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Stains and dyesDye

CLT18

CLT18 Kromolux dye concentrate, mahogany

Kromolux concentrated transparent dye stain, mahogany. Very even colour and high strength, so you can go dark and still keep the wood clear. Cut with water or solvent, with or without a binder. Every dye in the range mixes with the others in any ratio.

  • Colouring all kinds of wood, veneer or solid
  • Dark, rich mahogany shades that keep the grain visible
  • A base for mixing your own shades with other Kromolux dyes

Mix calculator

g
Thinner750.0 %

When: Listed as an approved thinner on the official pages of the other Kromolux dyes (CLT1–CLT10).

Additive

Ratio 100 : 750.0

ComponentWeigh out
CLT18part A58.8 g
LZC97Thinner441 g
Total500 g

Covers roughly 5.56 m² at 90 g/m².

Ask about CLT18

Answers are based on the CLT18 data and the products it mixes with.

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Mixing matrix

  • S10Thinner
    % by weight: 500–1000 %dealer% by volume: 500–1000 %dealer

    Fast thinner with high cutting power: stains on fine-pored timber (catalog). The example species (beech, birch, maple, alder, cherry) and the cool-shop tip are ours, not the catalog's. The dealer labels S10 'thinner for PE'; SG 0.790 (official S10 page).

    500–1000 % means 5 to 10 parts thinner to 1 part concentrate. More thinner = lighter, more transparent shade.

  • S12Thinner
    % by weight: 500–1000 %dealer% by volume: 500–1000 %dealer

    Medium evaporation: stains on medium-pored timber (catalog). Dealer and official page call it 'thinner for NC', 'suitable for cutting dyes'. Making S12 the default is our recommendation, not Technocolor's.

    500–1000 % means 5 to 10 parts thinner to 1 part concentrate. More thinner = lighter, more transparent shade.

  • S90Thinner
    % by weight: 500–1000 %dealer% by volume: 500–1000 %dealer

    Slow evaporation: stains on open-pored timber (catalog). Dealer: 'slow thinner for dyes'. The example species (oak, ash, walnut) and using it on big panels or in hot weather to avoid stripes are our advice.

    500–1000 % means 5 to 10 parts thinner to 1 part concentrate. More thinner = lighter, more transparent shade.

  • LZC97Thinner
    % by weight: 500–1000 %official% by volume: 500–1000 %official

    Listed as an approved thinner on the official pages of the other Kromolux dyes (CLT1–CLT10).

    The CLT18 page and the dealer don't list LZC97. The data comes from sibling pages in the same series (same chemistry). LZC97's own properties are unpublished.

  • WATERThinner
    % by weight: 500–1000 %dealer% by volume: 500–1000 %dealer

    Water dilution, when you want a solvent-free stain. Deionised water only.

    Dealer note: use only deionised water, or the dye can flocculate and lose colour stability in the can. Water raises the grain, so wet, dry and sand the wood before staining (official wood-prep page).

  • CFH1Additive
    % by weight: 0–200 %dealer% by volume: 0–200 %dealer

    Spray binder for the solvent-borne system: use it when the concentrate is cut with S10/S12/S90.

    0 % = straight dye, no binder. The binder locks the dye in, cuts bleed into the next sealer coat and evens out absorption. The solvent/water pairing comes from the dealer table (CFH1 / CFS1 = 'solvent-borne / water-borne spray binder').

  • CFS1Additive
    % by weight: 0–200 %dealer% by volume: 0–200 %dealer

    Spray binder for the water-borne system: use it when the concentrate is cut with deionised water.

    Solvent/water pairing per the dealer table. The official CLT10 page lists CFS1 only.

Percentages are per 100 parts of component A.

Characteristics

Viscosity
24 ± 2 s (cup not stated; Technocolor convention is VZ-4/DIN4)dealer
Drying · Touch-dry
10–30recommended
Drying · Overcoat (min)
30–120recommended
Drying · Conditions
20 °C, 50–65 % RH (assumed)
Lightfastness
Catalog: pigment stains are the ones with high hiding power and lightfastness; transparent dyes are noted for saturated, bright colour. Inference: expect a transparent dye like CLT18 to be less lightfast than a pigment stain.catalog
Colour strength
Higher concentration than ordinary stains, so dark shades stay transparentofficial

Colours

  • CLT18 · mahogany

Application

HVLP

Nozzle
1–1.3 (typ. 1.2) mmrecommended
Pressure · air
1.5–2 barrecommended
Spray viscosity
10–12 s DIN4recommended
Consumption
80–100 g/m²dealer
Wet film
95–125 µmrecommended
Coats
1–2recommended
Flash-off
5–15recommended
Recoat
30–120 minrecommended
Sanding between coats
Never sand the stain itself. You cut through the colour on edges. Denib only after the first sealer coat.recommended

15–20 cm from the work, 50 % overlap, gun square to the surface, steady speed. Back off the fluid on vertical panels. Do edges and ends first, then the face.

Conventional spray

Nozzle
1.2–1.4 mmrecommended
Pressure · air
2.5–3.5 barrecommended
Consumption
80–100 g/m²dealer

More overspray than HVLP, but often more even on large surfaces.

Airmix (air-assisted airless)

Nozzle
0.18–0.23 mmrecommended
Pressure · fluid
8–20 barrecommended
Pressure · air
1–2 barofficial
Consumption
80–100 g/m²dealer

For production runs. Skip airless for stain: too much material, and it blotches.

Process and compatibility

Substrate preparation
Sand solid wood or veneer to P150–P180 (open-pored up to P180, fine-pored P180–P220) and de-dust. If you dilute with water, pre-wet, dry and knock back the raised grain first.recommended
Goes over
bare wood
Goes under
ATS20
Sanding
Don't sand the stain. The first denib goes on the first sealer coat.recommended
Temperature and humidity
15–25 °C, RH 50–70 %; above ~25 °C use slow S90recommended
Don'ts
  • Don't cut it with tap water. Deionised only (dealer).
  • Don't lay it on in one heavy coat. You get blotches and runs.
  • Don't seal before the solvent or water has fully gone.

Storage

Packaging
1 L,5 Ldealer

Safety: (Generic advice, not from an SDS.) Once cut with S10/S12/S90 it is highly flammable. Spray in an extracted booth, wear an A2-filter respirator and nitrile gloves, and keep it away from ignition sources. I couldn't find an SDS for CLT18.

Mixed into

CLT10 / CLT3

Sources

Value tags: “official”, “dealer”, “catalog”, “schedule” are Technocolor data; “workshop” is from our own datasheets; “recommended” is our engineering estimate (hover to see the reasoning).

Not covered by the sources
  • Solids content, density and flash point of the concentrate are not published (official, dealer and catalog all checked)
  • Viscosity unit/cup is not stated by the dealer ('24±2')
  • No official drying or overcoat times; the times given are derived
  • No shelf life or storage temperature
  • No lightfastness rating specific to CLT18
  • No Technocolor/Milesi TDS or SDS PDF could be retrieved. A Milesi US SDS exists only for CLT5 (atlanticplywood.com, returns 403); wurthlac/wurthmachinery/ldss pages have no specs
  • The official CLT18 page has only the property text: no method, thinner or binder block (taken from the dealer, plus LZC97 from sibling pages)
  • CLT series is not in the 2025-2026 catalog (it lists CTU/CPS/CTH instead)
  • No official finishing schedule uses CLT18
  • Properties of LZC97, CFH1 and CFS1 are not published (dealer pages for CFS1 return 404)