Whether to stain a first gun rack? Light pine.

Ignition Override · January 23, 2014, 01:01 AM

There is finally a rack for the fourteen rifles: SKS, Enfields, FR8, Mauser, Garands. At age 58, a very late bloomer for this.

Even though reddish-brown or medium (etc) brown wood is very attractive, in a small hobby room with white walls, do you find that a white or beige color on the rack creates a nice contrast to the numerous brown or yellowish colors of the guns' wood and stains?

This white pine -from Loew's- at first glance gives the impression that the milsurps stand upright by themselves, with all the metal, wood and green/beige slings very clear and sharp.
Would white paint to match the walls highlight them the best?

tahunua001 · January 23, 2014, 01:06 AM

if you were an american gun nut I would suggest walnut, it'd match all of the stocks.. however since you have such a mix I would suggest a more decorative cherry.

Doyle · January 23, 2014, 08:17 AM

Since the rack is pine, you are going to need to pay very particular attention to the type of stain you use. Pine does not like to stain well. It wants to absorb stain unevenly. You can mitigate this by using a pre-stain conditioner and then using a gel based stain.

gyvel · January 23, 2014, 08:52 AM

An attractive technique on knotty pine is to carefully run a propane or blow torch with a spreader tip lightly and quickly over the wood. This brings out the knots and grain in contrast to the wood. I've seen it done on knotty pine wood paneling and the result is very attractive and "rustic."

kilimanjaro · January 24, 2014, 07:01 PM

If you want a deep, rich stain on pine wood, you can do it, but plan it out. Buy a quart of your desired stain, the oldest one on the shelf. Do not shake, turn over, or disturb the contents. Take it home and let sit for a week. The stain pigments should be settled in the bottom of the can. Gently pour off the oils in the top half of the can.

Clean the wood with a tack cloth.

Stir the remaining liquor and spread evenly on the wood with a sponge brush. Let it soak in for 10 minutes, then wipe off with clean rags. Repeat if necessary.

Ignition Override · January 27, 2014, 01:44 AM

Thanks very much.

Cheapshooter · January 27, 2014, 03:03 AM

I want to keep my guns. So they are not in a wooden rack of any color. They are kept in a safe, bolted to the floor of a secured, and alarmed room. The steel security door itself "camoflaged" by a clothes rack in the back of a laundry/storage room.

DaleA · January 27, 2014, 11:58 AM

Just be aware that woodworking like gun ownership can take over all your free time and money

wogpotter · January 27, 2014, 12:16 PM

Out of the box thought.
Try this stuff instead of either a dark stain or white paint.
http://www.oldenglishpolish.com/sf2_scratch.shtml
Its a penetrating hardened when dry oil type finish I've used to great effect with several pieces of light colored wood. Get the pair (usually at Home Despot/Lowes), start with the light on a scrap test & add a little dark (in a separate container so you don't mess up the original "light") until you get just the degree of color you want.

KeeperOath · January 27, 2014, 04:20 PM

White Pine stains well. I've used that wood for many of my custom made furniture pieces. Yellow Pine will not work very well. I think a Painted Yellow Pine gun rack will work also. I have many black painted furniture in my Man-Cave. When the black turns white, I know to dust. ;>)

csmsss · January 30, 2014, 11:26 AM

Pine stains well? Really? That isn't my experience. Pine is a very porous, open grain wood with conspicuous pattern - basically that makes for very uneven staining.

If you do decide to stain this rack (personally, I'd paint it), be sure to sand it well and then use a good sanding sealer before staining. Otherwise it's going to be very splotchy and look like 60's fake "wood" paneling.

January 23, 2014, 01:01 AM	#1
Ignition Override Senior Member Join Date: February 18, 2008 Location: About 20 nm from the Big Muddy Posts: 2,886	Whether to stain a first gun rack? Light pine. There is finally a rack for the fourteen rifles: SKS, Enfields, FR8, Mauser, Garands. At age 58, a very late bloomer for this. Even though reddish-brown or medium (etc) brown wood is very attractive, in a small hobby room with white walls, do you find that a white or beige color on the rack creates a nice contrast to the numerous brown or yellowish colors of the guns' wood and stains? This white pine -from Loew's- at first glance gives the impression that the milsurps stand upright by themselves, with all the metal, wood and green/beige slings very clear and sharp. Would white paint to match the walls highlight them the best?

