I wanted to talk about the Ciranova Stain and Finishing Oils. This is a favourite of mine and it goes back to my days from working in the flooring trade.
A lot of people are put off as there’s a misconception that you have to use a hardener in it. So I just wanted to confirm… if you don’t want to, you don’t have to use the hardener.
This lovely table has had a few layers of the Ciranova Stain and Finishing Oils… without any hardener applied! Now that it is finished, I will go back over it with a clear top coat mixed with hardener for what I like to call a ‘bullet-proof finish’.
HOW TO PREP
My pine table originally had a lot of wax on it so before adding any stain remover it was important that the wax was removed. I used the new Fleur Citrus remover. White spirit can also be used.
Fleur - Citrus Wax Cleaner/ Remover
From £5.40
You should only start to sand once all the wax is off. If you sand your furniture before the wax is completely removed, this will have an adverse affect as it will re-activate the wax and push it back into your surface. If this happens the stain will resist.
TIP: A really great way to make sure you don’t fall into this problem is to wet your whole piece of furniture and that will show up any stains or areas that haven’t been sanded enough
HOW TO COVER A STAIN
I went for a grey staining oil to calm the tone of the table top and to match the table legs.
These are the steps to take:
- Decant your product into a container
- Get a sponge
- Dab in the product across the section that a you’re working on and rub it in
- Leave it for a few minutes
- Wipe the product back
Layers are key here! And If you’re doing this for the first time, it’s normal to feel a little bit nervous about the outcome. If that’s the case you can always wipe back your first layer straight away and add more layers as you see fit.
If you choose to apply the product straight away on the whole surface then you will need to work fast. The benefits of doing it this way is that you have a far better chance of getting an even coat.
Alternatively, you could always do it section by section.
As I had a stain on my table top, I chose to apply the product on the whole surface using a sponge, blending away from the stain.
When it was dry, I ran some lines of the grey staining oils across the table and across my stain with an artist brush.
You can get really creative here too! I mixed a little bit of the grey with the black which allowed me to disguise the stain that I wasn’t able to remove. And to take it a step further I could add some lighter bits with the white staining finishing oils.
Staining isn’t so much a precise process, but really allows you to blend in and take control of any colour inconsistencies. The best part is that you can continue to add more and more layers which gives you time to review your progress and judge if its outcome that you were looking for.
THE DIFFERENT STAINING OILS
We have a full range of staining oils to match all surfaces. If you are unsure you can request a sample (above image) for only £3.95!
TOP COAT
If you’re nervous about adding the hardener to the oil, then don’t add it. You can always add it later with the clear or natural staining oil.
Only mix up what you can use as it goes really rock hard! Let it sit for 10 minutes so it can start reacting.
For more ideas on how to get creative with your furniture, follow my Facebook and Instagram pages and feel free to ask any questions that you have!