# gel stain or regular stain?



## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

I'm a fan of gel stain, I've been able to get a nice even finish with every time.
Just read the directions, I had a customer that want to "save" money and stain all the stair parts himself on a set of steps I had built.
He calls days later and is yelling at me for suggesting he use gel stain.
He had applied two layers with a brush and never wiped it off with a rag.
Guess it's true men hate reading the directions right on the can.
Make sure the wall and counter top gets covered, and ware rubber gloves, there's a reason they call it stain.


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## french_guy (Sep 11, 2012)

I've sanded so far at #80.....
Should I sand again at #120 or even #220 to smooth the wood?
Then should I use the Minwax wood conditioner?
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Minwax-1-qt-Pre-Stain-Wood-Conditioner-61500/100127213


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## Jmayspaint (May 4, 2013)

Would be good to go over it again with 120. Sand with the wood grain. I don't see much advantage to using conditioner on oak. It's more for soft woods, oak is hard and has more consistent grain.


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## ddawg16 (Aug 15, 2011)

I've tried the gel stains and don't care for them. I guess this is about the only thing Joecaption and I don't agree on. The big problem for me is getting the stain into the tight corners.

I really hate the water based stains. 

That 80 grit is too rough for stain. You need to go over it again with 120 and then 220.

I would suggest going over everything with a pre-stain. I prefer the petroleum based over water based, but water based works ok...just raises more of the grain.

After you apply the pre-stain, it does a good job of showing you any scratch marks. If you have any, sand those out. The pre-stain also gives you a more even look with the stain.

Follow the pre-stain with another quick sanding with 220 grit to knock down any raised grain. 

Use your vacuum cleaner to suck up any dust on your pieces...especially the corners. Then wipe with a good clean cloth....vacuum again. (I do mine in the garage so I use compressed air).

Apply either stain. Wear rubber gloves. I prefer a piece of white t-shirt...usually cut in about a 6"x6" size. As the stain gets soaked up and the cloth dries, I go back and use the same cloth to wipe the stained areas.

When you think you have it right....go back with the same cloth and wipe some more.

Let it dry completely. I'd give it a few days before applying your clear coats. Since this is in your house, I'd go with water based. For darker colors I prefer oil based because they tend to yellow just a little and add to the look. Water based do not yellow.

Use a foam brush to apply the clear. The first coat is going to get soaked up pretty good.

I use 000 steel wool to 'sand' between coats. Make sure you vacuum it real well each time otherwise the steel gets left in the corners and the water based sealer will cause it to rust.

When done....post some pics up.


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## ZZZZZ (Oct 1, 2014)

I'll just add, whichever stain you buy, test it out on a small scrap of the same kind of wood as the cabinet. If you don't have a scrap, test it out on the back of the cabinet or inside of the front, or on the side, or wherever it won't show as the final product.

The color of stain shown on the cans isn't always 100% accurate, and even if it is accurate, it may look somewhat different on your particular piece of wood. So test it out.

Good luck and have fun with it!


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## french_guy (Sep 11, 2012)

ddawg16 said:


> I've tried the gel stains and don't care for them. I guess this is about the only thing Joecaption and I don't agree on. The big problem for me is getting the stain into the tight corners.
> 
> I really hate the water based stains.
> 
> ...


What do you mean by "pre-stain": A 1st coat of stain?


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## ZZZZZ (Oct 1, 2014)

french_guy said:


> What do you mean by "pre-stain": A 1st coat of stain?


Pre-stain is a special wood conditioner product, such as: 

http://www.minwax.com/wood-products/preparation/minwax-prestain-wood-conditioner


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## french_guy (Sep 11, 2012)

ZZZZZ said:


> Pre-stain is a special wood conditioner product, such as:
> 
> http://www.minwax.com/wood-products/preparation/minwax-prestain-wood-conditioner


I thought it was not required on hard wood such as oak?
Should I put some ?


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## ZZZZZ (Oct 1, 2014)

french_guy said:


> I thought it was not required on hard wood such as oak?
> Should I put some ?


Generally true. 

On oak, rather than pre-stain, you can use a wood grain filler, such as 
http://www.myoldmasters.com/products-woodprep-filler.htm

This helps fill in and minimize the large open grain patterns found in most oak.


