Hi,
I need some advice on veneering my pair of finalists.
I am looking to veneer them and stain / dye them black.
What kind of wood is best that will easily take the black color and what do I need to do in order to get black color on the veneer.
I am a total newbie and this will be my first attempt at doing this so any help/ reference/ links will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Nishant
I need some advice on veneering my pair of finalists.
I am looking to veneer them and stain / dye them black.
What kind of wood is best that will easily take the black color and what do I need to do in order to get black color on the veneer.
I am a total newbie and this will be my first attempt at doing this so any help/ reference/ links will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Nishant
Hi,
Good black vinyl wrap is indistinguishable from black veneer,
if you slap a few coats of clear whatever over it for the effect.
Veneering is difficult. Turning it black IMO a crime against nice wood.
Good look with attempting to dye / stain veneer black, without
utterly perfect impossibly difficult mitred veneer corner joints
you will soon find out the difference between grain and
end grain with a completely unfixable vengeance.
If you want black, use paint, which is also your get out clause
when ruining a perfectly nice pair of wood veneered speakers
by attempting to dye / stain them black. *
In all attempts I've seen dye / stain has been a total
disaster, and they have ended up being painted black.
rgds, sreten.
* you need to strip the the finish for dye / stain. Once you
start stripping its all going to go wrong. Finish remains
in the grain, on the surface to a lesser extent and all the
corners are stripped bare. That becomes obvious as soon
as you try applying the dye / stain, they will look awful.
If you want to convert "wood" speakers to black simply
degrease them, rub them down with very fine wire wool
and spray them with black paint - noting good spraying
technique is not the thing to learn on a pair of speakers.
Good black vinyl wrap is indistinguishable from black veneer,
if you slap a few coats of clear whatever over it for the effect.
Veneering is difficult. Turning it black IMO a crime against nice wood.
Good look with attempting to dye / stain veneer black, without
utterly perfect impossibly difficult mitred veneer corner joints
you will soon find out the difference between grain and
end grain with a completely unfixable vengeance.
If you want black, use paint, which is also your get out clause
when ruining a perfectly nice pair of wood veneered speakers
by attempting to dye / stain them black. *
In all attempts I've seen dye / stain has been a total
disaster, and they have ended up being painted black.
rgds, sreten.
* you need to strip the the finish for dye / stain. Once you
start stripping its all going to go wrong. Finish remains
in the grain, on the surface to a lesser extent and all the
corners are stripped bare. That becomes obvious as soon
as you try applying the dye / stain, they will look awful.
If you want to convert "wood" speakers to black simply
degrease them, rub them down with very fine wire wool
and spray them with black paint - noting good spraying
technique is not the thing to learn on a pair of speakers.
Last edited:
Thank you all for the replies.
I am looking for long straight grain, ones that could run down vertically along the side and face of the speakers
Will this make the veneer shine? I will be placing the cabinets next to my TV...and would like to avoid reflections of the surface. I
Is there a particular way to paint them black.
I went to the local Rockler and the metioned that i choose a light color veneer such as birch or red oak and just use the black dye. Is this a good approach!
Uh oh...you have me worries and scared
I have to have them black or else i wont get permission from dear wife to put them in the living room...everything else is black. I could get away with dark black - brown color as well (I hope)
When you saw paint does it mean just use a roller and paint the wood? How do I make sure that the wood grain (or the pattern in the veneer) visible and not masked by the paint.
I am looking for long straight grain, ones that could run down vertically along the side and face of the speakers
Will this make the veneer shine? I will be placing the cabinets next to my TV...and would like to avoid reflections of the surface. I
Is there a particular way to paint them black.
I went to the local Rockler and the metioned that i choose a light color veneer such as birch or red oak and just use the black dye. Is this a good approach!
Uh oh...you have me worries and scared
I have to have them black or else i wont get permission from dear wife to put them in the living room...everything else is black. I could get away with dark black - brown color as well (I hope)When you saw paint does it mean just use a roller and paint the wood? How do I make sure that the wood grain (or the pattern in the veneer) visible and not masked by the paint.
Also reading up on the internet here is what I was planning to do...
Use Flat cut oak veneer e.g. Red Oak Veneer : Flat Cut Plain Sliced Red Oak Wood Veneers Sheets | Oakwood Veneer Company
Treat it with Minwax Pre-stain wood conditioner
Minwax Pre-Stain Wood Conditioner - Prepare Wood for Staining | Minwax
And after 60 minutes use Minwax wood finish Ebony to stain the veneer
Wood Stain Colors - Minwax Stain Colors & Wood Finish Guide | Minwax
Apply a second coat after 6 hours
Finally use Minwac polyurethane satin clear coat to finish off.
I am planning to test all of this on a small piece before experimenting on my speakers..which are currently in raw MDF.
