I've been pondering the the idea of dying cork with various things and wondered if anyone has already attempted this and what were the results?

I know this is a broad stroke question, but feedback would be great.

I have never heard of anyone having any luck dying cork more than on the surface.

Cork is a closed cell wood and won't absorb liquid (think wine bottle cork). I've heard of various people attempting it but I'm not aware of anyone having success. Like Ken said, I think the best you can do is 'paint' the surface with coloration.

jeremy

If you tint some kind of clear wipe onto the cork You will then have to apply a coating to keep it from waring off

if you want colored rings you can do several Foam handles of different colors and then cut rings from them ???

or colored eva blocks

Bill - willierods.com



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/22/2011 04:11PM by bill boettcher.

Flocking is another way to go.

Donjer Products corp sells a mini flocking kit very resonably.

If interested for more information on how it is done you can send me an email.

bkcustomrods@yahoo.com


Bill

Ohio Rod Builders

Canton, Ohio

Hi Joe,
I was staining a sand spike with wood stain the other day and there was a cork ring on the bench and I wondered what it would look like on cork so i tried it and it came out looking much the same as the wood colour. Don't know how it would hold up long term or if it would accept cork sealer. Plenty of different colours available in wood stain.

ESFNEM Col
Port Kembla, NSW
Australia

There are old threads discussing staining cork with Min-wax or TruOil. There are apparently lots of builders that use this with success

Bryce Abbott
Go & Do Likewise

Bryce -
That will only stain the outside (thin skin) of the cork. Any sanding / shaping will remove the stain back to original cork color. Doubt it? = Try it. Not even RIT aniline heated will penetrate the cork any significant depth.

You are better off to shape it and then stain it

Bill - willierods.com

As mentioned above, cork is a closed cell material and as such does not absorb liquids. Any stain will only a "surface coloration" subject to the wear of handling.

Has anybody ever tried to dye cork in a pressure cooker? Just a thought....

Actually, just tried it that way yesterday. Tried 3 different methods, boiling, pressure cooker, and vacuum. All results the same, Surface only, and this was with rit dye. Did not rub off with the boiling, and might last for a time with cork seal or some other sealer applied, but literally no penetration.

Ron Weber

Dying or staining has been tried with pressure, heat and vacuum, the results are the same it stays on the surface as the materials cells are closed and do not absorb liquids, period! Otherwise cork floats would not survive in the ocean for years, or wine corks in botles for decades!

The qualities that makes cork so wonderful also keeps it from being dyed unfortunately.

So if we want to only dye the surface and then seal it with a clear coat, what type of dye would be most resistant to UV fading?

Mo

The qualities that makes cork so wonderful also keeps it from being dyed unfortunately.

So if we want to only dye the surface and then seal it with a clear coat, what type of dye would be most resistant to UV fading?

Mo