How to achieve this finish

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sammy.se

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Hi,

I've just started my first hardwood project (a picture frame) and am now thinking about how to finish it.

The frame is made from birch (i think??).

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I need to match the frame to my other furniture, so my question is, how can I match the following finish:

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I want to try spraying for the finish. I'll be making more furniture for this room so I dont mind investing in sprayers and paints...

Thanks!!
 
I would imagine this is a stain with clear lacquer over.

The process is to apply a stain (solvent or water based). Stain is best applied by spray as a wet coat, allow a short while to soak in, then rag off. The rags should be absorbent lint free, such as white cotton.

De nib with 320grit foam backed pads. Top coat with clear lacquer, water based or solvent. Denib and de dust betweet coats

Top coats are available in varying sheen levels, typically 10% is matt, 25% or 30% is eggshell or satin, 50% is semi gloss and 70% and above full gloss. I personally like 10% as it allows for the most natural looking wood finish.

For colour matching you will need some offcuts, fully sand to the same as your project and apply 2 top coats or you wont get a true comparision. If you want a really good match, most suppliers such as morrells can match stain.

You will also need plenty of offcuts or a roll off lining paper to practice sprayouts.

If you want a compresser and gun setup i would start with an hvlp gravity fed, with a 1.6 or 1.8 tip and air nozzle set.
 
As it is such a small item, I'd be inclined to experiment with Van **** crystals as stains can be very unforgiving. The advantage of Van **** crystals is that you can go lighter or darker even after you have applied the VDC solution. After it's dried then lightly denib. I'd also suspect that a simple coat of Briwax afterwards will be all that you need.

You certainly don't need spraying kit for your project!
 
Looks typical amateurish stain applied directly to wood. Do the same! You can hardly go wrong. In fact the more wrong you go, the better!
 
Ok, I might go for the crystals for now... until i make something bigger. Btw, here is the frame after routing and mitre:

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Any recommendations on what brand or retailer for the van **** crystals? And the briwax? Thanks!
 
Van **** is the same no matter where you get it from. Sometimes the crystals vary in size but they all come out the same, so just get the cheapest you can find.
That said, it is an excellent stain but I don't think it will give you the match you want unless you add a little red water stain to it.
Your frame is Beech BTW and will take stain very well. I would be inclined to buy a couple of tins of naptha stain, one dark brown and one red brown and mix until you have the shade you want. As for finishing I would recommend two coats of cellulose sanding sealer, when that is dry, wire wool and wax and that should get you very close to the finish on table.
 
Briwax is the proprietary brand name so that is what you'll get.

VDC eBay? It's a long time since I bought mine. All much of a muchness I'd say.

Ah, MrP beat me to it! I'd go with his recommendations as he knows more about finishing much more than I do ....much much more !!
 

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