Briwax Wood Dyes

Spirit-based Wood Dyes

Wood dyes are extremely easy to use. Wipe them on to bare sanded wood with a small rag, and allow to dry for 20-30 minutes. Seal the colour in with a coat of Danish Oil or Teak Oil.

The colours shown are what is achieved over a blonde wood like pine. The finish will be darker on other woods. Wood dyes are available in 15 colours shown below. Try a small sample piece first. Don't hesitate to mix colours to achieve a different finish, until you get the colour you want. Disposable gloves are a good idea.

Spirit based dyes (based on methylated spirits) are intense and long-lasting. For a very deep colour, use a water-based dye first and let it dry, then use spirit-based dye over the top.

Wood dyes help to protect the wood from fading in the sun. Even if the colour of the bare wood is close to what you want, a light colour over the top will strengthen the colour and help it last longer.

If you want to use wax over a spirit based dye, apply one coat of Danish Oil before waxing.

Water-based Wood Dyes

Water-based Wood Dyes are available in the same colour range as the spirit-based dyes, except for Rimu. Water-based dyes are not quite as intense as the spirit-based dyes, but they tend to give a more natural colour to the timber, and don't accentuate the grain or show up sanding marks as much.

For a really intense colour, try using the water-based dyes first, then (once dry) apply a spirit-based dye over the top.

Water-based dyes can be thinned with water (of course!), and take a little longer to dry completely – around 30-40 minutes. The coverage depends upon the surface, but is approximately 12 square metres per litre on most well-finished wood.

As with the spirit-based dyes, the water-based dyes are not a finish in themselves, and must be sealed with Danish or Teak Oil. Alternatively, they are suitable for almost any kind of finishing, including lacquer or polyurethane, once the stain is completely dry.

Wood dye colours

Note: These are pictures of actual samples – Briwax spirit-based dye was applied to bare timber by wiping with a cloth. They represent the actual finish quite closely, but because of the limitations of the scanning process, and the internet, they should be taken as a guide only.

The water-based dyes are not quite as intense as the spirit-based dyes. Rimu is not available in the water-based dyes, but all other colours are.

Most stores should have 250ml bottles of the Spirit-based dyes in all colours. Some (but not all) will stock 250ml bottles of Water-based dyes, and 1l tins of more popular Spirit-based colours such as Rimu. All stores can order 250ml or 1l bottles of any colour from us within one or two days.