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## jeffnc (Apr 1, 2011)

I agree with ddawg on pretty much everything. Actually I haven't like any gel product for stain or paint.

For sanding, I would go from 120 to 180. 220 is really fine and you could actually use that instead of steel wool between coats if you're careful with it. If you follow the instructions on the finish, you might or might not need to do anything between coats. But if they offer 2 options - such as recoat within 2 hours, otherwise wait 24 hours then sand before recoating - I'd take the sanding option. This is not for adherence, because you could have achieved that by recoating within 2 hours. It's for smoothing out the finish to correct any dust particles or whatever that can get in the way of a perfect finish.

If you use a wood filler, then I would use a wood conditioner (pre-stain) first.


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## french_guy (Sep 11, 2012)

Apparently, the wood filler mentioned above must be mixed with the stain, right (2 parts filler / 1 part stain)?


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## ZZZZZ (Oct 1, 2014)

french_guy said:


> Apparently, the wood filler mentioned above must be mixed with the stain, right (2 parts filler / 1 part stain)?


That is what this mfg recommends. Other brands may recommend other mixing ratios.


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## french_guy (Sep 11, 2012)

Instructions say to apply with a soft brush, let set for 5 to 15 min then remove the excess with a burlap type rag
Where do I find this type of rag?


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## ZZZZZ (Oct 1, 2014)

french_guy said:


> Instructions say to apply with a soft brush, let set for 5 to 15 min then remove the excess with a burlap type rag
> Where do I find this type of rag?


You can just use on old clean towel.


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## ddawg16 (Aug 15, 2011)

What you using? Gel or liquid? If gel, use the brush. If liquid, use part of an old t-shirt. I don't use towels due to the lint that comes off them.

Make sure you wear rubber gloves. Get the blue type that are sold for mechanics use. Don't use latex. They will fall apart.


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## ZZZZZ (Oct 1, 2014)

ddawg16 said:


> What you using? Gel or liquid? If gel, use the brush. If liquid, use part of an old t-shirt. I don't use towels due to the lint that comes off them.
> 
> Make sure you wear rubber gloves. Get the blue type that are sold for mechanics use. Don't use latex. They will fall apart.


Plenty of lint comes off of burlap, too. Not sure why the mfg would recommend that?


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## french_guy (Sep 11, 2012)

ddawg16 said:


> What you using? Gel or liquid? If gel, use the brush. If liquid, use part of an old t-shirt. I don't use towels due to the lint that comes off them.
> 
> Make sure you wear rubber gloves. Get the blue type that are sold for mechanics use. Don't use latex. They will fall apart.


I will use the liquid stain (Minwax - Red mahogany 225) 
So I will mix 2:1 with Oldmaster woodgrain filler (hoping I can find it at Lowes or HomeDepot) and apply with an old t-shirt


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## ZZZZZ (Oct 1, 2014)

french_guy said:


> I will use the liquid stain (Minwax - Red mahogany 225)
> So I will mix 2:1 with Oldmaster woodgrain filler (hoping I can find it at Lowes or HomeDepot) and apply with an old t-shirt


I bought some recently, thanks to a tip from a fellow DIYer in another thread here. Very good price.

http://www.hardwareworld.com/Woodgrain-Filler-Natural-~-Quart-pEC0RR1.aspx


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## ddawg16 (Aug 15, 2011)

french_guy said:


> I will use the liquid stain (Minwax - Red mahogany 225)
> So I will mix 2:1 with Oldmaster woodgrain filler (hoping I can find it at Lowes or HomeDepot) and apply with an old t-shirt


I think we are talking about 2 different things here.

If your patching some holes....mix the stain and wood filler as noted and apply with putty knife.

Once it's dry....sand. 

I would use the pre-stain. Several reasons. The cabinet is going to have some fairly large areas and the pre-stain will help keep it more uniform. The pre-stain will also help you find any scratches (they show up as you wife it). And it will raise the grain slightly. Sand that with 220 paper and you will end up with a nice surface.

Once you have done the above, that old piece of t-shirt is now ready.

I was doing some staining yesterday. As soon as I get the pics uploaded I'll post them.


