The Art of Coloring Wood: A Woodworker's Guide to Understanding Dyes and Chemica

A Woodworker’s Guide to  Understanding Dyes and Chemicals
by Brian Miller and Marci Crestani

If you’re a woodworker looking to take your skills—and your next project—to a higher level of craftsmanship, you might want to consider coloring your wood with chemicals and dyes instead of stains. Unlike stains that can trap light and obscure grain patterns, chemicals and dyes, when handled properly, are one of the best methods for enhancing a wood’s color or accentuating the grain pattern. A classic technique that’s been practiced for centuries, coloring wood is a sure way to infuse a “wow” into your woodworking efforts.

With expert guidance by Brian Miller, a professor of wood technology who teaches an actual course on coloring wood, The Art of Coloring Wood  removes any and all intimidation of working with chemicals and dyes and is the perfect entry point for anyone looking to move on from simple stains to learn the art of coloring wood for dramatic effect.

The Art of Coloring Wood  focuses on the six most popular woods used by woodworkers—maple, quartersawn white oak, mahogany, walnut, cherry and alder—and outlines each wood’s unique coloring characteristics. Easy-to-follow and engaging chapters on the different chemicals and dyes that will make your woodworking shine. Each chapter offers recipes, insights, and many, many “a-ha!” moments that make learning about chemicals and dyes both fascinating and within easy reach.

With the helpful sidebars throughout the book offering tips, mistakes, and countless nuggets of information, The Art of Coloring Wood will have you understanding the methods and many worthwhile reasons for coloring your wood while chomping at the bit to get a project completed so you can finish it with style and flair.

About the Authors: Brian Miller teaches woodwork finishing at Cerritos College in Norwalk, California. He has worked extensively on restoring historic houses, including several homes by Greene & Greene and Frank Lloyd Wright. Brian was honored in 2016 for his historic wood preservation work by the California state legislature and the Pasadena Historical Society. Marci Crestani is a former lifestyle columnist for the Los Angeles Times and the Los Angeles Daily News, and has worked as an editor for numerous trade magazines.

$24.95 US • Trade Paperback • 8½" x 11" • 144 pages
ISBN 978-1-61035-305-2
CRAFTS & HOBBIES / Woodwork • BISAC CRA042000
140 Color Photographs • Index