Question About The Pro Waterstain From Tandy:

[Tzalabak]

I have been enjoying my usage of the waterstain, I think the colors are quite attractive and they apply very evenly.

I was, however, wondering if anyone else that had been using them noticed the colors be significantly darker than the sample swatches. Specifically the blue color.

I apply according to instructions and allow to dry, but the blue is always SO dark. The swatch is a nice mid-range blue, but mine comes out so dark. I've tried thinning with water and with the pearl additive (also wanted to test the shininess of it), and have yet to find anything that even comes close to the swatches I've seen.

Does anyone have some suggestions for lightening the over all darkness?

Thank you in advance.

[Shooter McGavin]

Mix it with some white? DO they offer a white? I dunno.

[Tina]

The thing to do using any dye/stain is to delute...

You can get sooo manny different shades out of the same color, this is how dyeing becomes interesting

[Tzalabak]

I had hoped that the Pearl additive would act as a white, but it seems to just make the blue shiny, hehe.

Like I said, I have tried to dilute it at various strengths, and haven't come up with a satisfactory result. Was hoping someone might have a solution specific to this brand of stain.

I see people talking about using denatured alcohol, and I wonder if that might not be my best bet. Just don't know if it will just tone down on the vividness of the blue, or if it will actually lighten/brighten the color as I want.