrous oxide reacts with the tannin in the tea and goes a dark colour. Allow to dry. If you want it darker, repeat the process. I did 3 coats and the piece went as black as our fire back.

 

[rafezetter]

I saw on tv the other day (george clarke's amazing spaces) where they had oak shiplap planks and they used an angle grinder on some steel to get the spray of sparks onto the wood and it turned it black (but oak has a very high tannin content) - it looked very good so CoreDefence's method sounds good for a more dilute way - I'm going to try it myself next time!

 

[Shed dweller]

I saw it mentioned on Fine Woodworking that nitric acid would oxidise the pine. And dissolve any bodies hidden away in your shed. 10% solution is supposed to be the strength. After consideration and advice from someone who'd actually done it we decided against doing it with students. I'm planning to try caustic soda or part 1 of the 2 part bleach with vinegar as mentioned by Cottonwood.

 

[Keith 66]

White vinegar in a jar with a handful of steel wool, leave for a few days before using, It turns Oak a pleasing grey colour very quickly & Also Cherry, strangely cherry goes grey even quicker than Oak using this mix.
It also works on pine & beech though slower.