Illustrations of OAK include Plates 1-17.

For oak-graining the priming coat should be white, mixed (not too thickly) with pure lead and linseed-oil; then, when thoroughly dry, and ready for a second coat of paint, much care should be observed in well stopping or puttying with white lead or common putty, as may be thought best, leaving all nail-holes or other inequalities well filled, pressed in and rounded up, so that when thoroughly sand-papered it will leave the surface entirely smooth and level. For a second coat of paint, a little yellow chrome or Rochelle may be added, sufficient to make it a light cream color, using for a body pure lead, turpentine, oil, and a small quantity of japan, making the paint a trifle thicker than the priming coat, having it well mixed and strained, so that it shall not contain any lumps or foreign substance. Here let us say that the habit of undertaking to do graining work on two coats of paint is entirely wrong; good work cannot by any possibility be performed unless there shall have been at least three coats laid on as a foundation,—otherwise it will not wipe out clean, but will appear muddy and foul when completed.

For a third coat of grained work, if a very light oak is desired, add to the same mixture of lead, oil, etc., sufficient yellow as before, to produce a delicate cream, adding to that a very small quantity of American vermilion, or Venetian red. After laying on the second coat, the work should be well and carefully sand-papered, puttying (as before suggested), if necessary. When the third coat has been on two or more days, and has become thoroughly hard and dry, use upon the surface very fine sand-paper, so that a perfectly smooth finish may be obtained. For light-oak graining-color, use equal parts of raw umber and raw Sienna, and if a little darker shade is desired, tone with burnt umber, grinding into the same a little Paris, or common whiting, which gives it body and holds it together. A little beeswax or brown Windsor soap dissolved in turpentine may be used if desired, but in a small quantity.

For mixing the colors employ one-fourth boiled oil, three-fourths turpentine, adding for drier a very little japan. Graining-colors should invariably stand from six to ten hours after mixing before being applied, and if too thick, when adding the thinners be cautious to avoid stirring from the bottom. The colors should be mixed to such a consistency, that when put on, a perfectly clear and transparent appearance may be obtained. For darker shades of oak, more yellow and red should be used in the ground-work and more burnt umber in the graining-color, adding enough of the burnt umber to make the graining-color harmonize with the ground-work. And here we would suggest that every grainer, who desires to perfect himself in the art, should procure small pieces of the various kinds of wood he wishes to imitate, and in all cases mix his colors in harmony with those shown in the wood—mixing his ground-work so as to compare with the lightest shade observable in the wood.

Too much care cannot be taken in the preparation of graining-colors; more failures have been made through neglect of this, than in the execution of the work itself, for except the colors are in proper harmony with the wood desired to be imitated, the work, though well executed, must be a failure in the production of the wished-for object.

For the last coat of the ground-work for oak, there should be a sufficiency of oil to impart a slight gloss when laid on, which enables it to be wiped clean, free, and unclouded.

For shading oak use a little raw Sienna, raw and burnt umber, mixing with oil, turpentine, japan, etc., as before mentioned. Where knots or curls occur in the grain, as shown in our illustration, there light and careless shades should be thrown in, avoiding anything prominent or harsh, and in most cases make the growth or heart slightly darker than at the edge. A beautiful effect can be produced by combing over the flaking with a fine or coarse rubber comb, blending very lightly in the same direction the veins or comb take. The effect produced is to sink the flaking, making it look solid and true to nature.

For wiping out oak (as in samples shown), see description of process in our following chapter on black walnut, using the same tools, etc. (rubber combs, English or American steel combs in oak, not in walnut). Where flaking is done it is combed first with a coarse, then a fine steel comb, but where heart or growth-pieces occur, no comb should be used until wiped out, then comb with a fine comb very lightly in the same direction the grains may run.

In graining, particularly oak, care should be taken to have the grains lose themselves regularly at the sides, not leaving the heart-piece abruptly, but gradually (as shown in our illustration), preserving a proper harmony of colors from centre to outside.