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The coverage of our dye is approximately 12 square metres per litre, based on one liberal coat. We recommend to apply the dye quite liberally with a good quality brush along the grain.
Certain colours will require a light second coat to deepen the shade.
The best type of filler to use is just ordinary white powder interior 'Polyfilla'. The stuff that you mix with a little water. Please avoid using any solvent based or ready mixed fillers as this will prevent the dye from penetrating the wood.
Yes, our dye is non-toxic and pet safe when dry.
The dye will be touch dry in 30 minutes but we recommend waiting 2-3 hours between coats.
The wood dye will be touch dry in about 30 minutes. Any end grain will take a little longer.
It'll be really obvious when it's dry as it will appear very dull. But, the colour will 'come to life' when it's waxed, oiled or varnished.
No, the stain/dye is intended for indoor use and is designed to penetrate new or old wood in its raw sanded state. The colour becomes part of the wood but it isn't completely waterproof. It does fare well outdoors if well oiled but we wouldn't recommend it if the furniture stays out in wet weather.
It is only our Grey Range that can be used on both interior and exterior wood. However, we'd always recommend, for further protection, to finish the dye off with our Decking Oil Plus or Danish Oil.
Our dye is better applied with a good quality brush. The final appearance depends on a combination of factors
:- starting with the natural grain of the pine and how you might wish to sand
it first (roughly sanded for a more rustic look) - Then, wax, oil or varnish
will each create their own effect.
Yes, it can. The spray gun will need cleaning straight away after each use and thoroughly flushed with cold water.
More often that not, veneer has a lacquered or oiled finish which would need to be sanded back as our wood dye is water based and designed to penetrate bare, sanded wood.
Older veneer that needs re-staining tends to include a finish that would need sanding.
However, you can buy engineered oak laminate flooring with no finish, which our dye could be applied to before sealing with a varnish, wax or oil. Most veneer is deep enough for the dye to penetrate - about 3mm is a good standard depth.
This is a common problem when staining wood. Any solvent based or ready mixed filler will prevent the dye from penetrating the wood. Not only the hole itself but quite often these types of fillers leave an invisible film on the surface close to the repair. This will create a very unsightly patch for certain.
The best type of filler to use is just ordinary white powder interior 'Polyfilla'. The stuff you mix with a little water. It stains well, especially with the black stain.
I would normally not suggest mixing stain with the filler as this could leave a darker patch around the repair when stained. This will be the case with most lighter colours. However, if you intend to make the bed really dark by applying additional coats, I think this would be ok.
The Black Ebony dye is a slightly different formula than the lighter colours, allowing it to easily build up to a dense 'blackness' after adding coats (two or three may be enough). Our Danish Oil works well on the black stain, it intensifies the depth of colour, protects the finish and can be wax polished after it's fully dried to create a soft sheen.
Our dye will penetrate and add colour to the wood. This would then need finishing with a wax, oil or varnish.
You could paint over this later if varnished.
You could paint over later with a solvent based paint if oiled.
***You won't be able to paint over a waxed finish without a lot of hard work to remove the wax***
As your doors are dark, you may well need an undercoat for the white satin paint.
The oil will also act as a good primer for solvent based paints.
You would need to apply the oil first before waxing for a more waterproof finish. You can then apply the wax on top of the oil once it is dry.
The stain will look lovely with just a wax polish after two or three coats and buffing.
The wood dye is designed to penetrate the wood. It can then be finished with wax polish, oil or varnish.
Apply a single coat of Golden Pine with a good quality brush to sanded wood.
If your item/s are not subject to wear and tear, the clear wax polish works well.
For a more waterproof finish you could use the oil which will brighten the appearance as will the varnish. Both can be waxed when fully dry to create a softer feel.
We would recommend using our Wood Finishing Oil followed by our Medium Brown Wax.
The stain works perfectly on plywood.
They are designed to penetrate the wood and do need a finishing coat of wax, oil or varnish.
Our Superior Wood Finishing Oil would be the quickest and easiest.