January 23, 2014, 01:06 AM	#2
tahunua001 Senior Member Join Date: July 21, 2011 Location: Idaho Posts: 7,839	if you were an american gun nut I would suggest walnut, it'd match all of the stocks.. however since you have such a mix I would suggest a more decorative cherry. __________________ ignore my complete lack of capitalization. I still have no problem correcting your grammar. I never said half the stuff people said I did-Albert Einstein You can't believe everything you read on the internet-Benjamin Franklin

January 23, 2014, 08:52 AM	#4
gyvel Senior Member Join Date: August 30, 2009 Location: Northern AZ Posts: 7,172	An attractive technique on knotty pine is to carefully run a propane or blow torch with a spreader tip lightly and quickly over the wood. This brings out the knots and grain in contrast to the wood. I've seen it done on knotty pine wood paneling and the result is very attractive and "rustic." Last edited by gyvel; January 23, 2014 at 10:34 AM.

January 27, 2014, 03:03 AM	#7
Cheapshooter Senior Member Join Date: December 2, 2007 Location: Missouri Posts: 8,306	I want to keep my guns. So they are not in a wooden rack of any color. They are kept in a safe, bolted to the floor of a secured, and alarmed room. The steel security door itself "camoflaged" by a clothes rack in the back of a laundry/storage room. __________________ Cheapshooter's rules of gun ownership #1: NEVER SELL OR TRADE ANYTHING!

January 27, 2014, 11:58 AM	#8
DaleA Senior Member Join Date: September 12, 2002 Location: Twin Cities, MN Posts: 5,313	Just be aware that woodworking like gun ownership can take over all your free time and money Last edited by DaleA; January 27, 2014 at 12:25 PM.

January 23, 2014, 08:17 AM	#3
Doyle Senior Member Join Date: June 20, 2007 Location: Rainbow City, Alabama Posts: 7,167	Since the rack is pine, you are going to need to pay very particular attention to the type of stain you use. Pine does not like to stain well. It wants to absorb stain unevenly. You can mitigate this by using a pre-stain conditioner and then using a gel based stain.

January 24, 2014, 07:01 PM	#5
kilimanjaro Senior Member Join Date: November 23, 2009 Posts: 3,963	If you want a deep, rich stain on pine wood, you can do it, but plan it out. Buy a quart of your desired stain, the oldest one on the shelf. Do not shake, turn over, or disturb the contents. Take it home and let sit for a week. The stain pigments should be settled in the bottom of the can. Gently pour off the oils in the top half of the can. Clean the wood with a tack cloth. Stir the remaining liquor and spread evenly on the wood with a sponge brush. Let it soak in for 10 minutes, then wipe off with clean rags. Repeat if necessary.

January 27, 2014, 01:44 AM	#6
Ignition Override Senior Member Join Date: February 18, 2008 Location: About 20 nm from the Big Muddy Posts: 2,886	Thanks very much.

January 27, 2014, 12:16 PM	#9
wogpotter Senior Member Join Date: September 27, 2004 Posts: 4,811	Out of the box thought. Try this stuff instead of either a dark stain or white paint. http://www.oldenglishpolish.com/sf2_scratch.shtml Its a penetrating hardened when dry oil type finish I've used to great effect with several pieces of light colored wood. Get the pair (usually at Home Despot/Lowes), start with the light on a scrap test & add a little dark (in a separate container so you don't mess up the original "light") until you get just the degree of color you want. __________________ Allan Quatermain: “Automatic rifles. Who in God's name has automatic rifles”? Elderly Hunter: “That's dashed unsporting. Probably Belgium.”

January 27, 2014, 04:20 PM	#10
KeeperOath Member Join Date: December 24, 2013 Posts: 50	Staining Wood: White Pine stains well. I've used that wood for many of my custom made furniture pieces. Yellow Pine will not work very well. I think a Painted Yellow Pine gun rack will work also. I have many black painted furniture in my Man-Cave. When the black turns white, I know to dust. ;>)

January 30, 2014, 11:26 AM	#11
csmsss Senior Member Join Date: October 24, 2008 Location: Orange, TX Posts: 3,078	Pine stains well? Really? That isn't my experience. Pine is a very porous, open grain wood with conspicuous pattern - basically that makes for very uneven staining. If you do decide to stain this rack (personally, I'd paint it), be sure to sand it well and then use a good sanding sealer before staining. Otherwise it's going to be very splotchy and look like 60's fake "wood" paneling.