So, there’s something that I’ve been wondering for a while, and what I’ve been hearing is a lot of mixed feedback. If I were to want to make an intricate design, but still wanted the wood grain to show through, is it possible to use wood stains as if they were paint? Or is there some aspect of wood staining that makes that difficult/impossible?
Usually wood stain has a thin viscosity compared to other types of finishes that allows it to penetrate the material. That means it may spread to other unwanted areas. One idea is to lightly engrave the material and use UV activated epoxy that is dyed the desired color as an inlay. UV epoxy sets within a few minutes under concentrated UV light.
Another bleed prevention sealer is a thin coat of shellac.
The could work well if you’re using an oil-based stain.
Test the combo on some scrap before you commit.