It's non toxic, dries quickly and brightens the colours nicely. It can be applied with a brush. It just soaks in so there's no need to mess.
The stain works by penetrating the wood when it's in the raw sanded state.
If the thresholds are just lacquered and have a natural light oak colour you could just give them a gentle sanding and re-finish with a similar lacquer/varnish.
The wood stain/dye is designed to penetrate wood in its raw sanded state. It can then be finished with wax polish, oil or varnish.
The water based wood stain/dye is formulated to penetrate and add colour to new or old wood in its raw sanded state. It can then be finished with wax polish, oil or varnish. Unfortunately, it isn't intended to be a repair kit as such.
The dye is intended to penetrate the wood in its raw sanded state. It can then be finished with wax polish, oil or varnish.
There is no need to rub down with wire wool in between coats.
Yes, the wood stain/dyes are suitable for a kitchen worktop. They are intended to penetrate the wood in its raw sanded state and can be finished with wax polish, oil or varnish. We would recommend our Worktop Oil - see link - https://www.littlefairs.shop/products/littlefairs-superior-worktop-oil.
That’s a very good question about the filler. I’ve seen so
many unsightly problems caused by the use of so called stainable fillers.
Definitely avoid any ready mixed or solvent based fillers,
they will not allow a wood dye to penetrate either the hole and often the
surrounding area too.
I often use ordinary interior ‘polifilla’, the white powder
stuff that’s mixed with a little water. Once sanded it’s like ‘chalky’ and
accepts wood dye quite well.
I’m not saying it’s perfect but, for nail holes, small
cracks and gaps in floorboards, doors, skirts’ and architraves etc, it does
create a pleasing, acceptable look.
Our ‘wood dye’ is a penetrating solution intended to add colour to the wood before final finishing with wax polish, oil or varnish. The word ‘woodstain’ is often used to describe a product that actually coats the wood such as a coloured varnish. This type of coating may well cover a filler.
Water based wood dyes do have a tendency to raise the grain. However, this is easily overcome as the grain is only raised once. Prior to application dampen the wood with a sponge or cloth - once dried, sand the raised grain lightly. The wood will then remain smooth when the dye is applied.
These wood stains/dyes are intended to penetrate and add colour to the wood in its raw sanded state. They can then be wax polished, oiled or varnished.
We make an Extra Strong Varnish which would be suitable for finishing the stain/dye on your stair treads.
No. The dye is water based and designed to penetrate bare, sanded wood. It would just run off the laminate.
We would sand the softwood to 120 grit, making the wood very receptive to the dye. We would glide over it with 240 grit before the final coat of varnish if using.
The stains themselves have a matt appearance.
We would recommend trying one of our tester pots on a inconspicuous area of your wood, if possible. For example, the inside of a chair leg or the underneath of a table.
You can then wipe it over with a damp cloth when dry to simulate how it would look with a finish on it.
If you do not have an inconspicuous area to test the dye, you can sand the test area to remove the dye afterwards, or cover it with another wood dye or stain.Our Universal Wood Dyes (Shades of Grey and Driftwood Range) and Exterior Dyes can all be applied outside. They are protective and allow the wood to breathe. However, we would recommend our Decking Oil Plus for horizontal surfaces such as furniture or decking as an extra layer against wear and tear.
We recommend allowing the dye to dry for 2-3 hours before applying wax, varnish or oil.
Yes, we have tester pots available in all our wood dyes. Please see the Tester Pots section on our website.
Our dyes are not waterproof on their own - they will need finishing with either our oil, varnish or wax polish i.e. if you want to finish a product in your bathroom; we recommend our Danish Oil, Worktop Oil or Titan Topcoat for a waterproof finish.
As our dyes are designed to penetrate the wood, the dyes should last a good few years, if the wood is exterior, then it will become weathered and worn over time. By finishing the dyes with either wax, varnish or oil then this will provide the product with extra protection.
