cloudbound Posted April 10, 2015 Author Share Posted April 10, 2015 Well I dyed my shingles yesterday. Diluted craft paint mixture - not so good. Diluted craft paint with water-based lacquer - not so good either. Tossing the mess out onto newspaper (laid over a disposable plastic table cloth) = paper mache mess after a few minutes of stirring. But I WILL say that Holly's suggestion about using the two aluminum pans worked brilliantly. I was able to pour all of the liquid easily back into a container in case I run out of shingles and have to dye more to match. It was a beautiful, sunny day yesterday so I didn't mind sitting on the ground giving each shingle one swipe of the craft paint/lacquer mix to even out the mottled mess I had on my hands. There was no WAY I was going to be able to do each little shingle while wearing gloves. I tried - didn't work. So it'll be a while before my fingernails look presentable again. But it was all worth it. It is so dry here in my part of Nevada and as I swiped each of the 1,200+ shingles I tossed them out onto the plastic table cloth and by the time I swiped the very last shingle most of the others were already dry. I only wound up with about a dozen warped ones. Considering that at one point yesterday I thought I was going to have to start over with 4 MORE bags of shingles, these are gorgeous! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sable Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 What did you end up using for dye? I missed something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cloudbound Posted April 10, 2015 Author Share Posted April 10, 2015 I used the diluted craft paint/lacquer mix since I'd already immersed the whole shebang in the pan. When I tested it with just 5 shingles, they looked just fine. But when I put them ALL in there it was horrible. I'm not sure why either. They had a 'mottled' appearance and by the time I realize what's going on, there wasn't anything I could do about it. That's why I took them all outside and put them on newspaper to dry. I figured maybe as they dried they'd look better. Ha, ha. They did NOT look better. And after a few minutes of moving them around trying to separate them from each other, the newspaper started to discombobulate too. So now I had a gooey mess laying on that plastic table cloth. At that point I had to get them all off the newspaper as fast as I could. I decided to try swiping some of the dye mix over each of the shingles by hand using one of those little sponge paint brushes and that did the trick. But it was frustrating and now I know NOT to mix diluted craft paint with water-based lacquer as a 'dye'... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 "Water-based" lacquer is a new one for me! although I once had a water-based oak stain that stank to high heaven but did turn out pretty that I finished it up on the Glencroft pub. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Selkie Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 My understanding of a true lacquer is that it is applied via spray format and it is higher gloss. The can usually gives specs for your sprayers nozzle settings depending on the viscosity of the particular product. I wonder if it gave a mottled appearance partially because it isn't usually a product you mix stains with (it's typically only a top coat) and because it's application method is normally spray vs. dip or brush. Just thinking out loud about the little I know. And, also, I've never used a water based lacquer. I've only used an oil base so I could be way off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 ...it isn't usually a product you mix stains with (it's typically only a top coat) and because it's application method is normally spray vs. dip or brush... Pat mixed her lacquer with diluted craft paint (assuming acrylic paint rather than oil-based, like Testor's). I have always applied lacquer with a brush with excellent results. The trick with lacquer is to stir it thoroughly and carefully to avoid getting bubbles in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cloudbound Posted April 10, 2015 Author Share Posted April 10, 2015 I've GOT to watch what I write. The can of 'water-based' lacquer is actually Minwax 'Polycrylic Protective Finish' that I USE like lacquer. I thought I read in the responses to this earlier that someone had done that - the diluted craft paint used with the water-based finish. So to get my shingles the nice dark brownish black I wanted I thought that would be the easiest way for me. I wouldn't do it again but now that its done I'm okay with the results. And ONLY after I'd swiped some of the drained-out leftover 'stain' (paint I guess) onto each shingle. I certainly wouldn't recommend it and that'll teach me to 'experiment'!The shingles are going on great. Found maybe a dozen more warped ones as I'm using them but 2 dozen out of 1,200 + is okay with me. I just realized that where I've had to cut the shingles at the ends of each row I can easily swipe some of my handy-dandy dye/paint over that to hide the bare wood too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 Learning "how not to" is, IMHO, at least s important as learning new techniques that are successful. I do recommend trying out an experiment in small quantities first... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cloudbound Posted April 10, 2015 Author Share Posted April 10, 2015 Holly - I count myself extremely lucky that I didn't ruin the shingles. They're actually looking really good on the house. In fact I just ran out of the 1,200 I have and it looks like I need another 200 or so to finish. At least I still have my mystery brew to use on the next batch. I think I'll forego trying to dry them on newspaper this time - ha, ha, I was still picking little bits of the newspaper off the backs of some shingles today as I was using them. I actually love the way they look now. The color is exactly what I wanted. But you're right - next experiment will be on a smaller scale. I DID test 5 shingles before I dunked the remaining 1,200 in the aluminum tins. I'm not sure what happened to make the paint mottle, but swiping each shingle afterwards evened it out very nicely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suej Posted April 11, 2015 Share Posted April 11, 2015 You are a fast shingler:-)) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathieB Posted April 11, 2015 Share Posted April 11, 2015 I'm glad to hear it worked out to your liking. That's what counts in the end, eh? I wonder if dyeing them in small batches rather than all at once would have resulted in a more satisfactory initial result. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted April 11, 2015 Share Posted April 11, 2015 I'm glad to hear it worked out to your liking. That's what counts in the end, eh? I wonder if dyeing them in small batches rather than all at once would have resulted in a more satisfactory initial result. Betcha it would have helped keep the newspaper from turning into papermache. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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