Aging Wood and Cat Urine

[juann]

First things first. I'm new in the forum, so hello everyone and thanks in advance for your advices.

My project is aging raw pine stairs.

I'm on the samples phase still, but close to a final decission.

Following some advices of the knowledge base articles fom another wood website (and a lot of intuition and try-error method, 'cause there's no indication of proportions for the dilutions) I've used a solution of 8% acidity vinegar, iron sulfate (ferrous sulfate heptahydrate) and green tea (for adding tannins), to age/weather it.

The results are beautiful, but not very much what I expected. It's grey, indeed, but more a brownish or dark grey than the silver/blueish grey that show the pics of some of the users recommending this method.

So it's more something like the planks in this pic (not the doors), or darker:
http://www.woodweb.com/images_forums...g/DSC05417.JPG
(found here: weathering/aging)

than something like this
http://www.woodweb.com/knowledge_bas...n_boards_1.jpg
(found here: Matching the Look of Aged Barnboards)
http://www.woodweb.com/knowledge_bas...ng_wood_02.jpg
(found here: http://www.woodweb.com/knowledge_bas...ring_Wood.html)


I found that adding the tea into the mix and giving just a coat, instead of giving a coat of the tea and then, once dried, a coat of the iron sulfate+vinegar dilution, gives a lighter tone and kinda blueish shades, but never similar to the pics referred.

Before anyone suggests it i've also tried using iron acetate (vinegar+steel wool), and the results are more brown to red than grey. Also tried diluting the solution (although not incresing iron sulfate concentration, however). And used black tea isntead of green tea.

Anyway my problem now is that there are some spots where the wood has cat urine (please, don't ask... long story) and in that spots the solution does not work. As it dries, the yellow pine reapears.

Sanding has worked with some spots (not get rid at all, but wood gets some of the product) but i guess it's because they're the most superficial.

I've seen house remedies that use hydrogen peroxide, or a mix of it with dish soap and baking soda, but not tried yet 'cause I'm not sure if it will affect the absortion of the iron sulfate or even react with it, I fear the cure could be worse than the disease.

Any help is more than welcome, so....
¿Any ideas?

[Xanthorrhoeas]

Hello and welcome to the forums.

There is a lot of expertise here so hopefully someone will answer your question. Unfortunately, that won't be me as I have no understanding of the effect of cat urine on timber - apart from the smell of course!

Good luck with it.

BTW We all understand privacy, but you might like to give the geographic region at least for your house as there may be someone local who could have a look and advise you.

David

[juann]

Hello and welcome to the forums.

BTW We all understand privacy, but you might like to give the geographic region at least for your house as there may be someone local who could have a look and advise you.

David

It's not a matter of privacy but of "antipodesity". I'm from Spain so didn't find crucial to disclose my location to a big bunch of aussie and (a few) kiwi woodworkers . Resources on the net (and specially forums) are much more abundant in english language (be them from english speaking countries or not) so I feel much more comfortable and confident in finding a solution if i ask in english-language forums.

Thanks