How can I stain white pine to a very dark brown or black? I used oil-based stain but it is not dark enough. Any other approaches?
Greg Williams: If you find the correct professional grade stain, you can stain pine any color desired. For the darkest stain on the hardest wood, use a dye first, then a pigmented stain later. Dyes are absorbed into the wood. Once the dye has dried, you can add another application. The pigmented stain will reside on the surface of the wood, and has some hiding power. The absorbency of the wood affects how the dye takes. The surface (topography) of the wood affects how the pigmented stain takes: the smoother the surface, the less color remains. Don’t sand beyond 180 grit before staining.
Kevin Hancock: Try dye!
