Purple Dye-Stained Chair

Step 1:

- Cover work surface with a plastic drop cloth.

-Sand chair lightly. Remove dust with tack cloth. Note: If working with finished wood, strip paint, varnish or wax from the item. Scrape and sand surface until smooth; wipe with tack cloth.

- Dye Preparation: Wearing rubber gloves, measure and mix ½ cup Purple liquid dye with 2 cups very hot water. Stir well.
Note: Test dye color on a scrap piece of similar wood or underside of chair. If color is too light, add more dye; if color is too dark, add more water. Dye will appear lighter when dry.

- Wearing rubber gloves, apply dye to chair using a foam brush, bristle brush or old cloth. Spread dye solution evenly over surface. The shape of the wood piece or the area may determine which to use. For example, a cloth works well on the legs. A bristle brush gets into the details around the joints and a foam brush covers large flat surfaces evenly, like the chair seat. Let dry and, if necessary, reapply dye to achieve desired shade.
Note: When staining wood, keep dye hot for better absorption. Cover dye with plastic wrap and heat on high in the microwave for 1 - 2 minutes.

- Allow wood to dry completely.

- To seal dye-stained chair, apply one or two coats of polyurethane. Rub lightly with steel wool between coats; remove dust with a tack cloth.
For clean-up, simply wash paint brushes with mild soap and water. No strong chemicals are needed.

- For more tips, refer to the general instructions for Dyeing Wood & Wicker.