Wood stained, varnished or in its natural colour?

I think there are very few wood lovers who have not seen a inlay. That painting or pattern made on furniture, flooring or musical instruments using small pieces of veneer from various species of wood. The design is made on the basis of the different colour of the wood species. The natural colour of the wood can vary from black to white, through all the colours of the spectrum. It is not a uniform, paint-like colour, but a predominant colour of each species. Because in a piece of wood you can find lots of colours. Just look at a piece of acacia wood to discover colours from green to purple and from yellow to ruby.

Natural colour is an identifier for many species. There are species with such distinctive shades that it is a shame to swap them for others, even if they are unevenly coloured. The imperfection of natural colour is precisely what gives the wood its charm and charm. Wouldn't it be a shame to stain a walnut, cherry or acacia wood? We would lose so much by gaining a dry uniformity.

On the other hand, there are species of wood - poplar, lime, resinous, beech - that gain a lot of colour. Applying stain brings out the natural pattern of the wood and makes the furniture even more valuable.

Let's see together when it pays to keep the natural colour of the wood and when the end result is much better by staining or painting the wood.

Natural wood colours

These are woods that, according to many wood lovers, lose their beauty and value through weeding. These are the species that are renowned precisely for their colour. If you want furniture made from cherry woodwhy paint it? The warm, silky and delicate colour of cherry has led to the emergence of cherry berries that try to turn other types of wood into cherry. Unfortunately often this discreet colour is so overdone that there is nothing natural about it.

Colour of the wood nuc, oak, frasincherry, palisander, mahon, wagons can be reproduced, but will never fool a connoisseur. Because wood is a mixture of characteristics of which colour is one. Colour alone, without specific pores, natural design, fibre appearance, does not represent the wood of that species. Woodworkers know very well that they will never be able to make pine furniture look like oak furniture, even if the wood is stained the same colour as the oak. The general appearance of the wood will always say that it is a resinous.

But let's come to those wood species prized for their colour. If you want a piece of furniture or an object made of such wood, leave it as natural as possible. Even if the colour is uneven and there are big differences in shade on the same piece of wood, consider yourself lucky to have a unique piece of wood. Don't try to hide this under a colour that uniforms.

It is good to know that varnishes can also change their original colour. This is particularly true of light-coloured wood. Varnishes, even if they are transparent, have a yellowish tinge that changes the natural colour of the wood. A very good example is ash wood. In design it is very similar to oak, but differs precisely in colour. Oak ranges from straw yellow to light brown, whereas ash is almost white. The light colour and specific pattern are highly appreciated by connoisseurs. But to keep the colour the finish must be done with varnishes that do not have that yellow tinge and do not yellow over time. One solution may be solvent-based acrylic varnish, which can also preserve the natural look of the wood.

Oak is another wood worth keeping in its original colour. The green or reddish iridescence of the design is an argument for this. In addition, the combination of large pores with specific pattern, colour and specific mirror areas make oak a wood with personality and catacter, highly desirable for the manufacture of quality furniture.

A wood highly valued for its colour is that ofnuc. The colour differs depending on the species, with the 'Romanian' walnut being lighter brown and the American walnut darker. As far as I know, American walnut has started to be cultivated here. The colour of walnut is so famous and so diverse that there are many shades of walnut berry: dark walnut, light walnut, antique walnut, medium walnut. Whatever the color of walnut it would be a great shame for it to be hidden under a berry.

A wood whose colour is, in my opinion, impossible to reproduce is that of acacia. It is not widely used in the manufacture of interior furniture because it is very hard and difficult to process. However, it is used for garden furniture because it is very resistant to outdoor conditions. Processing in this case is minimal, using acacia slats. It's special because on a single piece of wood you can find an infinite number of unexpected colours, from shades of cyclamen to bright green or turquoise. The abundance of colour is due to the high tannin content. This content influences the finish and can change the colour of the bath and varnish.

When and why we stain wood

Dull, uniform wood without personality

There are situations when the wood has nothing spectacular, nothing stands out. This is the case poplar wood, lime and sometimes resinous. The natural, uncoloured poplar has a very uniform yellowish-white colour with nothing specific. Lime is also uniformly coloured, but a little more reddish. Uncoloured poplar or linden furniture is inexpressive. When it is coloured it suddenly comes alive. The annual rings are brought out, the absorption is different in the late wood compared to the early wood, and so an interesting pattern emerges which without colour would have been lost.

Staining and special finishes, with patinas or other effects, raise the value of a wood that without such artifice would be totally dull. Poplar wood was used in the past to make spoons, spoons and other kitchen utensils. By staining or using various antiquing methods or special effects it became very interesting and appreciated.

Wood with defects or unpleasant natural grain

There are situations when the wood has certain imperfections that are not accepted by the customer. It would be a shame not to use it and throw it away just because some people don't consider it beautiful. And then, to hide these "flaws", you can use staining baths, patinas for special effects and sometimes even paints that cover up the flaws but keep its personality.

An example of wood that does not lose its charm when stained is softwood - spruce, fir or pine. The many knots sometimes make the design tiresome. By painting it, the knots become invisible, unlike the natural design, which remains visible despite the coat of paint.

Repairs such as replacing dropping knots or fibre pull-outs become invisible under a coat of paint. The furniture will remain solid wood and will not lose value on aesthetic grounds.

One reason why softwood stains is that it also turns yellow over time. Yellowing starts immediately after cutting and continues even if it has been coated with varnish. The colour acquired over time is not very attractive, and even has a slightly dirty appearance. By staining, naturally occurring yellowing is hidden.

There are special species of wood that deserve to be kept as they are naturally A natural, specific colour is a shame to hide or change. But neither should the charm of a wood with a less visible pattern be lost because of dull colours or one that stains, knots or other defects make less attractive. By staining or painting it can be ennobled and we can enjoy solid wood furniture, which is already a great gain.