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Poplar / Walnut Vanity

1K views 17 replies 7 participants last post by  tommyc325 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
Hi Everyone

I'm in the middle of building a vanity out of popler for my bathroom. The link of the image below is what my wife wants me to try and reproduce.

Any suggestions on how I can get popler to look like this walnut color? I'm also going to want to protect this as much as I can since there will be a sink on top of this and what will happen. Not sure what's best for this.

Please let me know if there's any other information I can provide you with.

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/f2/fa/4d/f2fa4d3fd4c69a9ae44e9101d0d5b7fa.jpg
 
#2 ·
You can make any wood look like another with dye, AS LONG AS THE GRAIN PATTERN IS THE SAME!!!!!!!!!
You cant make red oak look like Walnut do to that fact!!!!
Poplar and Walnut have the same grain pattern. You are in luck!!! Get some Trans Tint dye, I cant think of which one but I did the same, maybe Med or Dark Brown, experiment on poplar scrap. Then after the dye which is water and Alcohol based, a thin coat of cut oil based Poly to seal the dye finish, 50/50 Poly and mineral spirits, then the finish of your choice.
 
#4 ·
I m in the middle of building a vanity out of popler for my bathroom. The link of the image below is what my wife wants me to try and reproduce.
- tommyc325
The wood in the link is pine with a walnut stain and oil based varnish finish.

As long as you are close, she probably won't care. Buy some walnut stain and do some test boards before committing to staining the vanity.
 
#5 · (Edited by Moderator)
I m in the middle of building a vanity out of popler for my bathroom. The link of the image below is what my wife wants me to try and reproduce.
- tommyc325

The wood in the link is pine with a walnut stain and oil based varnish finish.

As long as you are close, she probably won t care. Buy some walnut stain and do some test boards before committing to staining the vanity.

- Rick M.
Are you sure?
Or some wood from China
? A pretty bold statement on your part!!!
Just what are you smoking in your pipe to give that info????
 
#9 · (Edited by Moderator)
Looks like pine from my pics to. How ever you do it remember its in a bathroom. Oil based most assuredly but, no Polly will stop the transfer of water vapor, id throw a sealer coat of shellac in there some where. but that's just me, better safe than sorry. You can use the shellac as a sealer and prestain conditioner . I've seen set ups like that go horribly wrong due to water damage because of the wrong finish. Which were usually only stain and Polly, id also shellac the end grains before assembly or anything that wont get a coat after its assembled.
 
#11 · (Edited by Moderator)
-Oil or waterbase stain will make no difference in water resistance or durability.
-Varnish/poly is more water resistant than shellac so the latter serves no purpose except to help prevent blotching but using a gel stain is probably a better idea.
-My understanding is that marine varnish has additional oil to make it more flexible, may also have additional UV protection, but I do not believe it is anymore water resistant than regular varnish/poly. Personally I would just use a waterbase polyurethane for floors but if you are really obsessed with having the very best water resistance then I would look into epoxy, which will be significantly more expensive. A simpler (maybe cheaper) alternative would be to use walnut which is highly rot resistant and an oil base varnish.
 
#13 ·
Having done this many times, I have used for a base coat of dye , General Finishes med brown then IMMEDIATELY followed by GF Light brown.

My ultimate favorite, is Mohawks Med Brown , then Followed by "Light Walnut" , they call it "ultra penetrating stain" and it is alcohol base, GF is water base

you need the initial darker dye to establish a base brown , then the lighter to tone it down, and to add a little amber/gold tone …
 
#14 ·
I just read the rest of post, I would go with an oil or water based Poly, the oil based will add a bit of yellow just the nature of oil based, water based is more clear, but again dye first on a sample piece then try your finishes.
http://homesteadfinishingproducts.com/transtint-liquid-dyes/

- nightguy
Hi Nightguy

I just purchased GF Water Based Dye Stain. Once I apply this to my project and it dries. What should I do next?

Hit it with Oil Based Poly?
After the Oil Based Poly can I add 4 layers of water based poly to this vanity? Should I stay away with water based finish since this top will be exposed to water?

Thanks for your help
 
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