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Method 1:
- Apply gel stain
- Wipe off excess
- Apply three cots of oil-based polyurethane
Method 2:
- Apply water-based pre-stain conditioner
- Wipe excess
- Apply two coats of water-based stain, wiping the excess after each
- Apply two coats of water-based acrylic
- Sand with 320 grit
- Apply a final, thin coat of acrylic
Method 3:
- Apply water-based pre-stain conditioner
- Wipe excess
- Apply a coat of water-based stain
- Wipe off excess
- Apply coat of oil-based stain
- Wipe off excess
- Apply 2-4 coats of oil-based polyurethane
- Sand flat with 320 grit, then sand up through 400, 600, 800, and 1000 grits
Products Used:
- Varathane Gel Stain - Dark Walnut: geni.us/YK9WpQ
- Varathane Professional Oil-Based Polyurethane - Gloss:
- Behr Water-Based Pre-Stain Conditioner: geni.us/9sZcA4B
- Behr Water-Based Stain - Jacobean
- Varathane Diamond Water-Based Acrylic: geni.us/GhD7
- Minwax Oil-Based Stain - Jacobean: geni.us/VrWcO
- Minwax Paste Wax: geni.us/ZAFJF5z
- Sanding Pad: lddy.no/1hs3g
- 000 Steel Wool: geni.us/4opzE
US & CANADIAN AFFILIATE LINKS
DOWELMAX:
DOWELMAX 3/8" Kit:
www.dowelmax.com/product/clas...
DOWELMAX 1/2" Expansion:
www.dowelmax.com/product/dowe...
BLADES:
Table Saw Blade: lddy.no/1gj1k
Miter Saw Blade: lddy.no/1i8tz
Dado Stack: lddy.no/1g6ux
TOOLS:
Chisels: lddy.no/1g68v
Miter Gauge: geni.us/0K4H36
Dust Extractor: geni.us/ccOkLC
Drill and Driver: geni.us/qyrTiC
Circular Saw: geni.us/J5mDQ
Random Orbit Sander: geni.us/dkULx8s
Jig Saw: geni.us/i7HRN
Compact Router: geni.us/h90weiY
Cordless Router: geni.us/Jou0
Miter Saw: geni.us/uhfOe
Track Saw: geni.us/aslB
BITS:
Forstner Bits: geni.us/oj2HXU
Countersink With Stop: geni.us/cQFDp
Countersink w/o Stop: geni.us/dMiEM
Countersink Zero Flute: geni.us/fVIhcp
Self-Centering Bits: geni.us/RXZv9K3
3/32" Round Over Bit: geni.us/b8sGMT
SUPPLIES
Sandpaper: lddy.no/1hs32
Double-Sided Tape: geni.us/ZohrzD
Green Tape: geni.us/CWZquR
Glue: geni.us/4JCcR
CA Glue: geni.us/mELd05A
CA Accelerator: geni.us/bq0Az2
Silicone Glue Brush: geni.us/tiJw
INSTAGRAM:
/ scottydwalsh
MUSIC:
Epidemic Sound
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The accentuated look of the grain from the Gel stain, is EXACTLY what I am looking for in my countertop I am working on. I know you don't like it, but I like the tone difference in the wood. It makes it more "lively" than a solid finish IMO. Thank you so much for this video!!!
That's what I was thinking too. I really like the dramatic shade drop from the rings and think it makes it more of a show off piece than just another wood project I kicked out to end the nagging.
@@timmajorsdj I dont like this guy or video. He doesnt mention you can use tea or coffee as a prestain, since the answer with guys like this is always buy and consoom product . He has no tips or tricks because hes an imposter and an affiliate. Once you recognize their style you can pick them out easy. Furthermore, what are you doing with a stain? A stain is a paint. it prevents UV light from destroying woods lignin, corrupting its structure and making it grey. A stain prevents UV penetration and hides lignin corruption. So a very light stain coating may look attractive, but may not be the way to go, depending on where your locating your project.. Because its initially, and you have no experience or even know what youre doing to see what it would look like 10 or 15 years down the road. There's a reason for going with a dark stain and heavy application, in certain instances. Just food for thought.
I completely agree. I think the first one looks much better. If I wanted the natural beauty of the wood to disappear, I would just paint it.
Yes, I would have ranked them in reverse order too. The one on the left looks the best by far. It's all subjective, but why use natural wood if you want the result to look unnatural?.
