Cedar and colour stain , Final results???

I want to stain cedar boards a colour,semi transparent. I am confused about what the reddish hue of the cedar will do to the colours, I would like to have a greyish, blueish hue but creamy if you know what I mean! If you do you are one up on the gentleman at the paint store! I cant find a colour chart online that shows what type of wood the stains have been used on. And seeing as the visit in person to the paint store went so well...... lol.So. I know I need to stay aways from anything yellowish, but will blue grey make purple??? How could that be counteracted? It is for a bathroom wall so not a huge space if I need to do more than one coat and/or colour.


  8 answers
  • Landsharkinnc Landsharkinnc on Dec 06, 2017

    you may have to have a 'test' piece -- chose a selection of stains and experiment to see which one will give you the result you're after -- Min-Wax makes the best selection of stains, ask the sales person in a good paint store - not a 'big box' place that sells everything from groceries to clothes to tires!

  • 2dogal 2dogal on Dec 06, 2017

    Get a piece of cedar and practice on it to see the end results. Stain also does not go on like paint. The more coats you apply, the darker the stain gets.

  • Gale Allen Jenness Gale Allen Jenness on Dec 06, 2017

    I’m not sure your going to get the color effect your looking for from any stain? You may need to get a pediment color from a specialty crafters store like Woodcrafters or find a color of paint and thin it was down to make like a stain that you can brush on and wipe down. Then finish after it dries with a clear lacquer or a clear oil finish! But before you add any lacquer or other clear finish your going to want your stain that you use dry for at least 36 hours before adding a second coat of sealer like a lacquer! Your going to want some scrape pieces to play around with to find the look your trying to achieve. This doesn’t sound like a stain your just going to go down and buy to come up with the color palate your wanting! If you go with just a clear finish it will make your color on your wood a deeper darker color of what it already is and your light color will also look a little darker that just gives the wood more dimension to the grain! You’ll also want to ask whoever you buy your finish from if the product will yellow over time? Most will , but there are some that say their product won’t yellow with age! Good luck

  • Johnavallance82 Johnavallance82 on Dec 06, 2017

    wait till it has weathered before applying stain..........

    • Chuckee Notelling Chuckee Notelling on Dec 07, 2017

      Can't . Inside it would take years and it absolutely has to be sealed for hygene. I know saunas are left natural, and I know cedar has wonderful anti fungal qualitities, but I still would prefer it sealed. Thanx anyhow.

  • Johnavallance82 Johnavallance82 on Dec 07, 2017

    Ok! Good luck........

  • Amazing Grace ! Amazing Grace ! on Mar 17, 2021

    The beauty of Cedar stained with a clear coat really brings out the deep grain of the wood, perhaps you could try a grey poly stain, and mix it with a blue hue. I would mix a blue chalk paint, and adjust the color as you see fit, perhaps with white chalk paint for the creamy look.

    Make a small batch and test it first, remember the true color does not show until it is dry. It also may take a couple of coats to obtain the desired effect. I painted a cedar chest once, I had two of them. I regretted it immediately and used a slight honey-colored poly on the other chest. The painted chest is in the garage keeping my tools warm.

  • Amazing Grace ! Amazing Grace ! on Mar 17, 2021

    I googled it just now, and this is what I found:


    "Many people think that making purple paint is as simple as mixing red and blue paint, but if you’ve tried to do this, you know that this isn’t always the case. To make the perfect purple, which is a bright, clean, tint-free color, select red and blue paints that are free of yellow or green pigments—these pigments will turn what should be a beautiful purple into a murky brown or gray. Once you know how to mix a perfect purple, adjust the shade by adding more red, blue, white, or even black to your mix". Hope that helps!