Our Antique Stripped Pine is recommended to be applied on pine so that the ‘orange’ look is not as noticeable. If wanting to apply a finishing product onto bare pine then Worktop Oil is recommended as it doesn’t contain linseed. It will leave a clean and bright appearance. If you are wanting a natural finish, you can use our Extra Strong Matt Varnish, this can also be diluted.
No, only our exterior and universal dyes can be applied to tanalised / pressure treated wood.
Can I use a mutton cloth to apply your dyes, as I prefer to do ‘rag work’ rather than using a brush?
Driftwood is a more opaque product intended to coat the surface more so than the totally penetrating wood dyes, including the Light Oak. If you are using the Briwax that contains Toluene, this may be the problem as it’s a far stronger solvent than it needs to be. Our wax has a weaker solvent and appears to be fine on the greys.
As our Driftwood Collection are universal dyes it is not essential to finish them further, but we do always recommend, for further protection, to apply a finishing product over the dye. If you apply a thorough coat of our Superior Decking Oil Plus the fence will last for ages.
Driftwood Brown is a semi opaque product intended to create a more rustic appearance on pine. It’s a sort of medium greyish brown and often looks lighter when varnished.
If the wood has a natural orange or reddish background colour this may possibly cause the Driftwood Grey (and our other grey dyes) to look more slightly blue. This can often be overcome by a light second coat, but it will create a more opaque appearance.
This may be due to an un-mixed white ingredient which has settled at the bottom of the bottle. It is important that you shake the bottle well, prior to use and during use, as well as stirred (it needs to be in a constant state of suspension).
The more detailed or ‘grainy’ the surface is the greater the effect. It will produce a more uniform grey/brown on hardwood or pressure treated (tanalised) wood. If you intend to apply the dye to hardwood; try diluting it with cold water (up to 50%). This should create a more transparent wash of grey/brown, allowing more of the natural wood colour and texture to show through.
Yes, probably a good idea if it’s a larger surface, but plywood usually dyes evenly with the darker colours. The conditioner will create a slightly lighter effect which can be deepened with a further coat or coats.
Our wood dye is formulated to penetrate bare sanded back / raw wood. Therefore, any product such as an oil, wax or varnish must be sanded off the wood.
Our tester pots are 15ml and are designed for you to test the colour if you’re struggling with which one to purchase, as this 15ml of dye can help with your decision.
For further information our wood dye coverage is approximately 12 square metres per litre (one liberal coat).
Our exterior wood dyes can be used on outdoor wood such as furniture, decking, garden buildings and fences. You will find our exterior wood dyes within the following ranges: Woodland Colours, Driftwood Collection and Shades of Grey, in which all can be used on exterior wood.
If the wood has a natural orange or reddish background colour this may possibly cause any of our grey dyes to look more slightly blue. This can often be overcome by further coats. We always recommend producing a tester piece first to ensure you get the finish that you want to achieve.
No, you do not need to water down the wood dyes. But, if you want to water them down to create a more lighter, washed effect then you can do. Please only water the dyes down up to 50% and start with 10% first and gradually increase, if needed.
Always produce a tester piece first so you ensure you get the finish that you want to achieve.
Yes, the varnish is a Polyurethane Acrylic dispersion.
The varnish is highly resistant to water providing the moisture doesn't get underneath, usually within the joints if the floor is tongue and groove.
The coverage is approximately 10-12 square metres per litre.
No, we'd recommend using our Worktop Oil instead of varnish on a worktop. Whilst waterproof, the varnish isn't designed to have water sitting on it for long periods, which would happen after each wipe down of the worktop.
Yes, this varnish has been used for this purpose by a few of our customers.
Yes. We would recommend adding a little cold water into the spray gun for the first coat, up to 20%. The spray gun will need cleaning straight away after each use and thoroughly flushed with cold water
No. Our varnish is water based and doesn't contain the natural resins which cause the yellowing in solvent based varnishes. One major advantage of water based varnishes such as ours is the non-yellowing factor.
Yes you can.
This is a water based varnish so it is thin, but offers excellent protection and is easy to apply.
