Staining Cane Inlay

[FrankS]

I am having the cane inlay in some chairs restored but the restorer advised that it was difficult to get the stain to adhere to the shinny surface of the cane.
Is this a general problem and how can it be overcome. They would not guarantee how long the stain would remain.

[wombat47]

I will soon be in the market for similar advice - recently acquired a Jarvie style Van Treight lounge suite with wooden backs and arms with cane infill, for restoration/recovering. Timber and cane have a dark finish. The cane in the backs of the chairs, protected by cushions, are in excellent condition, as are the outer sides. A couple of the inner sides have worn, and lighter, patches. But not bad for 50 years or 20. And there are plenty of Jarvie lounges around from the 30's and 40's which have retained the original finishes.

If your restorer is worth his salt, he should know how these pieces were finished - whether they were stained first and then shellaced, or whether something like garnet shellac was used. (I'm presuming, of course, that shellac was used).

I guess the rate of wear is going to depend on the use - dining chairs with cane seats/backs would be subject to more rubbing than a lounge chair protected by cushions. But the beauty of shellac is that it is easy to repair/refinish.

You may be interested in this from www.countryseat.com -
Cane does not take a stain well. Here are some tips:
Brush the stain on the bottom of the seat first, then brush it on the top.
DO NOT wipe the stain (only wipe if the color is too dark). Allow the stain to soak into the cane. Repeat until the desired color is produced.
Many thin coats are better than few thick coats, if the stain is applied too thickly it will bubble and the color will be blotchy.
Allow the cane to dry for a couple of days before adding a clear shellac.

And this from www.nbcanoe.com -
Staining cane is somewhat challenging because of the naturally shiny outside surface. The cane tends to repel stain rather than absorb it. If you want to age your cane a bit, just so it doesn’t look brand new, brush on an appropriately colored wood stain. We usually use teak or another light brown color. You may want to experiment with colors on scraps of cane left over after you cut your piece to size. However if you want a darker color, either because that is your preference or because you need to match other chairs in a set, you will need to do a 3-step process. It is always advisable to experiment on scraps to determine the correct combination of colors.

**Be Aware: Achieving a dark color and/or a specific color match is extremely challenging. Because this is a website and you are not in our shop, we can only give some basic pointers. The experimenting is up to you. Good Luck!

1. Brush the base coat onto both sides of the cane and wipe off. The spline will usually absorb more stain (therefore be darker) since it is a porous material.

2. Now you will need to apply color to the surface of the cane. This can be done either by use of a tinted lacquer that comes in a spray can or with straight color pigments (artist’s oil colors) that are brushed onto the surface area. If you use a spray product you may want to mask off the wood to protect it from “overspray”. Apply by lightly misting the cane, first in one direction and then in the other. If you use pigment out of a tube, apply with a brush. This method is very forgiving. If you get too much color it can easily be wiped off.

3. Once you have achieved the desired color, you will need to apply a clear finish to give some protection to your applied color. **YOU NEED TO WAIT 24 HOURS BEFORE DOING THIS STEP. Since this color is on the surface of the cane it will wear off as the chair is used. Applying a clear finish will help keep the color true for a longer time.

[FrankS]

I will soon be in the market for similar advice - recently acquired a Jarvie style Van Treight lounge suite with wooden backs and arms with cane infill, for restoration/recovering. Timber and cane have a dark finish. The cane in the backs of the chairs, protected by cushions, are in excellent condition, as are the outer sides. A couple of the inner sides have worn, and lighter, patches. But not bad for 50 years or 20. And there are plenty of Jarvie lounges around from the 30's and 40's which have retained the original finishes.

If your restorer is worth his salt, he should know how these pieces were finished - whether they were stained first and then shellaced, or whether something like garnet shellac was used. (I'm presuming, of course, that shellac was used).

I guess the rate of wear is going to depend on the use - dining chairs with cane seats/backs would be subject to more rubbing than a lounge chair protected by cushions. But the beauty of shellac is that it is easy to repair/refinish.

You may be interested in this from www.countryseat.com -
Cane does not take a stain well. Here are some tips:
Brush the stain on the bottom of the seat first, then brush it on the top.
DO NOT wipe the stain (only wipe if the color is too dark). Allow the stain to soak into the cane. Repeat until the desired color is produced.
Many thin coats are better than few thick coats, if the stain is applied too thickly it will bubble and the color will be blotchy.
Allow the cane to dry for a couple of days before adding a clear shellac.

And this from www.nbcanoe.com -
Staining cane is somewhat challenging because of the naturally shiny outside surface. The cane tends to repel stain rather than absorb it. If you want to age your cane a bit, just so it doesn’t look brand new, brush on an appropriately colored wood stain. We usually use teak or another light brown color. You may want to experiment with colors on scraps of cane left over after you cut your piece to size. However if you want a darker color, either because that is your preference or because you need to match other chairs in a set, you will need to do a 3-step process. It is always advisable to experiment on scraps to determine the correct combination of colors.

**Be Aware: Achieving a dark color and/or a specific color match is extremely challenging. Because this is a website and you are not in our shop, we can only give some basic pointers. The experimenting is up to you. Good Luck!

1. Brush the base coat onto both sides of the cane and wipe off. The spline will usually absorb more stain (therefore be darker) since it is a porous material.

2. Now you will need to apply color to the surface of the cane. This can be done either by use of a tinted lacquer that comes in a spray can or with straight color pigments (artist’s oil colors) that are brushed onto the surface area. If you use a spray product you may want to mask off the wood to protect it from “overspray”. Apply by lightly misting the cane, first in one direction and then in the other. If you use pigment out of a tube, apply with a brush. This method is very forgiving. If you get too much color it can easily be wiped off.

3. Once you have achieved the desired color, you will need to apply a clear finish to give some protection to your applied color. **YOU NEED TO WAIT 24 HOURS BEFORE DOING THIS STEP. Since this color is on the surface of the cane it will wear off as the chair is used. Applying a clear finish will help keep the color true for a longer time.

Thanks for the info and yes, you're right, the refinishers should know all about how to achieve the desired results. I may have to look up other refinishers. Good luck with your efforts.
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