@@gantz4u nobody uses tea or coffee as a prestain
I like the one you called "awful". I think it looks pretty cool
It may look fine on a single board, but on a larger scale it tends to look busy.
I agree with you, Karen. The one that was termed awful looked very good to me.
I completely agree. The beauty of wood is the grain contrasts, design and flow. Otherwise, you may as well use mdf 🙄
Imo it's not that it looks bad, it's that it looks dated. Reminds me of something I would see in my grandma's house
@@Hyperlooper good point.
'Gel based accentuated the growth rings in a pretty darn ugly way' That was EXACTLY the look I want for my retro 70's look recording studio thanks for the tip haha!
Living in a house with random-width stained pine on the basement room walls, I can't see why *anyone* would want to do this to themselves :)
@@Psychlist1972 I've since finished my build and I think it looks awesome!
@@Viriditas Nice
I really like 70s wood styles. It’s interesting to how the rings look with all their curvy lines.
@@Viriditas With the right lighting, the wood rings can accentuate a lava lamp.
I strongly prefer the accented grain. To me, that's half the point of staining, to make it "pop" and highlight the fact that I've gone to the expense and effort of using real wood, not OSB with a plastic veneer over it. The last thing in the world I would want, is to make the wood look less like wood.
it looks like a cheap stain and not an expensive wood.
Depends on what the customer wants! If he wants the highlighted wood so be it, it has its own charm
You can't use all accent wood everywhere in your house though. You need to have your accent peices have a subtle background or they look busy and not special.
But wood doesnt ever look like that naturally.. so you end up making it looking less like real wood.
That's exactly the issue "look at me, I'm using real wood" it's tacky.
I actually prefer the accentuated grain finish. It’s adds some depth and detail that I think can be a really neat feature.
see that's your opinion
I thought most of us did😂
I think most people probably would too.
It's just not a good look if used too much, google "Victorian home interior" and look at how they used the wood back in the day, in stairs and panels and furniture, the grain is very subtle and looks really beautiful and deep as a result.
I use gel stain specifically because it accentuates the growth rings, and I love that look.
It's remarkable how good youve made this construction lumber look. I sincerely didn't think it could turn out like this.
I liked the second one most of all. The final version just looked very Ikea to me. Really cool seeing how different techniques end in different results!
I have stained a ton of clear pine from home stores with gel stains and it works extremely well as you demonstrated to avoid blotching. If you run into areas where you do not wipe off the stain fast enough, sometimes you can reapply the stain, which tends to reactivate the dried area and wipe it back off. This doesn't always work but it is a lot faster than sanding back to bare wood when it does. I have also had great luck spraying water based top coats (sanding between coats) to get a quick build up finish. This helps avoid the overlapping challenges you mentioned.
Love the humor. You're crushing it with these videos!!!
I'm really enjoying your videos, Scott. Great information but presented with humour, which keeps it interesting. Thanks!
Another great video Scott. It's interesting to see some fine furniture level work being done on construction lumber. Keep up the good work.
Your videos are just great. Love the personality you bring along with really trying to be entertaining and informative. Keep up the great work!
Very good video! My husband and I are full time carpenters and I absolutely loved this. I like to play with stains and finishes to get the results the customer wants. This is very informative and helpful! Keep up the good work. Thank you!!!
This might sound silly, but I have had good luck with some of my wife's acrylic paints watered down as a stain. Of course the wood gets prepped and finished in the other ways mentioned, but for my little projects I just can't be bothered to deal with picking out stains at the store. I have no idea what the cost comparison would be if we didn't already have the paints.
Regular old latex paint works as well. There's a couple videos here on KZhead about it.
I’ve used burnt umber with great success.
Paint washing is awesome!
Awesome and well presented as always Scott! Loving all those comedy clips, absolute bonus 🤙🏻
For a newbie like me, this is a great video! And I think I will master ONE type of stain/finish way before jumping to another, many details in each. Great job and keep your supporting actress in front of the camera! Great duo!
The water + oil finish is soooo good! It makes the cheap lumber looks so nice.
I think that was more the 1000 grit finish. IMHO
Appearance is subjective. I like to see the wood grain, and the splotchy areas. I think it makes the wood more interesting to view. Your work is excellent, it looks factory made.
