6
A client asked me to use coffee grounds as a stain and I thought they were nuts
This was about two years ago, a lady in Eugene wanted her oak table stained with a 'natural patina'. She handed me a bag of used espresso grounds and told me to mix them with vinegar. I was sure it would just make a smelly, gritty mess. But I needed the job, so I tried it on a scrap piece first. I let the grounds sit in white vinegar for three days, strained it, and brushed it on. It actually gave the wood this really warm, deep grey-brown color, like an old barn door. It sealed up fine with a coat of shellac too. I still don't use it for paying jobs, but it worked way better than I ever thought it would. Has anyone else tried a weird 'kitchen sink' stain that actually turned out okay?
3 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In3 Comments
cameronb521mo ago
Wow, that's a wild idea that actually worked.
5
the_lucas16d ago
Man, I feel you on that. I had a client once who swore by using black tea and steel wool to age their new pine baseboards to match the old ones in their house. I was pretty sure they were messing with me, but it actually turned out pretty close to the original color after a couple coats. That vinegar and espresso mix sounds like a solid trick, glad it worked out for a good cause.
2