Darkening Stain for trim
#1
02-04-21, 05:19 AM
Darkening Stain for trim
My house has the original trim from 1993 when the house was built. I have to do some repairs to the trim. The original trim is stained wood and I'm trying to find a good color match for my repairs.
I think I was able to match the color pretty closely.
Unfortunately I cannot match the intensity or the darkness of the old trim. I believe I purchased a piece of pine trim from Depot that is almost exact to the piece from years ago. It just seems like the stain is not soaking into the new trim as much as the old trim so I am not getting the same color intensity or darkness.
Anyone have any tips of things I can do?
Thanks!
I think I was able to match the color pretty closely.
Unfortunately I cannot match the intensity or the darkness of the old trim. I believe I purchased a piece of pine trim from Depot that is almost exact to the piece from years ago. It just seems like the stain is not soaking into the new trim as much as the old trim so I am not getting the same color intensity or darkness.
Anyone have any tips of things I can do?
Thanks!
#2
02-04-21, 05:27 AM
Group Moderator
Stain won't soak into trim that has poly over it. You might try a furniture marker if the marks are small and inconspicuous. I hesitate to recommend tinted poly without seeing the damage. Generally if you want it to look perfect again you need to replace the trim.
#3
02-04-21, 05:31 AM
Group Moderator
Matching stain is not about what the color on the can looks like, it's what the wood looks like after it's absorbed all the stain it can and you've applied your finish coats. This can be a horribly tedious task. To me, it sounds like you simply need a darker stain that you bought,
The other thought I have is that maybe I'm not understanding what you're saying and you're talking more about the wood beneath the stain. If so, my first thought is why you went with pine - I would be surprised if the trim in your house was pine and other woods, like oak, tend to take stain better. Maple can look like pine sometimes but it doesn't stain well at all so I doubt you have maple trim.
The other thought I have is that maybe I'm not understanding what you're saying and you're talking more about the wood beneath the stain. If so, my first thought is why you went with pine - I would be surprised if the trim in your house was pine and other woods, like oak, tend to take stain better. Maple can look like pine sometimes but it doesn't stain well at all so I doubt you have maple trim.
#4
02-04-21, 05:34 AM
Yes, the new wood that I am staining has no poly or anything on it. It is unfinished pine from the shelf at Depot. I am not trying to stain the old trim.
I'm just trying to get it to match the existing trim as I need to replace a section.
The actual color is very close. If I go with a darker stain, then my color won't match any longer.
I'm just trying to get it to match the existing trim as I need to replace a section.
The actual color is very close. If I go with a darker stain, then my color won't match any longer.
#5
02-04-21, 05:57 AM
Wood darkens naturally as it ages. Matching new wood to an old stain is one of the more difficult tasks I've encountered as a painter. A tinted poly may help although you run the risk of that wood becoming too dark as it ages.
Oil base poly/varnish will deepen the stain color some.
Oil base poly/varnish will deepen the stain color some.