Lots of great information in this video. I need to watch it again and take notes. Great job Scott
What a well thought-out and presented video. I came with a question about wood conditioner, and left feeling entertained and maybe even a bit smarter. Thanks.
This is the video I wished was around when I first started working with stains and finishes. Great job Scott!
Thanks AJ!
Great video! I would've loved to have seen a final labeled comparison at the end.
You really kept your video moving. Well done. Thanks!
I am going to finish my new natural wood door frames. Your taste isn’t my taste and vice versa. Lots of very worthwhile tips. Thank you so much for showing us all those techniques. I actually like all of the tree rings showing.
so do I. and I HATE the plastic look of the poly
I appreciate the info as well as the humor. I was cracking up at a few parts.
Regardless of one's preference, is nice to see these options and how they vary the results. Thanks for sharing!
Funny, informative, and with everyone's favourite guest star! What more could anyone ask for! :)
Great overview! Well presented, it's always good to see the direct side-by-side comparisons on test boards. One thing I think _everyone_ should explore though is wipe-on poly. Wipe-on has _so_ many advantages over straight oil-based poly, chief among them being that the method is so almost impossible to screw up that even first-timers can get a great result with almost no effort. The application method inherently gives one or another very nice surface finish - the "hand-rubbed look" is sort of the default - without any significant extra sanding. Not that I'm suggesting people go out and buy wipe-on, because then you pay them (too much) for giving you less actual finish haha. Diluting your own is generally way cheaper, plus it gives the user control over the dilution level which may be best tweaked during the process (1st coat thinner, coats 2-4 less thin, last coat thinner again) and definitely should be tweaked season to season (more dilute for cold weather in an unheated workspace), and what solvent to use (OMS v regular mineral spirits v naptha or xylene) to make a faster- or slower-drying finish as suits the user (and their tolerance for solvent odour!) along with the drying conditions.
It's remarkable how much the video and this comment echo my own experience and recommendations. However, while I also like rub-on poly, I'd advise caution with the rub-on over stain and especially gel stain. Even after a long stain cure (i.e. a couple days) the solvents like to lift the stain and leave it pale, thin, and blotchy or smeared - especially if the target shade was very dark. To avoid this, I thinly apply the first coat with the lightest method practical (such as a foam brush if small scale), let dry without "rubbing," and sand with straight paper only (like printer paper). After that there's enough protection layer to handle firmer application and more aggressive denibbing. But if going from very light wood to very dark stain, and lighter duty protection is sufficient, that milky-when-wet water-based Varathane finish is still more reliable and foolproof. I also personally prefer that finely textured satin sheen over all but the very best oil-based results in any sheen.
I love the detail you go into in this video. I'm assuming most of those tips would transfer to other woods too. I dont use stain much at all. I tend to find the wood that looks like what I want it to look like. I understand thats not always cost effective though.
Love your videos! This was a great comparison thank you 👌
The pillows and feet in the air were a hilarious bonus. I thought she was just gonna fall but then her feet fly up and surprised me. I also laugh at the conversation that goes on when you tell her what you are asking her to do for the video.
If you want to avoid oil-based products, I've had a lot of success with dewaxed shellac (like Seal Coat) bringing out figure in wood before whatever topcoat you want to use (I've used water-based poly and other products, but the dewaxed shellac can be a barrier coat between any two types of finishes). Bonus: the same Seal Coat product will work as your sanding sealer before staining. It also smells really nice. I generally avoid pine (I just don't like how it looks), but other woods, like Cherry, can easily blotch up as well.
Scott's production, performance and scripting are excellent. I wish he would have slowed down on his best and final so it'd be easier to track the steps. He definitely has strong feelings about imperfect coloring and pine grain patterns, but in the right setting and project, imperfect can be the better balance. I love modern design and perfect finishes, but in my house I prefer a more casual, light-rustic feel.
This mans advice right here
Whenever a video is a bit too fast paced, I like to click the gear icon in the corner, and set the playback speed to 0.75x. Easier than rewinding over & over. Cheers
@@mikegammo9002 Great tip, thx
Same, I love the colors and contrasts. When I look back at color corrected photos from the 60's to 90's, it makes me wonder, where has all the color gone? Why is everything dull and monotone now? Anyways, for me, seeing the grain pattern in wood is extremely soothing and enjoyable.
