Dark stain color barely changes on wood

[DKAudio]

I'm redoing a lot of trim in my house. I've used stain grade pine and oak with good success. I'm currently adding crown molding in my living room and got stain grade pine. I spent hours and hours cutting everything and it fits great. I started staining with the same stain and it is barely changing the color of the wood. All other wood turned out how I expected (medium red brown color, stain is Early American with some Cherry). I've done two coats now and it just looks like it would if you put water on the wood. What can I do? I'm in a lot of money and time and now it's not matching the rest of the trim I've done.

[pushkins]

Sometimes you need to apply a "wood prep." product before applying stain, it helps in absorbing stain evenly over a stick. Usually it's not needed on pine as it's so soft, but I have seen pine (very seldom) do what your describing.

If you dribble a few drops of water on the stained trim does the water bead up or is it absorbed? Do the same test on a piece of waste that came from the same trim but hasn't been stained, does it bead ?

Something I just thought of, did you make sure you stirred the stain tin really well before using it ?

[DKAudio]

Yes, the stain was mixed well.

Water on the trim does pretty much what I expected, it beaded at the start but was absorbed within a few minutes.

I went over everything with a pre-stain conditioner and then re-stained. It's a little darker but still not like the other trim that I've done with the same stain. Any other ideas? I'm really starting to worry that I'll not be able to get it to match.

[DKAudio]

I talked to my Dad and he said sometimes kiln dried wood gets a "sheen" on it. He said to sand it and try again.

[pushkins]

That's where I was headed with the water beading test. If it were me I'd be sanding and reapplying the stain to a scrap piece, rather than a good piece.

[DKAudio]

Well, tried sanding a scrap piece and got the same results.

However, I used a paddle mixer on my drill (appearance didn't change in the can) and applied it to the wood...PERFECT!

I know you asked if I mixed it well and I thought I did, I previously used a stir stick for about 5 minutes and in the can it looked all mixed up.

Lesson learned, power mixing for the win.

[pushkins]

Paint stirrer sticks are about the best to stir with, they are wide enough to scoop any product in the base of the tin. A good hint is when you have finished mixing, scoop along the bottom and bring the bottom of the stirrer up, if you see any product on the bottom of the stirrer......your not done.
Basically what you applied to the molding was slightly colored thinners.