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## jeffnc (Apr 1, 2011)

Burlap was probably recommended because it's rough, and better at removing extra stain. But honestly any clean cloth with a bit of elbow grease works fine. An older cloth that has been washed several times will have little if any lint. It's good to rub firmly to get the best result in terms of having a little too much stain and tint in one area than another, just IMO.


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## french_guy (Sep 11, 2012)

ddawg16 said:


> I think we are talking about 2 different things here.
> 
> If your patching some holes....mix the stain and wood filler as noted and apply with putty knife.
> 
> ...


I thought i would need to apply the Oldmaster woodgrain filler (mixed with stain) on the ENTIRE surface to get asmoother grain
Is it not required?


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## ddawg16 (Aug 15, 2011)

french_guy said:


> I thought i would need to apply the Oldmaster woodgrain filler (mixed with stain) on the ENTIRE surface to get asmoother grain
> Is it not required?


NO....good lord.....that would be a lot of work. 

Mixing the stain with the filler is just a way of insuring you get a good match. I only do this if it's a large area to fix or it's in a real obvious spot.


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## ddawg16 (Aug 15, 2011)

Here are a couple of pics of what I was working on yesterday.

BTW....it's Birch

After Pre-stain



After stain...but no clear coat. I'll do that after I get the other piece done.


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## french_guy (Sep 11, 2012)

ddawg16 said:


> NO....good lord.....that would be a lot of work.
> 
> Mixing the stain with the filler is just a way of insuring you get a good match. I only do this if it's a large area to fix or it's in a real obvious spot.


I haven't seen any spots that need repair...
So I will sand down to #180 or #220, then apply the Minwax Pre-stain, and then the stain (within the 2 hours timeframe recommended)


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## ToolSeeker (Sep 19, 2012)

Why would you use filler unless you are going to paint? If you are going to stain you don't want to fill the grain it will look bad. On vertical surfaces I really like the gel stains. Easier to control the color. And for oak you don't need pre conditioners, they are for woods like pine and poplar which are soft except for the sapwood which is harder. With these woods the stain soaks in different and can give a splotchy look. This doesn't happen with oak.


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## ZZZZZ (Oct 1, 2014)

The woodgrain filler I suggested to the OP is for staining. That's why the mfg says to mix the filler with the final oil stain (as opposed to say mineral spirits). 

I'm not even sure they recommend using this filler under paint.

This stuff is not a typical wood putty, it is a filler, to help close the wide open grain of most oak and other woods. The objective is to minimize the large swirling cathedral grains and make it look and stain more like straight-grained oak. 

Lots more info here: http://www.myoldmasters.com/products-woodprep-filler.htm


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## french_guy (Sep 11, 2012)

This is the cabinet I'm refinishing...
Is it oak by the way?
And finally should I:
1) Stain directly?
OR
2) Apply the pre-stain and then stain?
OR
3) Apply woodgrain filler mixed with stain?
For option #3, should I apply a coat of pre-stain before ?

Without asking on this forum, i would have just done option #1......!!!
But looks like there are a lot of knowledgeable people here, so I want to do it right :thumbsup:


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## Jmayspaint (May 4, 2013)

Grain filling for stain work is a new concept to me as well. I can see the idea of mixing stain with the filler to help it blend more uniformly with the color of the stained wood, but even so I highly doubt the filler is going to be exactly the same color as the wood. Not that it would necessarily look bad, but seems like the fact that it had been filled would be obvious. 

I have grain filled several sets of oak cabinets as prep for painting, but never heard of grain filling for staining until now. Interesting, but I'm struggling to understand the point of doing it..


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## ddawg16 (Aug 15, 2011)

I know what some have said about hardwoods not needing pre-stain....but I've had better results using it....especially on larger areas like the door panels. 

Put it this way....the pre-stain will NOT make things worse. But it does raise the grain allowing you to sand it again and get an even smoother finish.

So...I vote option 2


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## ddawg16 (Aug 15, 2011)

Jmayspaint said:


> Grain filling for stain work is a new concept to me as well. I can see the idea of mixing stain with the filler to help it blend more uniformly with the color of the stained wood, but even so I highly doubt the filler is going to be exactly the same color as the wood. Not that it would necessarily look bad, but seems like the fact that it had been filled would be obvious.
> 
> I have grain filled several sets of oak cabinets as prep for painting, but never heard of grain filling for staining until now. Interesting, but I'm struggling to understand the point of doing it..


