Amish Certified Stains

Wood Stains on Amish Furniture

Certified Stains: The various Amish communities have certified special stains, for each different community, that are either made themselves, or made according to their exacting specifications by others in the Amish community.

This stain set is particularly for the Indiana Amish woodcrafters. Other communities use these colors too.

Commercial stains are a close approximation of many of these colors. If you have furniture you've bought elsewhere, it will still be a close match.

The finish is critical to the final beauty of the woodworking they do, so it must be the best to properly interact with the wood.

This is information you will need if you choose to get something through these lenses, through other Amish sites, or at the secure Amish Furniture Mall. These stains are in use, made by commerical application, and will likely match other pieces you have very closely.

Contact me for any questions, or if you need to match a stain that is not shown here.

Need information about caring for your solid wood furniture? Check out our
Free furniture care PDF

Click the following links if you would like to see a great selection of wood working supplies including stains, Finishes, Refinishing and Repair Supplies.

Unfinished furniture stain only: this would be your source

Finishworks LLC phone: (260)768-3220

The photos are distributed by the Amish craftsmen for internet or printed use. They are specific to the work of the craftsmen that we work with.

Anyone is welcome to use the textual information here, just link to this lense; and refer to it in your printed materials.

These pictures are a close approximation. Differences in wood and differences in computer monitor resolution and color mean that this can never be EXACT. It is close enough, though, to be a good resource when looking at wood stains.

I have added some helpful information and useful supplies at the bottom of the page. These are things that we use regularly and refer to often. I hope they will be helpful to you, too!

Natural Oak

No color, just bringing out the wood

This is an example of red oak finished naturally. Many homes have natural oak on their floors, woodwork, in their cabinets or as furniture pieces. The Amish craftsmen finely sand their woodwork, and then seal it with an extremely durable, easy care compound varnish. A natural finish will deepen and age naturally according to the light and environmental conditions in your home or office.

Harvest Honey Oak

Slightly richer than natural finishes.

Honey Oak stain has a tiny bit of honey color in the stain. The color comes from a heavier mixture of raw sienna and yellow ochre.

As it ages it will retain the golden color, even while deepening and darkening as all oak does with time.

Fruitwood

The fruitwood stain is very similar in its softened, warm look to teak.

The color is obtained by using three parts of burnt umber with 1 part raw sienna.

This stain is a great bridge between teak furniture and oak.

Used on cherry, will deepen and darken with age, time and environment (of course), but keep that particular hue much as teak has.

103 MX Oak

5 parts raw sienna and 3 parts burnt umber with a tiny bit of organic red, give this a reddish gold tone.

A popular mid-range stain that keeps the wood bright while it ages and darkens with time.

Seely Oak 104

Seely has a van dyke brown tone in it, with burnt umber, raw umber and burnt sienna.

In the dark-mid range of stains. Not as dark as walnut, and still some gold and red, it is good both in a slightly warm or slightly cool decor.

Black Walnut on Oak

Walnut is so beautiful that it is a standard when looking at browns. It has a touch of lamp black in the van dyke brown that makes it perfect for cool toned decors.

since brown is the new neutral, it contrasts well with more flamboyant accessories. It is drop-dead beautiful with red environments. If you can afford (or even find) GOOD walnut furniture, consider yourself blessed. If you want that look without paying vast sums of money, consider using a black walnut stain on your oak.

Acres on Oak

This is one of the darkest red stains that is available for oak. Burnt sienna, organic red and van dyke brown. The red is very deep and has an 'undertone' quality about it that is extremely satisfying. If you love the color of dark cherry or mahogany, but not the price, staining your hardwood oak pieces in Acres is an excellent transition. Preferred for formal decor.

Washington Cherry on Oak

Washington Cherry is 3 parts burnt sienna to 1 part raw sienna, with a touch of organic red, getting a dark cherry look, while keeping the wood and the color fresher, lighter. It has the depth of cherry without the serious formality of a very dark color.

108 S14 Oak

Raw and burnt sienna with burnt umber. Slightly peachy in tone, this softens stong grain lines and mixes well in warmer pastel color schemes. Fresh in a bright kitchen or sunroom.

mission oak

raw sienna and burnt umber with a touch of organic red make a beautiful stain with an almost candy-like appeal, wonderful in homey environments.

110 Med Oak

raw sienna and burnt umber create a medium dark oak that captures much of the darkening and aging your other pieces have had. a comfortable color to live with and a good mid way between lighter pieces and dark ones.

Boston Oak

a slightly old world cherry look to this oak color is obtained by raw and burnt sienna with burnt umber.

Provincial Oak

an antique oak look obtained with a tiny amount of lampblack in a mix of raw sienna and burnt umber.

