Pickling is a term given to staining oak in a pastel color; most often pickling is done in white as a “whitewash.” Pickling was very popular in the 1980's and is still done today when a soft whitewash finish is desired.
Minwax makes a pre-mixed white pickling stain called "Pickled Oak." You could make your own stain by thinning down paint, as some do, but I find no advantage to using a homemade stain. All stains of any color, for that matter, can be homemade by using universal colorants into a clear stain base, but why jump through hoops to achieve something that is already pre-mixed and available?
Stain Application
The way to stain with an opaque pastel stain, as in white pickling, is to scrub the stain on (if you have added whitening) to work it into the pores of the oak, then wipe it off in the direction of the wood grain. You need to be constantly on the lookout for stain gathering in contours and grooves. Keep these areas cleanly stained without excess buildup. The end result should be a uniform white haze (some of the haze will be neutralized when you clear-coat over it.
For Best Results, Fill Pores
Oak has open pores which, when filled with colored filler, adds a nice design element to the pickling. However, most of the pickling I have encountered neglects this important element. To do the pickling and filling in one step, you will need to add a product called "whiting" to your stain, which will fill the pores of the wood when you apply the stain.
Use Non-Yellowing Clear Coat
A lot of pickling I have observed looks dingy and yellow after a few years as a result of using varnish or polyurethane over the top of the pickling. The problem with varnish and alkyd urethanes is that they yellow with age. I have always used shellac with the pickling I have done. Use fresh, clear-blond shellac. Old shellac does not dry properly and, if it has been in a metal can for a while, it may take on a rusty color from corrosion in the can. Thin the shellac with alcohol—about two parts de-natured alcohol to five parts shellac to keep film build to a minimum.
Adding a Bit of BIN
You will lose some of the whiteness of your pickling when you clear coat. If you want to restore and maintain the original level of whiteness, you can add a bit (but not too much) of white BIN shellac to you clear shellac to give it a white cast. Tinting your clear shellac is not absolutely necessary (and is a bit harder to apply), but it looks better. Test it out on a piece of scrap wood to be sure you have it right before proceeding with the project. It is important not to overdo the white tinting—less is better than too much. The shellac will be hard to apply uniformly if you get too much white tint in it. Work quickly with the shellac and don't re-brush over areas with the tinted shellac or you will get lapping. Just lay it on, lay it off and leave it.
Buff and Final Finish
Do two thin coats of lightly tinted white shellac, then buff it smooth with fine sandpaper. Finish with one more thin final coat of un-tinted, clear shellac.
See also Whitewash Wood Finishing for whitewashing pine and other blond woods without deep wood pores, such as those found in oak.
Pickling Oak
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Pickled Oak