I agree. When staining, you want to see the grain....otherwise, why stain? So what if you can feel the grain. Put enough clear coats on and it becomes a moot point.


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## french_guy (Sep 11, 2012)

ddawg16 said:


> I know what some have said about hardwoods not needing pre-stain....but I've had better results using it....especially on larger areas like the door panels.
> 
> Put it this way....the pre-stain will NOT make things worse. But it does raise the grain allowing you to sand it again and get an even smoother finish.
> 
> So...I vote option 2


Looking at the picture, can you confirm it's oak?


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## Jmayspaint (May 4, 2013)

ddawg16 said:


> I know what some have said about hardwoods not needing pre-stain....but I've had better results using it....especially on larger areas like the door panels.
> 
> Put it this way....the pre-stain will NOT make things worse. But it does raise the grain allowing you to sand it again and get an even smoother finish.
> 
> So...I vote option 2



I'm curious what pre-stain your referring to. The ones I'm familiar with, such as the Minwax variety, need to be stained over within a couple hours. They are basically only effective until the solvents evaporate. Are you sanding in this two hour window? I know what you mean about raising the grain. 

I pretty much agree that it wouldn't really hurt anything to use a pre-stain. The only undesirable effect may be an overall lightening of the color. Pre-stain works by limiting stain absorption. This is important on soft woods because some areas of the wood may absorb way too much stain leading to a blotchy appearance and some very dark spots in the wood. On a hardwood like oak, the only effect will be an overall lightening of the color. 

Honestly, I suspect that pre-stain is little more than paint thinner. The MSDS of Minwax pre-stain gives the main ingredient as %90 Medium Aliphatic Hydrocarbon Solvent. This is the same main ingredient in paint thinner. Not to say that that last %10 couldn't be important, but in tests I've done on pine and poplar mineral spirits applied to the wood shortly before staining had the same effect as using the pre-stain. 

The idea of the stuff is just to partially fill up the grain of a soft wood so it doesn't absorb too much stain in the "soft spots" 

Yes, the cabinets in the pictures are oak.


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## french_guy (Sep 11, 2012)

That is a good point:
_"Are you sanding in this two hour window? I know what you mean about raising the grain"_
Once the pre-stain is applied and knowing the stain must be applied within 2 hours, how long should I wait to sand before staining?


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## Two Knots (Nov 12, 2011)

You did a great job on stripping that cabinet.
It looks like oak to me with the caracteristic dark cathederials. 

I do all the finishing on our home projects, I first rag on
Boiled linseed oil. Wait the required three days and then stain.

I've had great luck with minwax oil stains. 
After you rag on the stain and wait 24 to 48 hours you can lightly
Sand then apply your final finish of poly.

I make my own mix of poly with one part 'gloss' poly, one part linseed
Oil and one part terpentine...lightly sand between coats. On the final coat
You can take it down by lightly sanding to a soft luster.
Joann


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## french_guy (Sep 11, 2012)

Boiled linseed oil?Is it better than the Minwax pre-stain?


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## Two Knots (Nov 12, 2011)

Here is a pic of the TV mantle with matching bookcase and DVD case.
This was all made from re-cycled oak wood. This wood was formally
Church kneelers that we stripped and planed.

Here's the link.


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## ddawg16 (Aug 15, 2011)

french_guy said:


> Boiled linseed oil?Is it better than the Minwax pre-stain?


Hah.....been doing some research have we?

That was how they used to do it....it's a great way to seal the end grain on wood.

But, you're over thinking it. Use the water based pre-stain....wipe it down....fix any spots that show up....quick sand with 220....wipe again with a soft cloth to remove dust.....STAIN

Then grab a beer and admire your work.

BTW...what color are you going with?


