Maple is hard and dense, so the relatively large pigment particles can not penetrate the wood very well. They even highlight the sanding scratches. Try some dyes instead, like TransTint, a concentrated dye that you mix with water.
Maple can be hard to stain, depending on the ``stain''. Maple has little bitty pores and is a ``denser'' wood, so absorbtion is not as good, and since the pores are so small, less pigment (if using a pigment stain) will color the wood. Now, on the other hand, Maple is not hard to ``color''.
Transtint dyes work wonders for maple. They have a ``colonial maple'' dye that is quite beautiful. It makes the wood look like it's been pantinating for a hundred years or so.
Unlike porous woods such as oak, maple's surface does not readily absorb stain. The tight grain results in fewer open pores for the stain to penetrate, leading to uneven absorption. This can cause a blotchy appearance, with some areas absorbing more stain than others, creating an inconsistent color.
Because of its consistency, maple also does not absorb stain as well as oak. Physical Characteristics: The light, natural finish makes hard maple a leading choice for contemporary spaces when it comes to furniture and hardwood flooring.
Each species of hardwood possesses unique grain and cell structures, which affect the results of the coloring or staining process. Tight grain wood, such as hard and soft maple, and cherry, will often become blotchy when stain is applied.
Can maple wood be stained dark? The answer is yes, but it's tricky. Compared to other kinds of wood, maple resists taking an even, consistent stain.
Staining is not always advisable, but it can solve a lot of problems. Before you stain any piece of furniture, take a good look at it. If it's made of cherry, maple, mahogany, rosewood, aged pine, or any of the rare woods, the wood should probably not be stained; these woods look best in their natural color.
We do not recommend pre-sealing Maple with a conditioner because it closes up the grain of the wood even more, further preventing color adherence. In the future, just use our water-based stains or gel stains on their own. Do not use liquid oil-based stains on Maple because they will blotch.
Use Dewaxed Shellac for Your Best “Clear” Finish On Curly Maple. Of all the basic clear topcoats you can choose from, dewaxed shellac provides a surprising chatoyance that you just don't get with other finishes.
Maple is one of the toughest woods to stain – its density, tight grain and closed pores cause the stain to absorb very unevenly. Birch offers similar problems for staining, especially for darker colors. When staining Birch and Maple, choosing lighter hues can help create a more consistent appearance.
To get an even, uniform color when staining hard maple, apply the wood conditioner with a paintbrush or seal the grain with a thin coat of sanding sealer before staining. After application, scuff with 320-grit sandpaper, then stain as though the wood were unsealed.
A. Yellow birch finished to look like maple B. Maple Chosen for its lighter color, the yellow birch was almost a perfect look-alike for sugar maple even before staining with a highly diluted Dark Golden Oak aniline dye and finishing with lacquer.
Maple, by its density and grain structure, does not like to "take" stain the way oak soaks it up. An oil-based wiping stain just isn't the right product for you to use -- given your goals.
Hardwoods such as maple and oak: start with #120 and finish-sand no finer than #180 (for water base stains) and #150 grit for oil base stains. Do not over sand or you may seal the wood so much that it will not take a finish.
Pre-Stain Wood Conditioner can be applied over any wood, but especially necessary when working with soft or porous woods such as pine, fir, alder, aspen, birch and maple.
Some of the toughest food stains to remove include coffee, tea, gum, peanut butter, mustard, berry juice, tomato-based sauces, baby food, red wine, chocolate, cooking grease and butter. For coffee or tea stains, rinsing in hot water or treating with dishwashing liquid can be effective.
The most popular wood stain color tends to be Dark Walnut by Minwax. This rich, dark brown shade adds warmth and depth to various types of wood, making it a versatile choice for many projects. However, personal preferences and design styles may influence your choice of stain color.
Magnolia Home by Joanna Gaines® Wood Stain delivers oil-like performance without the odor in a thick, fast-drying water-based formula. This product is available in a curated palette, hand-picked by Joanna Gaines to enhance the natural beauty of your interior wood surfaces.
Use a pre-stain wood conditioner designed for maple to ensure even stain absorption. A treatment is a sealer that will limit the penetration of the stain, helping you achieve a more consistent finish across the board.
Maple: Maple starts with a light and bright brown color featuring gray and pink tones. With age and exposure to light and oxygen, it will take on a golden honey color, giving off a warm appearance.
FROM GF UNIVERSITY: HOW TO ACHIEVE A DARK, EVEN STAIN COLOR ON MAPLE. Please SHARE with your painting friends. Maple is a notoriously difficult wood to stain, as it tends to absorb stain unevenly, especially with dark colors.