Rensselaer Republican, Volume 15, Number 7, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 October 1882 — Wood Staining. [ARTICLE]

Wood Staining.

A novel system of .staining wood has been introduced that has the merit of simplicity and cheapness. The wood having been carefully planed and finished, it is given two thin coats of sizing. This is prepared by adding to glue a small quantity of albumen and alum. When this is dry and hard, the design is paipted or stenciled upon the wood, the intention being to produce a pattern, one part of which shall be of the natural color of the wobd, the stencil of the design selected representing the white parts only. For instance, if the finished work is to show white figures on a dark ground, the white parts only must appear to the stencil. When the sizing is dry the pattern is painted on in Canada Balsam, or Brunswick black. When the balsam is hard and dry the whole surface is washed with a sponge and warm water. This will remove the sizing from all those parts of the wood not protected by the hard balsam, which resists the warm water. W hen the wood is dry the exposed parts are stained in imitation of walnut or other dark woods. When the staining is finished, the balsam is removed by brushing it with turpentine, leaving the pattern or design in the natural color of the wood on the dark, stained ground. The finished work is said to resemble closely inlaid wood.