Trying to duplicate a Chinese finish with more modern materials....need a little help

[David Dixson]

Howdy All,

It's been many years since I've posted to Woodwork Forums, as I haven't done much woodworking due to health issues, but recently we've purchased some made in (Vietnam?) put them together yourself unfinished shelves and end tables. The products were made with what I believe is Rubberwood, from old, non-productive trees. Years ago, I assembled a set of these and got great results with Wipe-On poly, as I wanted a clear coat.

Move 17 years into present day and I have more of the same Rubberwood product. This time, my wife would like to try and duplicate a finish we have on a Chinese made table she's ordered from Amazon. The table appears to have a rich, very reddish/red brown color that she loves. I suspect it's some type of heavy colored varnish or oil based stain/finish, as the woodgrain does not show through much with this finish. It's a very common finish these days for the mixed steel and wood entertainment centers being sold for large flat screen televisions.

I've ordered a bottle of red mahogany dye colorant and have plenty of denatured alcohol on hand I can use as stain, but I'm not sure what would be the best finish over the stain or if I should even use a spirit stain. I have real Tung Oil and boiled lineseed oil as well as mixed oil products containing dryers on hand. If possible, I'd like to go with the wipe on poly, as we've found it be a very durable finish and right now we're keeping 3 grandchildren in the house with us, with the typical rough on furniture finishes one has with kids 3 to 7 years old.

Can someone advise?

Thank you,

Dave in Georgia, USA

David Dixson

[ian]

Hi Dave

I recall Bob Flexner covering a mock Chinese / Japanese lacquer finish in Popular woodworking in the last year or so.
from memory, the easiest way to reproduce the finish was using thinned epoxy with dye added.
Bob used multiple layers incorporating a red colour in some of them, and black in others. When rubbed back the finish looked a lot like the original.


Can you post a photo of the piece you are trying to replicate?

[David Dixson]

Hi Dave

I recall Bob Flexner covering a mock Chinese / Japanese lacquer finish in Popular woodworking in the last year or so.
from memory, the easiest way to reproduce the finish was using thinned epoxy with dye added.
Bob used multiple layers incorporating a red colour in some of them, and black in others. When rubbed back the finish looked a lot like the original.


Can you post a photo of the piece you are trying to replicate?

Thank you for the help, I'll see if I can find the article.

Dave

[ian]

Hi Dave

Can you post a photo of the piece you are trying to replicate?

[woodPixel]

I love that look and I love rubberwood. Its fantastic for toys - so cheap in Vietnam and Thailand too.... unbelievably so.

Perhaps you could check out the Minwax stains? https://www.minwax.ca/wood-finishing...ood-finishing/ The colour I think you seek is called Sedona Red.

If its the opaque stuff, it used to be "Urushi" but is now simply paint.

[ian]

Urushi is what Bob Flexnor was attempting to duplicate with dyed epoxy