Yes, this will work well.
This varnish is a sealant, designed to finish the wood stain/dye.
Yes, it would be suitable for stair treads.
Yes, once dry, the varnish is safe on toys.
Yes, you can. This will work well as they are both water based products.
This water based varnish is designed for internal use only.
Yes, the varnish is ideal for that.
Go gently with a good brush for the first coat which you can dilute with approximately 20% water.
This coat will seal everything up and make subsequent coats very easy to apply.
After 2-3 full coats lightly sand if necessary with 240 grit or smoother.
The black ‘wet n’ dry’ abrasive works best.
A final coat after sanding will create a great finish.
No our Extra Strong Varnish is not recommended for metal, as it is water-based it will just run off the metal.
Yes, as long as there is no existing varnish, oil or wax on there. The varnish is designed to be applied over our water based floor dye, or can be applied directly to the bare pine.
Whilst the varnish itself has a very low odour and it will 'seal' the wood, we can't guarantee that any strong smells coming from the wood itself will be masked.
The water based Extra Strong Matt Varnish would certainly protect the wallpaper. However, it would create a slight sheen which may not be desirable, it’s advisable to do a test piece where possible to ensure you like the outcome.
The spray gun would need cleaning straight away after use and thoroughly flushed with cold water.
Our varnish is heat resistant, however, I would recommend our Super Glupe to withstand heat better. We would recommend 3 coats of our Super Glupe for a hard wearing finish that is also waterproof and heatproof.
Varnishes will always change the final appearance of a colour to some extent – however our matt varnishes will have a lesser effect on the colour.
Yes, the polish can be used directly onto raw wood or as a maintenance product for finished items. We prefer to add a depth of background colour to the wood first with one of our wood stains.
Yes, the wax can be applied to a previously waxed surface. It might be a good idea to gently sand/clean the surface with white spirit first.
Yes, it is advisable to buff the wax between coats. It usually takes three applications to create an even sheen. A shoe brush is good for buffing.
You could use some white spirit to clean the brush after use.
A soft cloth works well, or you could even use a shoe polish brush if you have one.
The wax has been applied a little too thick. I would wipe it back a little with white spirit, then buff it with a cotton cloth and a good quality shoe brush along the grain.
Yes, 6 months sounds about right, and the previous coat can be buffed as required in between.
Our Wax Polish is suitable for furniture such as: doors, tables, bed headboards, if you want a soft finish. Our wax is also recommended for bannisters; if there is a large amount of spindles (recommended 2 coats). You can also buff the bannister with a shoe brush buffer.
Any spillages must be cleaned as soon as possible with a cool, damp cloth. Do not use any products with chemicals in. You can also wipe with a small amount of white spirit (to soften the wax), then wipe over with a clean cloth and then this can be re-waxed or buffed.
Both really, but the aim was for them to enhance the wood dyes. Antique Brown is the darkest one and will add more colour to bare wood, the others are intentionally lighter so as not to darken the dyes too much.
It’s unlikely that the wax will remove the marks. The damage will probably be under the present finish. It’s difficult to comment on this really without seeing it and knowing how the table was finished originally.
Our Decking Oil Plus is for exterior use only.
Our Worktop Oil is for interior use only.
Our Danish Oil is for interior and exterior use.
Our oils work well on top of the water based stain/dye and can then be wax polished once the oil is fully dry.
The Superior Wood Finishing Danish Oil would be suitable for your bathroom and so easy to apply over the stain.
It can be maintained every now and then with a little of the oil on a cloth.
Both our Superior Danish Oil and Decking Oil Plus can be used externally and provide a non-toxic finish once dry.
The oils contain less than 0.5% Ethyl Methyl ketoxime which is a biodegradable anti-skinning agent.
After your first coat, leave it 15-20 minutes before wiping off the excess and then give it a couple of hours until the next coat. You can build up a nice sheen with multiple coats.
Our Decking Oil Plus will dry clear and matt.