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## Two Knots (Nov 12, 2011)

french_guy said:


> Boiled linseed oil?Is it better than the Minwax pre-stain?


don't know, never used pre-stain, as I've had great luck with BLO
It penetrates all the dark areas, thus the dark areas in oak don't
Look so dark and busy. 
I did an antique wash stand this way, after I sanded and stripped
All the paint off...it is oak, and I previously painted it green (what was
I thinking?) after I stripped it down, I applied Blo waited three days 
Until it was thoroughly dry...then applied the stain, them the poly mix
I made. I always rag on all my finishes, never use a brush. It always turns out
nice and even...
even poplar which in my opinion is hard to get a good matching clean and smooth finish -- I 
used the same method I described above. 
this is the popular mantle we did dividing out LR & DR...
I'll get you the oak cabinet I did next ( it's on my other computer)


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## Two Knots (Nov 12, 2011)

This is the 100 year old plus wash stand. I painted it cause it was a ugly blackish 
stain job. All the dark parts in the wood were black. 

After it was thoroughly sanded and stripped, I applied a thin coat of BLO
and waited three days for it to dry...
then I mixed minwax stain to get the color to match my existing bedroom
furniture ...I used two different colors, kept experimenting on scrap wood.
then I ragged on the stain, and wiped it down. 
again I waited, between 24 and 48 hours for the stain to thoroughly dry.

I lightly sanded using 0000 steel wood, then wiped it down with a tac rag. 


Then applied the poly mix I mentioned above, waiting 24 to 48 hours
for the first coat to dry, then applied a couple more coats.

I always use gloss poly (minwax) as it has no pigments in it to dull it down,
unlike semi-gloss
I prefer to rub it down myself after the final coat...sometimes, I just rub
it down with a piece of denim.


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## french_guy (Sep 11, 2012)

Two Knots said:


> don't know, never used pre-stain, as I've had great luck with BLO
> It penetrates all the dark areas, thus the dark areas in oak don't
> Look so dark and busy.
> I did an antique wash stand this way, after I sanded and stripped
> ...


Wow...looks beautiful


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## french_guy (Sep 11, 2012)

ddawg16 said:


> Hah.....been doing some research have we?
> 
> That was how they used to do it....it's a great way to seal the end grain on wood.
> 
> ...


yeah, I guess I'm over thinking this.....:jester:
I will use Minwax Wood Finish Red Mahogany 225
Right now, I've sanded at #120, and vacuumed everything 
Is it OK to apply the pre-stain or should I sand 1 more time at #180 or #220?
Why do you mention a water based pre-stain? I was planning to use that one:
http://www.minwax.com/wood-products/preparation/minwax-prestain-wood-conditioner


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## ddawg16 (Aug 15, 2011)

I would hit it with 220 before the pre-stain


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## Two Knots (Nov 12, 2011)

If you look at the doors you'll see how busy flat sawn oak can be with
the dark characteristic cathedrals. The BLO allows the stain not to asorbe 
in those areas. Here's the top. Without the BLO, the dark wood would take
on the stain much darker. (that's what I dislike about flat sawn oak, I prefer
to make things with Quarter sawn and rift sawn oak) 

BTW...These is no fuss or finessing when using BLO, even a novice will
get good results...just make sure you don't rush it and it's thoroughly
dry before staining. Hope this helps.


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## ddawg16 (Aug 15, 2011)

It might be too late now, but I have a preference for the Watco oil stains. But that is me. 

I typically sand about 30 min after the pre-stain. Long enough to clean my hands and have a beer. 

Your actual staining project is going to take you at least an hour or more. 

I would pull out the drawers and stain the face frame first. It will give you a chance to get the hang of it and if there are any mistakes, it will show up less there. 

After you have that 2nd beer then start doing the drawers using the same rag. By now you will know how much stain to put on the cloth. 

Do it in stages and be cognizant of finger prints. The oil from your hands can effect how the stain goes down. 

Lastly....with the color stain you selected and the wood, I'd go with an oil based sealer. It smells, but it also tends to yellow just slightly and will have a deeper tone than water based would. I think you will be happier with the look.


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## ToolSeeker (Sep 19, 2012)

Unless you use a water based pre stain which I would never use there is no need to sand again.

Two Knots that is some beautiful work. Have you ever used Cabot or Old Master stains ? I like both better than Min Wax. but it's just personal preference I guess.


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## ddawg16 (Aug 15, 2011)

Doing a bit of staining today myself

It doesn't take a very big rag. 

The pre-stain showed me this sandpaper scratch that needed to be cleaned up

And....that paint can opener has more than one use


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## Two Knots (Nov 12, 2011)

Thanks Toolseeker, years ago I tried Cabot stain, I have nothing against it.

