If you want a gloriously rich nut-brown stain, just mix roofing (lap) cement and turpentine or mineral spirits together. It’s an old recipe I’ve used since I was an antique furniture restorer. Lap cement is mostly asphaltum, which stains wood beautifully. A ratio of 1:4 lap cement to solvent works well for me, but there’s no hard-and-fast rule. Once applied, you can lighten the color by wiping the wood with more solvent, or darken by applying additional stain coats. It’s also a good way to use up extra lap cement.
-Paul Guncheon
Wahiawa, Hawaii
