yellow staining in oak

[marcros]

Has anybody ever seen this before? It is Prime Euro Oak

It is like a yellow streak- the photo isn't great, but it isn't really noticeable until the timber is planed up and in good light. I was hoping to achieve a slightly darker finish to the piece when done, but I want it to be maintainable by the end user if necessary- I was thinking boiled linseed oil thinned with a little (real) turps. To hand I only had tru-oil, but a quick coat of it on an offcut isn't covering the yellow stain. a water based stain seems to be masking it slightly, but it looks like it will need a second coat, and i would prefer to avoid having to stain the whole piece. Any ideas what it is, and what I could use? I could if absolutely necessary fume the piece, but it is a big item (table).

I had this once before on oak from the same source, but I used the piece to make something for outside where it didnt really matter.

 

[promhandicam]

I believe that it is caused by a fault in the kiln drying process. I had it with some prime oak and although my supplier (wl West) credited me for it when I returned it, I was told that it was still within grade. I don't think you will be able to hide it other than by using paint!

 

[marcros]

bugger

 

[marcros]

i need to look through the rest of the timber that i have for the project. I am hoping that i can design the yellow not to be seen too much- that photo for instance will have a mortice where the S is, and the yellow will be behind an apron. Failing that, http://americanwoodworker.com/blogs/tec ... ishes.aspx may help- I have some transtint honey amber so option 2 isnt a lot different to the colour that I was going for- i will give it a try on some scrap.

 

[moz]

It's fungal action caused by incorrect drying. This is a useful document I came across a while ago which explains the causes and cures for various faults including the very commonly seen these days 'oak brown stain/white stain'.

http://www.coste53.net/downloads/Litera ... drying.pdf

Without question, it's a drying fault and I would send it back.

John

 

[marcros]

Interesting document. I need to look at how much is affected. It is a bit awkward because it was done as a favour to me at a decent rate, far less than I would have paid retail. If it is only that bit then I may de able to design it to be unseen. It is annoying that the leg is all planed up and glued up, although that is my own fault.

 

[promhandicam]

As I said earlier, timber yards will almost certainly tell you that it is within grade as they won't want it back especially as you will probably have cut it and certainly at the least surface planed it before you notice the problem.

 

[moz]

I undertand if it was a cheap price as a favour but, generally I would still send it back because it is faulty. These are not natural defects but have been introduced by whoever dried it. These faults don't become apparent until you have planed it up (though you may be able to spot them if you have crosscut and it is visible at the end) so there is nothing else to be done. A refund still doesn't put you back to the position you were in because the work is wasted and it's the least they should do. Any decent supplier will refund if you provide photos. I always send it back. It is my belief that brown/white stain is so prevalent now because they can move timber through quicker at higher temperatures and they get away with it because not enough people complain.

John

 

[custard]

Thanks Moz, that's very useful.

I've just made a pair of bedside tables out of quarter sawn Euro oak, and there were a few small patches of this exact yellow stain present. I'll see if I can post some photos tomorrow, I managed to hide it by taking two measures,

1. Laying out the pieces to minimise the problem, not really practical for the OP's dining table example
2. Using a blonde shellac finish over a shellac sanding sealer which went a long way to camouflaging it, shellac is a practical finish for bedside tables but again not ideal for a dining table.

 

[Togalosh]

It's fungal action caused by incorrect drying. This is a useful document I came across a while ago which explains the causes and cures for various faults including the very commonly seen these days 'oak brown stain/white stain'.

http://www.coste53.net/downloads/Litera ... drying.pdf

Without question, it's a drying fault and I would send it back.

John

Nice 1 Moz, I don't remember that from the drying books I've read so far.

The document does say though that there's a low risk that it can be produced during air drying too so it could be difficult to avoid in the odd batch.

Togs

 

[woodturnerEric]

I have some oak posts given to me by my father that were sitting in his garden for thirty years,they have the same yellow marks in places where the timber is starting to degrade and rot,now they are kept inside and dry it hasn`t got any worse and for my woodturning use it can be an interesting look on the finished piece,but for your use not alot will hide it,as I`ve dyed some pieces that have been turned and it still shows up as a discolouration in the wood,the only way to hide it would be to paint it,but that would no doubt ruin the look as you bought prime oak to use,regards,

Eric.

 

[marcros]

I have actually not been as unlucky as I first thought. I need to check the material for the top when I plane it up but so far there is only 1 small patch at the bottom of a leg piece, on the inside corner. Much of it may be lost in the taper anyway. I tried dying an off cut yellow, with the intention of sealing and then using a gel stain glaze. I think that would work- the transtint honey amber dye is indistinguishable from the problem stain. It is an additional step to finishing though and on this project I would have taken the timber back bevause i want it to be maintainable by my mate if he scratches it. I will try some finishes on the off cuts though as a trial and to have a play. Some of the American "Mission" look quite good in pictures, others I don't like at all.