It just seems that the minwax stain has given me lots of good even coverage.
We've made furniture out of QS, fift sawn, and flat sawn oak. 
Also, walnut and mahogany wood and poplar wood. (I don't stain the walnut) 

Believe it or not, I use the same colors in the minwax, English chestnut
and golden pecan or golden oak. On the different woods it comes out different.
For the poplar I mix it heavy on the English chestnut. For the oaks,
I mix it lighter on the English chestnut. 
I checked my link that I posted before and realize I screwed up.

here is the actual link, for the tv mantle. Keep in mind that the base for the tv
as well as the DVD cabinet and the cabinet over the roll top were made several years ago. 
The tv mantle and the bookcase on the right -- as well as the little tv 
stand on top of the tv cabinet are new. I was a mad scientist mixing the stain...
I've also stained things that I had to sand down and strip and do over --
cause it didn't match
to my liking, but this came out good.
What do you like about the Cabot Vs the minwax?
Joann

hope this link works...
http://www.diychatroom.com/f50/new-woodworking-project-207828/


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## Two Knots (Nov 12, 2011)

haaa, ddawg, how many beers do you have to put down before
wiping off the stain!?!
:laughing:
I'm guessing at one?


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## ddawg16 (Aug 15, 2011)

Two Knots said:


> haaa, ddawg, how many beers do you have to put down before wiping off the stain!?! :laughing: I'm guessing at one?


I wipe the stain as I go. 

It took half a beer to get the stain done....and another beer to pat myself in the back

And now the wife and I are at an old English pub with inlaws having a pint


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## french_guy (Sep 11, 2012)

ddawg16 said:


> I wipe the stain as I go.
> 
> It took half a beer to get the stain done....and another beer to pat myself in the back
> 
> And now the wife and I are at an old English pub with inlaws having a pint


Heineken.......good choice. Being French, I like 1664
Enjoy your pint at the pub


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## ToolSeeker (Sep 19, 2012)

The one gripe I have with the min-wax is it seems the will vary from can to can. For instance two cans of golden oak may not be uniform in color. Usually not a lot but sometimes enough to be noticeable. 

But I don't see how anyone can argue with your results.


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## Two Knots (Nov 12, 2011)

You know tool seeker, you just made me aware of that. 
I have a hard time getting the pieces to match when I mix the stain.
But, after many trials, I've managed to pull it off. 

On the TV unit build, I ended up with 5 parts English chestnut and one part
golden oak (that is after many mixes on wood samples) I've also 
used golden pecan in the place of golden oak.

I seemed to remember using 5 parts English Chestnut with 2 parts
golden oak in the past. 
I've always planned on keeping a journal on stain mixes etc...
but, haven't done so yet. 
Thanks for pointing that out to me.

Joann


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## french_guy (Sep 11, 2012)

Two Knots said:


> don't know, never used pre-stain, as I've had great luck with BLO
> It penetrates all the dark areas, thus the dark areas in oak don't
> Look so dark and busy.
> I did an antique wash stand this way, after I sanded and stripped
> ...


Which color did you use for the mantle? I'm doing some tests but can't find the right color: the Minwax Red Mahogany (left) is too dark and looks washed out (2 coats), and the Red Sedona (right) is too orange, and washed out as well
I'm trying to find something that will look like your mantle, with a "deep/rich" color


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## Two Knots (Nov 12, 2011)

I used 5 parts English chestnut and 1 part golden oak.

I line up my wood samples and begin mixing my stain in
small cups with teaspoons. write on the back of each piece
of wood your proportions. 

You may like 5 parts EC and two parts GO. I had to match the DVD cabinet
on the left which we made several years ago, and it is Rift sawn white oak.

As I said previously, the mantle and the brackets were recycled flat sawn 
red oak. (as well as the book cabinet on the right) 
We picked out the best pieces for the mantle (that looked like rift 
sawn) ... the brackets however, have a lot of the characteristic cathedrals
that flat sawn red oak has. keep in mind the dark cathedrals in the flat
sawn oak take the stain darker; that is why I always use BLO on oak. 

The final finish is one part gloss poly, one part linseed oil, and one part terp.
Rubbed down to the luster that I wanted after the final application of the poly
mix.


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## Two Knots (Nov 12, 2011)

other angle...


