Staining wood involves more than just buying a can of stain from a local store and applying it to a piece of wood. There are things a person needs to consider if the job will have a professional look when finished.
What type of wood will be stained?
One of the most important parts of staining wood is to know what type of wood is being dealt with before beginning. The wood type determines the outcome of the staining project.
Basic Types of Wood Include
- Hardwoods – Ash, Beech, Birch, Oak, Elm, and Walnut.
- Softwoods – Fir, Cedar, and Pine.
At times this can be confusing because Aspen and Box wood are very soft types of hardwoods, and Fir wood is a very hard type of softwood.
How to Tell Softwood from a Hardwood
If the wood has a blotchy pattern or an uneven grain, it is most likely a softwood. When this type of wood is stained the finish is uneven. This works great to bring out the imperfections of the wood and its natural beauty. If a more smooth and even stain is desired, then a pre-stain conditioner for wood should be used.
If there is a consistent pattern or flow to the wood’s grain, then it is most likely a hardwood. Any stain will work well on this type of wood and bring out its natural wood grain. Some hardwoods take more coats of stain to get the best results.
How to Prepare Wood for Staining
- Make sure the wood to be used is clean and free of dirt or grease spots. (Start by experimenting with a scrap piece of the wood being used.)
- Decide on the type of finish and choose the appropriate sand paper needed. Higher grit numbers will result in a smoother sanded finish causing the wood to absorb less stain and a lighter the project will be. Lower grit numbers of sand paper will produce a rougher wood surface allowing the wood to absorb more of the stain during the first coat and result in a darker finish.
- Lower grit sand paper (60, 80) works well for removing scuff marks and blemishes on flat surfaced wood. The next step would be to use a higher grit number (100, 120) to finish off the sanding. Keep in mind the type of finish wanted; for medium depth use 100 grit number or 120 grit number sand paper. For a lighter depth a grit number of 200 or higher can be used, and then multiple coatings of stain can be applied until the desired depth of color is reached.
- Once all sanding is completed, take a damp cloth and wipe the wood down until all debris is gone.
Staining the Wood
- Use rubber gloves to protect the skin from staining.
- Mix the stain well.
- Using a rag, brush, clean cloth, or sponge, generously apply stain to the wood.
- Working in a continuous movement and going with the grain over the wood, brush the entire piece of wood evenly and well.
- Wait between 5 to 15 minutes, depending on how dark the finish should be, to let the wood absorb the stain. Waiting longer before wiping the stain off will result in a darker finish. (Test the wood’s reaction to the stain by wiping the stain on a spot with a clean cloth then wipe it off immediately. This will help to determine how quickly the wood will take to the stain.
- When finished applying the stain, place the wood pieces on a flat surface to dry; this can take from 6 to 8 hours.
Useful Resources
Applying Wipe On Oil Based Stains
DIY Network - How to Stain Wood
How to Stain with a Paint Brush
