How to Dye Wood
Cover your work surface., Make sure your wood is ready to be dyed., Shake all the dye bottles and pour them each into a container., Test a piece of scrap wood., Dye your wood., Allow it to completely dry., If desired, spray with polyurethane to...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Cover your work surface.
It’s best to cover wherever you’re working with a plastic cloth – newspapers may soak through.
Cover your hands, too, with rubber gloves; if you don’t, you’ll end up with fun-colored fingers by the end of the project.
To get started, you'll need:
One container for every color of dye Paintbrushes Hot water Polyurethane spray (optional) -
Step 2: Make sure your wood is ready to be dyed.
If you’re working with a piece of scrap wood, it may have to be sanded and wiped clean.
If it has a varnish, you’ll need to strip it and sand it until smooth.
Wood bought from craft supply stores (blocks or beads, for example) is ready to go.
If you haven't yet purchased wood and are looking to do so from a home improvement store, ask if they'll sand it for you. , Mix the dye according to the package instructions – you’ll probably need ½ cup liquid dye or 1 box of powder dye with 2 cups of very hot water.
Use a glass or ceramic bowl to avoid reactions with the dye colors in the microwave and stir well.
If you’re using the immersion method, you’ll need the same amount of dye with 2 ‘’quarts’’ of water (depending on the size of your product).
There are many different types of wood dyes out there, and some are just wood stains.
Rit dye, like the kind you'd buy for fabric, makes a great, easy-to-use, cheap dye for woods that's widely available in craft supply stores., Dip a piece of scrap wood (or use an area of the wood you’re using that can’t be seen) into the bowl of dye.
Give it a minute or two to dry as it’s darker when wet.
If you don’t like it, add more dye or more water as needed.
This won't give you the exact final hue, but it'll be close.
It'll also show you how the dye spreads and how you have to apply the dye to get the look you want. , There are a number of methods you can use:
Brush-on method.
Dip a foam or bristle brush or old cloth in the dye and spread it evenly over your wood surface.
If dye drops splash onto your wood, you can get rid of them by sanding the wood immediately.
Let it dry and reapply as necessary.
Immersion method.
Place the wood gently into the prepared dye.
Leave in for as long as it takes to achieve the desired color (likely 10-20 minutes.
Keep in mind that the colors dry much lighter than they appear when wet.
Weather-beaten look.
Chose two dye colors to apply one after the other.
Start with the lighter shade and let dry.
Then apply the darker shade and let dry.
Once it is dry, lightly sand the entire piece, exposing the lighter shade underneath.
Repeat applications as necessary.
Rub with sandpaper or steel wool to create shaded areas when finished. , Remove the wood from the dye when you're satisfied it is ready.
Lay it out to dry on paper towels or some other suitable surface that it won’t stick to.
Then, leave it overnight for best results. , Polyurethane can also be applied with a new bristle or foam brush.
This can be useful if the wood object is to undergo wear and tear through frequent usage, such as for beads in jewelry.Keep in mind that this method is not safe to use with baby's toys or other objects that may get placed in the mouth. -
Step 3: Shake all the dye bottles and pour them each into a container.
-
Step 4: Test a piece of scrap wood.
-
Step 5: Dye your wood.
-
Step 6: Allow it to completely dry.
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Step 7: If desired
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Step 8: spray with polyurethane to preserve the dye color.
Detailed Guide
It’s best to cover wherever you’re working with a plastic cloth – newspapers may soak through.
Cover your hands, too, with rubber gloves; if you don’t, you’ll end up with fun-colored fingers by the end of the project.
To get started, you'll need:
One container for every color of dye Paintbrushes Hot water Polyurethane spray (optional)
If you’re working with a piece of scrap wood, it may have to be sanded and wiped clean.
If it has a varnish, you’ll need to strip it and sand it until smooth.
Wood bought from craft supply stores (blocks or beads, for example) is ready to go.
If you haven't yet purchased wood and are looking to do so from a home improvement store, ask if they'll sand it for you. , Mix the dye according to the package instructions – you’ll probably need ½ cup liquid dye or 1 box of powder dye with 2 cups of very hot water.
Use a glass or ceramic bowl to avoid reactions with the dye colors in the microwave and stir well.
If you’re using the immersion method, you’ll need the same amount of dye with 2 ‘’quarts’’ of water (depending on the size of your product).
There are many different types of wood dyes out there, and some are just wood stains.
Rit dye, like the kind you'd buy for fabric, makes a great, easy-to-use, cheap dye for woods that's widely available in craft supply stores., Dip a piece of scrap wood (or use an area of the wood you’re using that can’t be seen) into the bowl of dye.
Give it a minute or two to dry as it’s darker when wet.
If you don’t like it, add more dye or more water as needed.
This won't give you the exact final hue, but it'll be close.
It'll also show you how the dye spreads and how you have to apply the dye to get the look you want. , There are a number of methods you can use:
Brush-on method.
Dip a foam or bristle brush or old cloth in the dye and spread it evenly over your wood surface.
If dye drops splash onto your wood, you can get rid of them by sanding the wood immediately.
Let it dry and reapply as necessary.
Immersion method.
Place the wood gently into the prepared dye.
Leave in for as long as it takes to achieve the desired color (likely 10-20 minutes.
Keep in mind that the colors dry much lighter than they appear when wet.
Weather-beaten look.
Chose two dye colors to apply one after the other.
Start with the lighter shade and let dry.
Then apply the darker shade and let dry.
Once it is dry, lightly sand the entire piece, exposing the lighter shade underneath.
Repeat applications as necessary.
Rub with sandpaper or steel wool to create shaded areas when finished. , Remove the wood from the dye when you're satisfied it is ready.
Lay it out to dry on paper towels or some other suitable surface that it won’t stick to.
Then, leave it overnight for best results. , Polyurethane can also be applied with a new bristle or foam brush.
This can be useful if the wood object is to undergo wear and tear through frequent usage, such as for beads in jewelry.Keep in mind that this method is not safe to use with baby's toys or other objects that may get placed in the mouth.
About the Author
Megan Stevens
Enthusiastic about teaching creative arts techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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