Matt black stain finish recomendations.

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simonms

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Hi,

I have built some furniture from poplar and am after a matt black stain, any rocomendations? I don't have access to any spraying facilities so will need to be applied by hand.

Cheers,

Si.
 
Indian ink is one of the best black stains going. The matt finish will have to something applied over the top of this if you need durability (as with all true stains).

I don't know if you know this so I'll mention it just in case: with a fully matt finish the darkest you'll achieve is something like charcoal grey. This is just a function of light scattering from the microscopically rough texture of a matt surface. You can only get closer to proper black with a satin or more glossy surface.
 
not a stain but Wickes have a matt black paint that is fantastic, I've used it many times on display stands for art pieces. and it is truly black and matt. In fact "I liked it so much, I bought the company" well a couple of litres to the do the facings and edges of my door jambs and architrave at home. I think they sell it as a blackboard paint
 
Droogs":2d391sdl said:
not a stain but Wickes have a matt black paint that is fantastic...
Yeah actually I should have said something about using paint, you can actually colour wood black with any black paint, including enamels and emulsion.

The 'secret' (it's no secret at all) to it looking more like stain and not paint is obviously just to put it on thinly by building up thin coats, which is ridiculously fast with emulsion. And with paint there's no need for a clear topcoat, although they could still benefit from one for added durability and for a matter finish is needed.
 
You can add the tannic acid in artificially. In fact even with oaks it can be beneficial, to get a more even colour.

Tannic acid powder can be bought commercially (one bag apparently being a lifetime supply for most people) or you can make a concentrated 'tea' from oak leaves, bark and especially galls.
 
MikeG.":30zs69pe said:
nabs":30zs69pe said:

I don't think that will work with poplar. As you know ebonising relies on the wood's natural tannins, with some additional help, and I'm pretty sure that polar is low in tannin.
As you say you can top up the tannins. The table in the link is elm - I experimented using the iron solution on untreated wood and the reaction created a very pale grey. The final result was the reaction having prepared the wood with a healthy application of a sort of tannin tea (oak leaves, oak galls, oak shavings etc). According to Richard Maquire (who's instructions I followed) he has not found a wood that won't work with this type of prep, regardless of the initial tannin content.
 
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