How to lighten wood stain colour

[Rupster]

I have a dark oak colour spirit-based wood stain.

Can I lighten the colour to medium oak by diluting with white spirit?

I'm assuming you haven't yet applied the stain to the wood because it's a whole different process if you have. If you have some dark stain you want to apply but wish for a lighter result adding white spirit will make the result patchy and not great. I'd advise buying a new stain in the colour you want. If you are just staining something very small you might get away with it. Can you do a patch test on the underneath where it's not visible

I think you will get better results by colouring the wood however you want with a dye, then applying a clear varnish over the top.

See example photo.

Colron, Liberon, Blackfriar and Wilco have good ranges of wood dyes. use the spirit based ones, not the water based "refined" which is not much good. I particularly recommend the Wilco ones. You can order online if your local branch does not have good stocks. The instructions usually say wipe on with a rag, but you can do it with a lightly dipped soft, natural-bristle paint brush, not leaving the surface wet as it will absorb immediately. You must work along the grain.

I like the satin "Diamond" water-based floor varnishes for indoor work. Outdoors, you will need a flexible, breathing treatment and will probably get black or blue mould stain.

Wilko.

it is dye, not stain.

Thanks.

I've now bought Liberon light oak wood dye, and this looks like what I"m after. I've tested it on a small area of the wood which is out of sight.