Refinishing Project...Problem?

I'm thinking that's why it had an opaque finish. You could take it out and fit a plug of wood matching the surrounding stuff, but that'd be a lot of work. That's why they painted it.

I like Ric's suggestion. If you are up to the task, cut out the nasty part and replace it with wood of similar color, grain and grain porosity to the rest of the body.

Or you could do a sunburst on top and opaque the sides and back.

I like Slejhamer's idea best.

Well...I think that a plug is a little over my head. I knew that encountering something like this in the wood was a possibility, but it doesn't have to be a fancy perfect high gloss finish. But...my friend is really set on a transparent satin olive green finish. My strategy has been to get some green wood dye, and put tongue oil over the top. I don't really have the equipment to spray things like sunbursts, plus a woody feeling satin finish is desired. If it doesn't match perfect, it will be ok. I just need something that will take the finish and sort of blend in better than what is already in there. Is there some type of wood putty that would do that?

Put a Blink-182 sticker over the nasty patch.

I think Ricochet is suggesting the patch isn't worth replacing. Just fill those holes with some wood filler and sand smooth.

If you want transparent green, consider doing it just on top and making the sides and back opaque.

Something like this, but of course not natural underneath:

Alright...fill in holes, sand smooth, hope it blends in then.

You could also try to find a lighter colored wood filler/putty that would be a closer match to the color of the wood so that it would blend in better under your finish. You'd just have to carve out enough of the old patch to be able to create a solid new one. Then you'll have to experiment with your stain and finish in order to blend it in.

You could also try to find a lighter colored wood filler/putty that would be a closer match to the color of the wood so that it would blend in better under your finish. You'd just have to carve out enough of the old patch to be able to create a solid new one. Then you'll have to experiment with your stain and finish in order to blend it in.

If anyone knows of a wood filler or putty that actually (instead of allegedly) takes stain well, I would love to hear about it. All the stuff I've tried is terrible in this respect.

You could also try to find a lighter colored wood filler/putty that would be a closer match to the color of the wood so that it would blend in better under your finish. You'd just have to carve out enough of the old patch to be able to create a solid new one. Then you'll have to experiment with your stain and finish in order to blend it in.

Hmmm...that's a very interesting idea. I'll have to take a look at a hardware store.

xg5a,

An issue with wood putty or filler is that even if you find one that matches the color of the wood, the density of the wood filler is often quite a bit different than that of the wood itself. This a problem with the wood, not the filler, as wood density can vary considerably even among different samples of the same specie.

One option is to try different fillers (various colors and/or densities) to see how they take the stain relative to the wood you are using. You may have to apply the stain selectively – use more or less on the wood or on the filler, as they will absorb the stain at different rates. This is difficult to do, especially blending in the edges. Using a sealer before staining may allow the stain to be absorbed more evenly. Sealers are often used when staining some softwoods to help avoid a blotchy or uneven appearance.

Another option is to apply a faux wood finish to the back and the sides only, leaving the top as is. Some stains can be applied to a painted surface. Minwax makes a gel stain that can even be applied to fiberglass or metal.

Slejhamer's suggestion is the one I would also recommend. Stain the top, and finish the sides and back in a color matched paint.

Or if you decide you still want to stain, then paint the sides and back with a light colored primer leaving the front natural, and try to find a stain that is compatible with the paint you're using, to finish the entire piece. Try it out on a scrap piece to see if it will work for you first.

Sorry for the long post, hope this helps…..

Gnease is correct about the differences in how fillers and wood accept stain. You can reduce the difference by using a pre-stain conditioner, it lightly seals the surface to make the color more uniform, but it limits how dark you can go. Since you're going for a transparent color, it might actually help. You can actually build up the color up over the seal coat, you just have to be careful when you finish it and seal the color down first by misting many light coats. It's a "feel" thing that you should practice on scrap first.

Good luck! :D

Well...I was attempting to take off the outside layer of the patch in order to put something on there that would blend better, and I got a suprise...the patch was hollow...

It as crumbling at this point, so I had no choice but to take the whole thing out.
So here's where we are at:

Like I said before, i'm not gonna freak out of it's not a perfect match, I just want to get it as close as I can. I think i'll experiment with some different wood putty's on scrap wood, and then see what works the best. I also like the idea of sealing the sides. Would that give the sides a slightly different tint? That could actually look cool.