So I searched out a bunch of posts in the archive about making your own wipe on finish. I used a stain I got from the Benjamin-Moore store in the Old Masters line which is solvent based. I put it on with a rag and wiped it off with a clean(er) rag on Friday. Dry time is said to be 4 to 6 hours. On Sunday, I started wiping on a finish of gloss poly from Zinsser, using about a 50-50 mix of finish and mineral spirits. This finish is actually supposed to be a 15 minute dry finish. My plan is to wipe on the gloss, and then top coat by brush with the satin. I’m doing just plain book shelves from oak plywood with iron on edge banding. The shelves will mount on wall brackets – nothing particularly fancy, but I am finishing top and bottom along with the three finished edges, and some finish on the raw back edge.
So my question is about the stain coming off with the wipe on poly. By the time I was finished with one side (about 140 sq ft) I just about had glaze in my bucket. It certainly doesn’t seem to have hurt anything, and as I said these are simple shelves, but I was wondering if wipe on finishes are not designed to go over stains? Or only over non-solvent stains or something? Did I do anything wrong that I should try and correct? I put 6 coats on so far, but I still need to do the other side.
Thanks!
Replies
The stain you used is a pigment stain. Pigment stains color mostly by staying on the wood surface. To hold the pigment on the surface a small amount of resin(varnish) is added.
When you wipe on the first coat of finish, or agressively brush on the first coat, you partially dissolve or abrade off some of the pigment. This is what you are seeing.
The solution is to first let the stain dry at least 48 hours. Then rather tenderly wipe or brush on a first coat of clear finish thinned 25-30%. Use minimal movement. Let this dry 24 hours, sand flat using 320 paper and then apply your top coats.
Like I said, no harm done as far as I can tell. I probably didn't wipe off the surplus stain as well as I should have.
Howie is right: if you're going to use a wipe-on finish over a pigmented stain, you have to let it dry for a long time. And sometimes, even 48 hours is not enough.
I would suggest that you put a dewaxed shellac (Zinsser Seal Coat) over the stain. Then you can proceed with your wipe-on coats with no fear of lifting the stain.
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I don't think I lifted enough stain to change the look at all with regard to REMOVING stain. Ending up with glaze in the bucket might have changed the last boards a bit. I was originally thinking of shellac period, but I'm not good enough with a brush. These shelves are already too involved, finish wise. That's why I tried the wipe on finish. Nearly 200 sq ft total of boards - it is all taking too long and I don't have the space. Had to leave the car in the driveway for weeks just to get this far, and I still have one side to do with the wipe on, and both sides with the final coat that I think I will brush on.
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