Staining cabinets...HELP!!?
Question:I started staining a few of my kitchen cabinets, which are oak. I sanded everything down to the grain and am staining with cherry stain with the poly already in it. The guy at lowes said nothing about a wood conditioner, but my cabinets are not staining evenly, no matter how much I sand. I am using a brush and not wiping it off. Am I suppose to just wipe it on and then let it dry, then lightly buff and start again? HELP!
Answers:
it sounds to me like you have not gotten all of the old finish off them. Unless you can remove all of the old polyurethane the new stain will not penetrate into the wood, which is what stain does. This would cause an uneven color pattern. I've used poly-shades brand on oak cabinets before but they had never been finished. I put it on with a lint free rag let it dry then sanded it with 000 steel wool. Wiped it with a tack cloth, put another coat on and they turned out just fine.
Trying to stain over another color of stain is not an easy task.
Try wiping the stain off. See it it gets even. If its even but not dark enough, let it dry then do it again. I'm not sure what you mean by sanding down to the grain. Many cabinets have thin veneer. I hope you haven't sanded through the veneer.
I've found that I've received the best results when using a stain without the poly in it. I would first stain the doors, then wipe off the excess to see what type of color you're getting. If you want it darker, leave the stain on for a few minutes before wiping off the excess. Repeat the process until you received the desired color darkness.Once you receive the desired color and it's sufficiently dry use 2-3 coats of semi-gloss or gloss poly. use a very fine grade of steel wool to smooth out the bubbles between poly coats.
When staining cabinets I use the regular stain brush on let set a few minutes then wipe off, if the cabinets aren't dark enough let the first coat of stain dry then apply another coat and wipe off.it will depend on whether the cabinets are made of white oak or red oak as to how much stain you may have to apply to achieve the color you want. When you achieve the color you want and the stain is dry apply a coat of poly let dry, sand with 200 grit sand paper wipe off with a tac cloth and apply a couple more coats of the poly sanding lightly between each coat.
Try using a natural bristle brush.Apply the stain with only one way strokes. Not back and forth strokes.This type of product is difficult to get to look good if you are changing to a diffirent color. As in oak color to cherry color. You could also try a jell wipe on stain and then poly.
When staining you should always use a test piece first. Wipe or brush on stain let set for a few minutes then wipe off, do not let it dry...If the test piece is OK then do one cabinet at a time.Then put some polyurethane.
If you are re-finishing, you need to sand the existing polyurethane to a dull finish, so the new will adhere. Next step would be to wipe them with a cloth dampened with either acetone or laquer thinner. They will dry quickly as it evaporates.
If you are in fact using a product such as 'Polyshades' which is basically a tinted polyurethane, you need to apply as uniform as possible. This is a colored product so each coat will make the cabinets a bit darker. Apply the product and finish with long brush strokes to 'even' the color. After it cures (drys) you can sand lightly with fine (220-400) grit paper. If you have areas that are too light, re apply to those areas. When you are satisfied with the color and consistency, lightly buff with a 600 grit paper and wipe clean while rubbing with a soft cloth dampened with Allwood (available at paint/decor stores) If you cant find Allwood use a product similar, lemon oil or citric based. No furniture polish! Good Luck
***Remember, you are NOT staining, you are applying colored finish
Realistically, you should have stripped the varnish off prior to sanding. Sanding opens the pores in the wood that need to be sealed prior to staining/varnishing. Polyshades is just tinted varnish and for my money is a waste. Gel stain is the thing to use because it seals and stains evenly. After that you can varnish.
What you purchased is a poly stain. It was designed to cut down on the number of steps when staining a wood surface. Unfortunately it is not as good as staining first and then coating with polyurethane second.
Sounds like the wood has pores that are absorbing the color differently. The more open the pores the more color it absorbs. Like when you stain a board face verses a cut end.
Try giving it a second or third coat. Next time do it the old fashioned way you'll be a lot happier with the results
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