Dying  Veneer

Chemist Bob Behnke has outlined a simple, but somewhat tedious process on how to successfully dye veneer to almost any color. The entire process can take up to nine days. Ironically, lighter shades take longer to dye than darker ones. Light woods such as maple and holly are the best species of wood to dye this way.

Dyeing the Behnke way is a three step process, each happening for three days: The wood needs to be thoroughly cleaned, then it is dyed, and finally blot dried. The first two steps happen in large food warmers that are heated to 180 degrees. He usually dyes 18-24 sheets at a time.

1. Clean - The veneers are boiled in clean water in what he calls a “wood tea” for three days. The water is changed twice a day and the pieces are rearranged daily.
   
   

2. Dye - The wood is heated again for another three days and bathed in RIT dye from the supermarket. The sheets are separated by circular plastic rings made up of the filament used by 3D printers. You could also use weed-eater plastic string. The sheets are rearranged twice a day, and the rings moved around so as not to leave marks.
   
   

3. Dry - Rinse all the dye off under water and stack the sheets with paper towels between them for three days, changing them twice a day and rearranging them.

Bob’s dyed veneers are available at the Marc Adams School of Woodworking at info@marcadams.com / 317-535-4013, and he can be reached at: bobehnke@aol.com.