Use Flat cut oak veneer e.g. Red Oak Veneer : Flat Cut Plain Sliced Red Oak Wood Veneers Sheets | Oakwood Veneer Company
Treat it with Minwax Pre-stain wood conditioner
Minwax Pre-Stain Wood Conditioner - Prepare Wood for Staining | Minwax
And after 60 minutes use Minwax wood finish Ebony to stain the veneer
Wood Stain Colors - Minwax Stain Colors & Wood Finish Guide | Minwax
Apply a second coat after 6 hours
Finally use Minwac polyurethane satin clear coat to finish off.
I am planning to test all of this on a small piece before experimenting on my speakers..which are currently in raw MDF.
While solid black is not my favorite color with which to finish veneers, I've not had terrible results with it.
As sreten notes, painting might very well be faster - but is not without its own issues when it comes to edges and profiles, whether sprayed, rolled or brushed. The open working time of wipe on oil based finishes certainly have some advantages there.
A couple of coats of the minwax Ebony 2718 penetrating finish with clear top coat of your choice could well do the trick. I've not had any success on larger pieces with the Polyshades, and aren't particularly a fan of most polyurethane top coats (prefer lacquer or conversion varnish myself) - this new one is rather interesting
Satin Hybrid oil-based varnish - SAM-535-236ml - Wood floor varnish - [SamaN Canada]
While classified as a flooring finish, I just recently used it on a pair of veneered speakers with pretty good results. However their all in one was crap.
Anyway, experiment with some veneer scraps until you're comfortable with your application method.
As sreten notes, painting might very well be faster - but is not without its own issues when it comes to edges and profiles, whether sprayed, rolled or brushed. The open working time of wipe on oil based finishes certainly have some advantages there.
A couple of coats of the minwax Ebony 2718 penetrating finish with clear top coat of your choice could well do the trick. I've not had any success on larger pieces with the Polyshades, and aren't particularly a fan of most polyurethane top coats (prefer lacquer or conversion varnish myself) - this new one is rather interesting
Satin Hybrid oil-based varnish - SAM-535-236ml - Wood floor varnish - [SamaN Canada]
While classified as a flooring finish, I just recently used it on a pair of veneered speakers with pretty good results. However their all in one was crap.
Anyway, experiment with some veneer scraps until you're comfortable with your application method.
I bought a bunch some time ago from Constantine Constantines Wood Center - Woodworking Supplies and Tools - Fort Lauderdale, FL and it was raw veneer...thick like a 1/16" and somewhat course maybe ash. It is as black as black can be.
Attachments
Thanks all for the replies. Appreciate your help in this.
I tried looking black died veneer but all of them are really expensive!
RAW - this is exactly the finish I want. Can you please tell me how you achieved this finish? Would greatly Appreciate your help!
I tried looking black died veneer but all of them are really expensive!
Oak for sure, I have done lots of Oak this way.
RAW - this is exactly the finish I want. Can you please tell me how you achieved this finish? Would greatly Appreciate your help!
Ultra™ Penetrating Stain - Mohawk Finishing
Thanks
I use to use mohawk products for all my finishing I did.
Wipe on then let it sit for 30 seconds then wipe off.Then let it dry over night. Then repeat till you get the darkness you like.
As well you can add this into the Lacquer while finishing.
If you do not have one even get yourself the small HPVLP compressor unit cheap
Electric HVLP Spray Paint with Gun System | eBay if you do not have a compressor.There is many out just like this unit.Sorry I do not remember the one I have but still use it from time to time.
I know I got it online for around 80.00 cheap. So if I do a small project fire it up in minutes no water to worry about from the compressor use it clean it put it away.
And if you have a compressor just get HVLP gun with a screw inline filter and you are set.
Thanks Chris as you know that was one of my personal things I tried to make on every set of speakers.I was lucky my supplier local would allow me to go in and select matched sheets all the time.This meant at times opening 3-4 boxs to get 2 sheets to match but if we found four I would by all four then just keep them for inventory.
I know someone else who does darn fine book matching.
You are welcome.
Yes I use to spray but I used a Devilbiss Spray gun with inline disposable filters.
When I got to busy I got to the point i had no time for finishing.So I found a finish shop locally and I took all my work to him.
In general it worked great, I did not have the room to shut down set up to spray.I just got to busy.At times I was doing 3-4 sets of my HT3 and HT8 a month plus custom products.
They did great work sanding sealed 2 coats then finished 2 coats with a sand between the last 2 coats. I was getting HT3 done for 40-50 for the pair.
Yes I use to spray but I used a Devilbiss Spray gun with inline disposable filters.
When I got to busy I got to the point i had no time for finishing.So I found a finish shop locally and I took all my work to him.
In general it worked great, I did not have the room to shut down set up to spray.I just got to busy.At times I was doing 3-4 sets of my HT3 and HT8 a month plus custom products.
They did great work sanding sealed 2 coats then finished 2 coats with a sand between the last 2 coats. I was getting HT3 done for 40-50 for the pair.
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