Troubleshooting Weeping Oil Stain

Ideas to prevent oil stain from weeping out of oak grain pores in the drying oven. July 30, 2007

Question
I am trying to keep oil stain from weeping from the open grain on oak while keeping the drying oven for the seal coat at 120 degrees. The stain dries for nearly 2 hours before being put on the finish line. It is not a serious weeping problem, but it warrants a solution. Any suggestions?

Forum Responses
(Finishing Forum)
From contributor C:
Two solutions. One: high impingement air on the pieces after they receive the stain, instead of just low air movement ambient air, as you're most likely doing now. Two: add 2-3% dryer to the stain if it is of the boiled linseed oil type or alkyd oil type.

---

From contributor D:
If you add japan dryer to your stain, then you may have a color-shifting problem if you use a catalyzed topcoat or sealer coat.

---

From contributor J:
You might try a little naphtha in the stain. Naphtha is a faster solvent. The oil is what is weeping out.

---

From contributor A:
Have you ever put your product through the oven after stain application to help dry? Even if some of the stain bleeds/weeps out after the oven, you can fix that easier than after a coat of sealer is applied.