Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[Dyna]

Hi Folks

We are in the midst refinishing our 69 Stirling. We sanded down nearly all the dead varnish. However it looks like they used some form of wood dye or stain at the plant, so even if all the varnish is removed the spring wood rings are too light compared harder darker summer rings. Sure wood have light and dark rings but the dye/stain has made the soft spring rings a lot lighter and the summer rings, making it look unnatural almost like a zebra . The question is how to fix it, we thought about using darker dye to make it even - the soft spring rings soaking it up making them darker even things out. Any ideas or thoughts would be highly welcomed.

Cheers Dyna

[darren7303]

Our interior wood has the zebra effect in kitchen area and where the tip up sink is. Is this where you are talking about?

[Dyna]

Don't think so our stripes are traces of stain from the old dye/stain I would guess. I assume the softer part of the wood soaked up the woodstain more than the hard parts when the caravan was painted. Hence even if you sand it down the old stain is still somewhat present in the wood.

Hubby tried a light oak stain on an part we removed when repairing and that masked most of the problem with the stripes I think he will go for that.

Cheers Dyna

[The Oldtimers]

You could contact Dick Harding at Stirling Caravan Services. What he doesn't know about Stirlings is not worth mentioning.

[darren7303]

Was talking to a guy at Driffield Steam Fair at the weekend, he had just finished restoring a 1964 Stirling. He had been told the original finish was limed oak. He had had a few problem areas and had used a plastic car filler applicator try and work it in deeper. He showed me round his, had certainly done a good job, I'll be practising somewhere inconspicuous first before tacking mine!!

[SV8Predator]