Replies

1. 
   RW | Sep 23, 2002 02:14am | #1

   You might have more luck with responses doing a search of previous threads. You will find extensive commentary. The back of FWW June 2002 (#156) also details multiple options. More words there than you'll get here. Good luck

2. 
   Paul_Snyder | Sep 23, 2002 02:15am | #2

   Gary;

   Welcome to the forum!

   Do you have a certain color you'd like to stain the pine end tables?

   You're right that pine blotches and thick gel stains work a lot better than penetrating stains. Bartleys and WoodKote both make thick gel stains that will do a nice job. Generally, the light and medium colors tend to blotch less.

   One stain I like a lot on pine is Zar Honey Maple (see ugl.com for a local distributor). Here's a picture of a little pine step stool stained with Honey Maple. You can't see it in the picture, but the stain adds nice depth to the wood - it "shimmers" as you look at it from different angles.

   View Image

   Paul

   F'burg, VA

1. 
   GaryS45 | Sep 24, 2002 02:47am | #6

   Hi Paul

   Thanks for the help!!!

    I was planning on going with a dark stain.

    I have also heard ,that if I was going to use a penetrating stain, put it on with a brush then use a rag to wipe off the excess in about 10-15 minutes.  Does this make sense? I think the reason behind this is to get it on evenly and quicker to help combat blotching. 

    If I use a gel stain I would assume I would put it on with a rag. How thick would I put it on and how long should I wait to wipe off the excess

    Gary

1. 
   Paul_Snyder | Sep 24, 2002 03:47am | #7

   Hi Gary,

   It is possible to "flood" the wood with a penetrating stain to the point where blotching is not very noticeable. For example, I use Minwax on pine sometimes and will soak the wood with the stain, rubbing it in with a soaking wet rag, wring the rag out a little, then wipe the wood - leaving an even, wet coat of stain. If you wipe all the excess stain from the surface of the wood as recommended, the blotching will be a lot more apparent. This takes some practice - especially on large pieces and pieces that aren't completely flat.

   This is a pine bookcase I did using Minwax "Red Mahogany" with this technique;

   View Image

   Another technique is to stain the wood per the directions and let it dry completely, then apply another coat of the stain wiping the excess with a rag that is damp with stain (wrung out). You can apply a few coats of stain for even coloring. Since Minwax is mostly dye, not pigment, you can get a lot of color on the wood and still see the wood grain very well. To make the Minwax dry faster, add a cap of japan drier to each quart of stain before using and stir it in - the stain will dry overnight.

   If you use a gel stain, wipe it on an area quickly and wipe it off right away. Gel stains start to get tacky very fast. You can also apply more than one coat of gel stains if you let each coat dry overnight. Bartleys recommends 3 coats of their gel stain on their kit furniture.

   Whichever stain you want to use, do some samples first - the larger the sample the better.

   Paul

   F'burg, VA

2. 
   davamoore | Sep 24, 2002 04:33pm | #8

   Gary, lots of great advice so far.  With all of it in mind, my preferred method of staining pine is to apply a thin coat of shellac first, as a sealer, and then go forward with whatever stain/finish (gel or otherwise) I'm using for that particular project/purpose.

   As was said before, this does keep the stain from penetrating as deeply into the wood.  There are costs/benefits to that, as with any woodworking choice.

   One final thought... in my experience, the darker the stain, the greater the difference between the dark and light wood.  In other words, if you're planning to go with a darker stain, you should definitely take steps to avoid the "zebra" striping... it becomes less of an issue (for me) as the stain becomes lighter.

   DavidHmmm... the garden or the workshop today?

3. 
   DonaldCBrown | Sep 23, 2002 03:01am | #3

   You're right about gel stains. They sit on the surface and won't cause blotching. For a non-blotching penetrating stain, which will produce a clearer color, you might want to try water-based dye stains. They're a little more trouble, but they produce a nice blotch-free color. They also will raise the grain of the wood, but that takes only a light sanding to knock the raised fibers down.

4. 
   ejwill | Sep 23, 2002 09:57pm | #4

   Gary,

   Your previous posts gave good advice about gel stains and water based dyes, so I thought in the interest of fairness, penetrating stain should get its turn.

   I have had occasion over the years to use over-the-counter oil-based stains to match a client's existing furniture and found that using a "wood conditioner", such as Minwax's Wood Conditioner, is a satisfactory choice.  You apply this product right on bare wood, let it dry to 5-15 minutes and wipe off any excess.  Then, apply your 1st coast of stain within 2 hours.  You will obtain good uniform coverage and this type of product works particularly well with pine.  It also helps that it is readily available at your home center.

   Just another alternative.  Good Luck,

   John

1. 
   DonaldCBrown | Sep 23, 2002 10:43pm | #5

   I've certainly used my share of wood conditioner and thin shellac (which has the same effect), but I think Gary should be aware of what the conditioner is doing. The effect is to seal the pores of the wood so that the stain won't soak in unevenly and cause blotching. You're really coloring only the surface (as with gel stains) rather than getting a true penetrating finish.

5. 
   luna3 | Sep 25, 2002 12:52pm | #9

   I can't add much to what has been offered. I am finishing several pine pieces for the bedroom and will be using an oil based penetrating stain by Cabot. I've decided to go with a wash coat of 1lb cut shellac as a sealer, which I guess is sort of a traditional approach. I'll brush it on then hit it with 400 grit as per the directions on the can suggest.

1. 
   GaryS45 | Sep 28, 2002 01:30am | #10

   Thanks for all the advice.

    Since I  spent so much time making the tables I will try both types of stain( penetrating and gel) on some scrap first. There is no need to rush the final part of the job.I will let you know how they come out.

    This was my first try in this Forum, I received some really great advice.

    I thank you all.

   Gary