Staining questions

[Aaron B]

I have two questions first is about a "fix", second is about not doing it again.

1.) I carved some pieces in red oak (cut out patterns), and they will be sitting on some flat pieces of wood. The flat pieces have been planed, sanded, etc so the stain is a certain color. Problem is the carved pieces are rougher, even after sanding them a little trying to not take away details, and so the stain darker.

Do I just need to stain the flat pieces more until the color matches?

2.)How can this be avoided in the future or can it? The carved pieces act more like end grain and soak up a lot of stain.

Thanks in advance.

[Old Salt]

You can treat cut area with a product like minwax wood conditioner, this will help keep the area from absorbing to much stain and helps with bloching. you can also use a thin coat of sanding sealer before stain for similar results . still it can be a real chalange at times. good luck.

[Old Salt]

A foot note about using red oak for carving :
The problem in using red oak for carving is that red oak is an open grain wood . so any carving becomes all end grain. Your best bet in carving oak is to use white oak , it is a closed grain, it will take exterior use better is harder and also water resistant. thats the reson they use it for wine barel and ships. If will be a little darker but most people stain red oak darker anyway.. to see the differance in red and white oak cut a paper thin slice off the end and look at it in the light. or take 1/4 by 1/4 6" stick and blow throw it in a glass of water. you will be amazed. White oak is also usually cheaper per board ft . give it a try , it my work for you.

[Aaron B]

Thanks, I will have to look for some of those products next time I am at a store. These are just some bookends that I was using mostly as a test but still wanted to see what I could do with it.

What about white pine, is it open grained like red oak?

[Old Salt]

Pine has ome open grain but it is also a wide soft grain that likes to split . so carving edges have a tendancy ot chip off. My best resuls has ben with cherry, maple, basswood ,hicory, birch, and walnut. cypress and some yellow hardwood pines have done well also but the softer grain cedars I havent hat to good of luck.. I have'nt tryed any good redwood yet , this may be a good chosee for many thing out side. hope this helps.