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## ddawg16 (Aug 15, 2011)

French....the Red Mahogany looks better to me. Don't forget, the look will change slightly once you get sealer on it. As I said before, with that dark color, I think you are better off with an oil based. It will darken slightly....but if you use the pre-stain and don't leave the stain on too long, you can control the darkness. 

Side note...wife and I did our honeymoon in France back in 2000. Spent 2 weeks in the Provance area. I won't mention how many bottles of wine we brought back.


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## french_guy (Sep 11, 2012)

ddawg16 said:


> French....the Red Mahogany looks better to me. Don't forget, the look will change slightly once you get sealer on it. As I said before, with that dark color, I think you are better off with an oil based. It will darken slightly....but if you use the pre-stain and don't leave the stain on too long, you can control the darkness.
> 
> Side note...wife and I did our honeymoon in France back in 2000. Spent 2 weeks in the Provance area. I won't mention how many bottles of wine we brought back.


In Provence, I guess you tasted the pink wine ("_Rosé de Provence_")...yeah, good stuff!!!!


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## Two Knots (Nov 12, 2011)

Ddawg, the minwax stain I use is 'oil based.'
I've finished dozens and dozens of pieces of furniture that we made 
In the method that I described and the results down the
Road -- is the color remains true; it doesn't yellow over time
like a lot of oak does. 
I can show more comparisons of stuff we made several years
Ago, and then were installed along side of the old pieces and the color
on the old stuff remains true. 

this is a close-up of the cabinet we made for over the roll top desk,
This was made seven years ago. It's still a warm rich reddish brown hue.
NO yellowing or orange hue over time, like a lot of oak furniture takes on.
Joann


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## ddawg16 (Aug 15, 2011)

Ok.....if we are going to show off our handi work....I might as well too.....

BTW....very nice work Two Knots.

This is the mantle I did about 13 years ago.




This is what it covers up.


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## Two Knots (Nov 12, 2011)

ddawg16 said:


> Ok.....if we are going to show off our handi work....I might as well too.....
> 
> BTW....very nice work Two Knots.
> 
> ...


Yes, beautiful translation, wood is much better than all that brick. 
Are you the guy with the galley kitchen? We have a galley kitchen as wee.
It was quite a daunting task to design it so that it was 
Functional as well as attractive.


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## ddawg16 (Aug 15, 2011)

You mean this kitchen? Yep....we did this 14 years ago

Vaulting the ceiling did wonders.



See the white fridge? (the new one is black)
Well, the fridge is going to the other side and we are taking out that wall and installing a breakfast bar.

The room on the other side 'used' to be the living room...but with the addition, it is now a dining room and we have a lot more room. Taking out that wall should give the kitchen a larger look and a lot more room.


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## french_guy (Sep 11, 2012)

I started to stain just today....
I could not get the color I wanted after several attempts to mix different colors, so I ended up with the mix I did when I stained my oak stairs last year
I used 50% Early American and 50% Gunstock
This is what I have after the 1st coat
Hoping the 2nd coat will make it darker/richer a little bit
The instructions say no to sand between coats, but I've read people saying to sand (with 000 steel wool)?


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## ToolSeeker (Sep 19, 2012)

Unless you used water based stain there should be no reason to sand between coats. If you used water based this will raise the grain and it will need to be sanded. Also if you used anything water based do not use steel wool, the little pieces left behind will rust.


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## french_guy (Sep 11, 2012)

I have used oil-based stain (Minwax).....
So I will go for the 2nd coat without sanding
Thanks


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## french_guy (Sep 11, 2012)

What is the best way to apply clear coat: foam brush, or some kind of rag or piece of clothe?


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## Jmayspaint (May 4, 2013)

What kind of clear coat? A foam brush can work with some water based polyurethanes. Some oil based pollys are made to wipe on. In general the best way to apply any kind of clear coat is with a good brush IMO. A polyester or nylon/polyester blend brush can be used with about all types of clears. Natural bristle brushes are only appropriate for oil based clears.


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## french_guy (Sep 11, 2012)

Minwax oil polyurethane.....


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## Jmayspaint (May 4, 2013)

Best to just brush it. If you want to wipe it on better get the kind made for wiping, I doubt it would work well with the regular kind, it's too thick.


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