Michael's Cherry

this is a special Amish stain that manages to creat an extraordinary depth in the grain, a beautiful reddish rich look that seems to glow from the inside out. I have not been told what their formula is, but if you love a darker look on your oak, you simply won't find anything that will enhance your grain in this way. spectacular on quarter sawn oak, it adds jewel tones to the distinctive grain rays- i've seen reds, greens and golds that are a genuine work of art and probably one of the most beautiful tabletops i've ever seen.

Old Time Amish Wood Floor Finish

Lasts many years

1 part raw linseed oil
1 part white vinegar
1 part turpentine

stain floor first. when dry, mix together ingredients and apply to floor.

Wowie! What Luck! Amish Hand Made Quilts

From a special auction

Natural Cherry

Brightens the natural redness of Cherry

The Amish use Pennsylvania Cherry in their woodworking. Cherry is loved for its subdued grain, its red color and how it deepens and darkens with age. The craftsmen finely sand the pieces they make, and finish with a clear, easy care compound varnish. While it will be quite light when it arrives in your home, with time and enviromental effects Cherry deepens and darkens with age.

Seely on Cherry

Seely has a van dyke brown tone in it, with burnt umber, raw umber and burnt sienna.

In the dark-mid range of stains. Not as dark as walnut, and still some gold and red, it is good both in a slightly warm or slightly cool decor.

In cherry, the red of the wood adds depth and drama to the red in the stain.

Acres on Cherry

This is one of the darkest red stains that is available for oak. Burnt sienna, organic red and van dyke brown. The red is very deep and has an 'undertone' quality about it that is extremely satisfying.

Preferred on cherry in formal settings, especially with a higher gloss to the finish.

Washington Cherry on Cherry

A lighter version of Acres red stain. Burnt sienna, organic red and van dyke brown. The red is deep but bright, and has an 'undertone' quality about it that is extremely satisfying. Preferred for formal decor that still wants a little light and 'pop' in their furniture.

108 S14 Cherry

Raw and burnt sienna with burnt umber. Slightly peachy in tone, this softens stong grain lines and mixes well in warmer pastel color schemes. Fresh in a bright kitchen or sunroom. Compare with the look on oak, above.

Boston Cherry

a slightly old world look to this color is obtained by raw and burnt sienna with burnt umber. Compare with this stain on oak, above.

Traditional Cherry

Burnt sienna with van dyke brown and organic red make the traditional coloring that we think of when we think of a dark cherry finish. traditional for a reason!

Old World Mission

raw sienna and burnt umber with a touch of organic red make a beautiful stain with an almost candy-like appeal, wonderful in homey environments. a combination from the old world tradional finishes

Light Danish Oil

both the dark and light danish oils are flat oil finishes that penetrate the wood, but do not receive the compound varnish finish. the light danish oil uses van dyke brown to obtain its light and beautiful color. the craftsman rubs the flat oil into your furniture in at least two coats and a paste wax. it is susceptible to dirt and dust and will require frequent cleaning and new wax applications on a regular basis.

Dark Danish Oil

both the dark and light danish oils are flat oil finishes that penetrate the wood, but do not receive the compound varnish finish. the dark danish oil uses more van dyke brown to obtain its darker and deeper color. the craftsman rubs the flat oil into your furniture in at least two coats and a paste wax. it is susceptible to dirt and dust and will require frequent cleaning and new wax applications on a regular basis.

Red Mahogany

8 to 1 mix of burnt sienna with organic red creates a coloring that matches imported red mahogany, but on your oak or cherry. in the darker range of stains.

Brown Mahogany

8 to 1 mix of van dyke brown with organic red creates a coloring that matches aged dark mahogany, but on your oak or cherry. in the darker range of stains.

Dining Room Furniture and Woodworking Supplies

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Light Walnut

Light walnut is obtained by a mixture of 4 parts burnt umber, 3 parts van dyke brown and 1 part raw sienna.

It brings out a true walnut color in a lighter tone and is a great transition if you have oak and walnut pieces or decor.

FT 815

white pickling

heavier than a white wash, it has twice the amount of flake white.

it is a true stain, not a paint and is beautiful in shabby chic decor, with white painted furniture or rattan, and in very light, well lit rooms.

FC2792

slightly pumpkin/brown in color it is created by burnt sienna, phthalo blue, burnt umber and burnt sienna.

Stains Only?

Amish Wood Stains

If all you need for your unfinished furniture project is the stain then there are 2 great sources:

For Amish Stains:
Finishworks Llc
8340 West USHighway 20
Shipshewana, IN 46565
phone: (260)768-3220

For other stains that you can order easily click here: Stains, Dyes and Finishes