It is ok to apply our Decking Oil Plus on the majority of woods. However, it is not recommended to apply this oil to woods that contain a high amount of tannin acid.
The lighter-coloured the wood, the lower the tannin content, for example: Maple, Birch and Aspen. Whereas, woods such as: Oak, Walnut, Cherry and Mahogany have higher tannin levels.
This isn't the Decking Oil Plus that has caused the bubbling effect on your wood. This is just the resin that is in the wood. Whilst this is extremely rare, it can be rectified by scraping the oil when hardened and cleaning off using white spirit.
Initially the Danish Oil will dry clear, however, as it contains linseed it can turn a little orange over time. The orange tint is mild at first and goes more 'orange' naturally over time. This would be more noticeable on a lighter background, including the pastels and greys as well as pine wood. Whilst, this isn't a major issue, it is something to be aware of.
Also, the orange tint would have the same effect on the variety of woods as it is the oil that has the orange tint. However, the end result will be different as this is a combination of all of the products that have been used.
Several thin coats to start with, then once a month perhaps. Worktop Oil would be best.
Yes,
you will need to add more coats over time as the board is continually washed.
Our Pre-Conditioner can be applied with a good quality brush, applicator pad, roller or spray.
The coverage is approximately 12 square metres per litre, for one coat.
Titan Topcoat will be touch dry in around 30 minutes and can be re-coated after 2-3 hours in suitable conditions.
Projects
The wood stains are formulated to penetrate the wood so it is important to completely sand the table back to the raw wood state, to a point where you're creating fine dust. After sanding, please avoid the use of white spirit to clean the table, it is recommended to just vacuum off the dust and wipe it over with a damp cloth.
If you wish to create an aged appearance for your project then we would recommend using our Antique Stripped Pine or Dark Pine colours, as these will achieve that appearance.
A good finish for a coffee table after staining is the Superior Wood Finishing Danish Oil. The oil will seal in the colour and is very resistant to spillages. We'd recommend applying two coats of oil, as this should be sufficient enough to protect the surface and retain a natural appearance. You could then apply a wax polish over the oil to produce a soft sheen. The table can then be maintained by further wax polishing occasionally.
For quantity, we would recommend for you to order a 500ml stain to ensure that you have enough. The oil and wax is also available in 500ml containers. We do have 15ml tester pots available of the stains if you would like to try the colours first.
We always recommend to produce a tester piece first and test the finish on the underside of the bottom shelf. The stains will appear quite dull when dry - but will show their true colour when oiled, waxed or varnished. If you would prefer a varnished finish then any solvent based varnish will be ok.
We'd recommend our Superior Danish Oil as this will penetrate the oak and maintain a natural appearance. You may find that a few light coats of the oil will waterproof it sufficiently. We would recommend to treat all faces and edges with the oil before fixing to prevent moisture from 'sneaking up' on the finish from behind. The oil will also act as a primer for any solvent based topcoat. Please produce a tester piece and see how it looks.
Yes, we'd recommend our water based stain but the wood needs to be in the raw wood state, to allow the stain to penetrate the wood. The stain can then be finished with our Danish Oil, which is non-toxic. The oil will penetrate the boards, lock in the colour and is very water resistant.
Please allow at least one day before varnishing the floor. We would recommend at least three coats of varnish after using our wood stain. You should be able to achieve this in one day, leaving 2-3 hours between each coat. You will be able to walk on it the same day.
A 250ml would probably be enough liquid for one coat. However, some of our darker colours require a couple of coats so you might be better off with a 500ml.
Yes, the products are safe for pets. Our Exterior and Universal Wood Dyes can be used outside providing they can penetrate the wood. We'd recommend to protect the colour with either our Danish Oil or Decking Oil Plus as these can be used on exterior wood. Our varnishes are for interior use only.
The wood stain/dyes are formulated to penetrate the wood in its raw sanded state. For use on exterior wood you would need to use our Exterior or Universal Water Based Wood Dyes. We would recommend finishing the dye with either our Danish Oil or Decking Oil Plus, these are both food and toy safe (when dry) and will highly waterproof the wood.
