Hey everyone, I'm working on creating a shadow box and I prefer to stain it black instead of painting it, so I can still see some of the wood grain. I'm looking for advice on what types of wood would take a black stain nicely. Also, I'd love any recommendations on stain types, including brands and whether to go with water or oil-based options. Thanks in advance for your help!
3 Answers
You should definitely consider using white or red oak, or maybe ash. These hardwoods have porous grains that accept stains really well. I wouldn't recommend using softwoods for this since they usually don’t stain well, but if you’re going with black, it might still turn out okay. Also, a black dye could be another option to look into!
For an even deeper black, try using India ink! Red oak takes stain beautifully, so it could work really well for your project. Plus, it dries quickly!
Have you thought about using leather dye instead of traditional wood stain? It soaks in really well, giving you a deep, true black that can really highlight the wood grain!
That sounds interesting! I’ll definitely give India ink a try. Thanks for the tip!