Pick a color

[Willemjm]

Rustic in White Oak for a dining room set.

???

 

[Raymond]

I have always leaned toward the natural wood color, Willem. However, that can change depending on the decor of the dining room.

 

[Jeff]

How about plain old Waterlox Original Sealer/Finish or their newer line of TrueTone tinted products? Easy to apply, durable, and easy to repair if necessary.

https://waterlox.com/solutions/finishing-wood-countertops

https://waterlox.com/truetone

 

[Willemjm]

I have always leaned toward the natural wood color, Willem. However, that can change depending on the decor of the dining room.

Confession here, I have never stained a piece before, after building 1000's of bf furniture and cabinets. I always pick prized hard woods for their color and use a professional sprayed clear coat.

This time though, my son wanted something rustic in dark colors, so it was not worth the money (rustic) to do Walnut, or an exotic dark wood. Hence White Oak to be stained. I purposely selected wood full of knots and I think the end product will look great, but yes, not my thing personally.

 

[Fishbucket]

In that case, Classic Grey.

 

[Jeff]

Also +1 to classic grey for the weathered look.

 

[Jim M.]

If staining is a must do, then my vote is for Jacobean. I like the warmth and how the grain pops.

 

[Bill Clemmons]

If you need to darken the wood, I would use a dye rather than stain. I've done a few pieces in White Oak for my daughter where I darkened the piece w/ dye, then topcoated by spraying either shellac or lacquer.

 

[Graywolf]

Natural! That's my vote!

 

[Willemjm]

If you need to darken the wood, I would use a dye rather than stain. I've done a few pieces in White Oak for my daughter where I darkened the piece w/ dye, then topcoated by spraying either shellac or lacquer.

The samples were done with Minwax stain. I have a whole bunch of Transtint dies, normally use them when I do a wood filler, or try to match a repair task. They are great. I used Transtint once on the Back of a veneered headboard for a King bed and the challenge was to get uniform color when spraying where the coats overlap. I am hesitant to try a die on a large table top, as I want the color to be absolutely uniform, which is easy with Minwax using their pre-stain conditioner. The samples are not top coated, that will be a post cat varnish sprayed which enriches the color extremely well.

 

[unimog]

Something I have been considering for a future table and benches set, is a two tone. I fell like it will give more rustic appearance to new furniture.
From your color selection ebony stained for table base and chair frame and natural for table top and chair top may be an option.

 

[Phil S]

Jacobean but not Minwax. Use a dye sprayed on, much easier and better fade resistance

 

[Jeremy Scuteri]

Jacobean

 

[Danagawa]

Natural

 

[cyclopentadiene]

Fume with ammonia followed by waterlox. The fuming will age the oak to look like a 100 year old antique by accellerating the natural tannic acid photodegradation

 

[walnutjerry]

I used "OLD MASTERS" brown mahogany on red oak for my son's mantle, hall table , picture frames, bench and other items after he saw it on our kitchen cabinets. I had always used minwax stains before ---------but I really like the brown mahogany on red oak the best over any of the walnut or Jacobean stains by minwax.

Just my preference----Jerry

 

[Bear Republic]

I also love the natural characteristics of wood, but if the request was forv darker, Jacobean. Ebony does it a disservice.

 

[Bas]

I always go for the natural look, but in this case, the ebony is my favorite. I think it would do well in a variety of settings, and not look out of place when mixed with some more modern furniture.

+1 on dye vs stain

 

[golfdad]

I like the Natural

 

[Mrfixit71]

Classic Grey, but if that isn't dark enough, Jacobean.