Yes, absolutely.
Our Driftwood Grey or Driftwood Brown would do it. You will get a more uniform colour though, than you would on new pine.
However, you could consider any of our other colours which are all available as permanent, exterior, penetrating wood dyes. No further finishing for our exterior dyes is necessary, however we do recommend to coat them with our Superior Decking Oil Plus to make them last for decades and provide the dye with further protection.
We’d recommend our Worktop Oil as it is food safe, quick drying and excellent for waterproofing our wood dyes.
We would recommend any of our exterior and universal dyes. We also recommend sealing and protecting it afterwards with our Decking Oil Plus.
A small brush is recommended and to use less dye on the brush when applying the dye; 2 thin coats are recommended rather than 1 liberal coat. Further coats can be applied to deepen the shade.
Our Titan Topcoat would be suitable for the concrete bird bath as it is hard-wearing and waterproof.
The water-based wood dyes can be applied before any fire retardant coatings. Our Titan Topcoat has a high ‘flash point’ which means it would be difficult to set fire to it.
Bamboo has a natural waxy coating on its surface which will resist a penetrating water based wood dye. An alternative might be to try one of our exterior colours. However, we suspect that thoroughly scrubbing the bamboo with a strong solvent first would help. Please always produce a tester piece first!
Initially the Danish Oil will dry clear, however, as it contains linseed it can turn a little orange over time. This would be more noticeable on a lighter background, including the pastels and greys. Whilst, this isn't a major issue, it is something to be aware of. Therefore, we’d recommend our Titan Topcoat for superior robust protection as it is perfect for surfaces that need to be waterproofed and hygienic such as bar tables! This will also dry clear and provide a satin finish.
Yes, our varnish has a clear finish and is non-yellowing. It can be applied directly to the wood if you’d like it to look natural. However, as the varnish is water based it is important that there is no existing varnish, oil or wax on the wood as it is designed to be applied over our wood dyes or wood in its raw state.
We recommend three coats for a good finish. We have three different finishes which are: Matt, Satin and Gloss. Our Matt finish would give you the least sheen. The sheen % are: 10% matt, 30% satin and 70% gloss.
You can use either our Danish Oil or Extra Strong Varnish on a handrail, it is entirely your preference as to which one you'd like to use.
The Danish Oil will dry clear but as it contains linseed it can turn a little orange over time. This would be more noticeable on pine wood. Whilst, this isn't a major issue, it is something to be aware of. Our Extra Strong Varnish dries clear and is non-yellowing, it comes in three different finishes: Matt, Satin and Gloss.
Shipping
All our parcels are sent via DPD Local tracked delivery. Our standard delivery prices are:
< 1kg 2-4 Working Days: £6.99
> 1kg 2-4 Working Days: £7.99
> 25kg 2-4 Working Days: £16.99
All premium shipping prices are displayed at checkout.
Orders are typically dispatched the next working day. Same day dispatch is available for an extra charge if you order before 2pm.
Once your order has been dispatched you will receive an email from us. Our courier will then be in touch with tracking details if you provided us with your mobile number and / or email address.
The 4-5 day free economy shipping option available for tester pots is untracked. Please get in touch with us if you have not received your tester pots within 7 days (excluding Sunday's).
Our standard delivery service takes 2-3 business days from the day you placed your order. There are premium options available at checkout which guarantee delivery within 1-2 business days and further options for guaranteed next working day. We even offer Saturday or Sunday delivery!
For the premium options, orders must be placed by 2pm on the previous working day.
Our free economy service is available for tester pots and takes 4-5 days for delivery (including weekends).
Our tester pots are dispatched in large envelopes that will fit through a standard letter box. Our larger products including 250 ml and above will be sent in parcel form so you will need to make allowances for delivery.
Yes, we offer Saturday and Sunday delivery. However, orders must be placed by 2pm on Friday. Please choose the Saturday or Sunday delivery option at checkout.
Weekend delivery prices are displayed at checkout.
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