[JesusLovesYou]

Does anyone know why this stain is bleeding out into the rest of the wood? I have done several like this and it still bleeds through. I use deft before I carve out the names to keep the stain off the main part.

[Ashbys]

Looks like Basswood. All stains will expand with the grain. The ammount they move depends upon a lot of different things. Basswoood depending upon the moisture content can have different reactions even using the same stains.

Basswood or Lidden has a thread like grain. I think there is somewhere where on this board that explains that the word became know as Bassword because of a slang (lazy) language. the term comes from the fibers being used as a thread for basting clothing. This thread effect acts like a runway for stain. All wood grain will allow a certain amount of bleeding. Using a prestain will help offset this. But the moisture content being low and using a water based stain will increase the ammount of bleeding.

Options are using a fiber sealer before the stain. Paint which can also bleed or oiling the wood and using a water based stain as the oil will repel the stain.

If you have not had the problem before you have been lucky.

[xsailer]

Not an expert on fininshing but I'm sure it is because when cutting the letters it opens the end grain of the wood with in the cut of the letter itself. When you sprayed the surface of the wood you sealed what few wood grain was open along the face but within the letter cut itself you probably didn't get enough sealent (Deft in this case) to close the open wood end grain at letter edges. Consequently when applying the paint the open end grain sucked up the paint. There is a variety of techniqes to close the end grain.

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

yep xsailor is right, spray "after" you cut the letters as well.

[JesusLovesYou]

Thanks for the replies. I want the letters to stain dark. Will it still do this if I spray it before I stain it?

[Kenny_S]

Bob's suggestion is right on. Make sure you have the letter incisions/cuts are protected before staining. May want to spray several coats before staining.

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

yep, put the stain on and wipe off the surface leaving the stain in the cuts....that is done with chip carving too...

[xsailer]

If I wanted the letters to be colored I would not only spray, as you did, the whole board as well as the cut sides of the letters I would also get a brush similar to a small water color brush and paint the cut portion of the letters with your sealer (Deft in your case). I would of course let the earlier spray coat dry then brush on the additonal layer of your Deft and let it dry then add the stain.
I would suggest not using stain since it is designed as a penetrating solution. I would use paint as it is thicker and less likely to penetrate the wood.

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

Gel stain would work well too.

[xsailer]

JesusLoveYou,
We've all really overlooked the most important question, how are you going to fix it? I can think of a few ideas. Maybe just antiquing the natural wood area might cover up the bleed area? Have you given it any thought?