Kitty Bartholomew, host of HGTV's Ask Kitty Bartholomew, explains how to stain a wooden tray with a color-blocking technique that creates the look of expensive inlaid wood. Materials:
Wooden tray
Graph paper
Pencil
Masking tape
Gel wood stains in a variety of colors
Cloth rag
Varnish or sealer
Paintbrush
Paper plate
Craft knife
Metal ruler
- Draw the design on graph paper, using squares, rectangles, triangles or diamond shapes (figure A).
- Tape off the design with masking tape on the inside bottom of a wooden tray. Make sure that the edges of the tape are pressed firmly to the wood so the stain will not seep underneath. Clean, crisp edges are necessary for a precise, professional look (figure B).
- Pour a small amount of stain onto a paper plate or a scrap of corrugated cardboard. Dip a cloth rag into the stain, and carefully wipe it onto each section of the wood, changing colors and using a fresh portion of the cloth for each section (figure C).
- Carefully remove the masking tape. Tape over the stained portions, and continue staining the rest of the design. Use a craft knife and metal ruler to precisely cut away the masking tape along the edge of a stained color block (figure D).
- Apply clear sealer or varnish.
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