I’m really trying to get better at hand planing most of my final surfaces to reduce sanding time, sand paper expense over time, and reduce dust. There’s a learning curve for technique, and a huge learning curve for how to tune up the cheap home store versions of the tools. I’ve had mostly good luck starting out with that thanks to KZheadrs focusing on the diy/new woodworker hobbyists. Thanks for the great video.
Hand planing can burnish wood surfaces. The grain gets closed up. Then finishes may not apply well. So before I finish a piece I've planed I rough it up some with sandpaper. Very fine sandpaper. 220 grit works for me. I am just looking to knock off the case hardened layer. That light sand evens everything up.
@@1pcfred thanks for the tip
One trick I see a lot for getting a really good sanded finish is that you spray the boards down between each grit with water so that the fibers expand naturally like they would once you start staining, and the sanding takes that off, not just the dry fibers.
Sanding wet wood is annoying :c
@@chang.stanley You don't soak it, you just get the fibers on the surface to pop a bit.
@@chang.stanley you let the wood dry before sanding it. Still makes the grain pop and you get a better result
@@sarahjoyce5041 Oh, cool :O
This is called water popping. Wood floor installers/finishers use this too.
I love the interaction with your wife in your videos. Fantastic VoiceOver ;)
For top coats, I've gotten really good results with several thin layers of wiping poly (like 4 ish?), and a thin rattle can coat on top. After it's set up I buff it out with a paper bag aggressively. Ends up looking real nice :) I started with wiping stuff because wow do I hate cleaning brushes.
Progressive thinning coats is how I achieve a fine finish. I want the final finish to be chemical sheen. So I want it to just level off. One secret is after you've built up a finish you need to realize you're not longer finishing wood then. You're finishing finish. So that means you can wet sand. You should wet sand too. I have brush cleaner so I don't mind cleaning brushes. After I brush clean brushes I wash them out with soap and water. I am not a fan of wipe on finishes unless they're just an oil.
Great video! Thanks for sharing
I rarely use stain because getting the right technique can be a challenge. I like method 2 though. Very well presented. Thanks!
The way you present all this info...so nice. Other videos have you watch them stain the entire process and you just skip right to it.
Sanding is our true hobby, everything else is a by product of that hobby.
Wow that last one looks fantastic for construction lumber. I’m trying to add some 2x10 treads on my basement steps since I’m finishing the area. I just test stained a piece with true black which may be a bit too dark. If I could get the result you had with the Jacobean I would be thrilled.
The Bob Ross clip was hilarious!
Thanks for the video. I like the look of the water based stain. The last method looked plain.
I used Behr stain and poly in one on a recent office unit. 2 coats and your done. Looks and feels great
I love this video, and I'm going to use your method 3 on a 14'x4' table I just finished building. I will have to figure out a way of sending you pictures when I'm done
Sounds great! You can send it to me on instagram, @scottydwalsh
2 coats Danish oil + 3 coats water-based polyurethane is my go-to finish. Sand with 180 grit between coats on the urethane. Watco's been super backed up on their manufacturing side though so you might have to haunt a bunch of different stores to get the hookup.
You definitely deserve the likes on this one. Very thorough. Wife succumbing to fumes.. Hilarious.
Thanks, that video was helpful to me. I also like your trademark "bye" at the end.
I do a similar sanding progression between coats, except I use Scotch Brite pads instead of sand paper. Maroon is 320 grit and then I work up through Green, Grey, and White on the final coats.
Excellent presentation
I love the look of the gel-based stain, but you can't deny how clean that final one was.
I started using General Finishes Arm R Seal for my top coats and it is so easy to work with. Highly recommended
I liked method 3, I think I’m going to try it! Thank you😊
My favorite finish to use on soft woods is Shellac. You can buy it as clear, amber, or smoke color... or you can dye clear shellac with alcohol based stains. Shellac is easy to apply, easy to repair, & easy to smoooooooooth.
Shellac is nice but can be difficult to apply evenly on large flat surfaces. Plus its horrible for tabletops due to it being soft. I only use Arm-R-Seal by General Finishes for table tops.
@@LBCAndrew If you apply thin coats & sand between coats... shellac is very easy to aplly evenly on large surfaces. Shellac being soft is only a problem if you build a thick finish. In that case, if you desire a glass like coating over a table top... then a self leveling epoxy is better.
@@LBCAndrew I don't have a problem with shellac because I am not looking for a final finish with the first coat. I use cut shellac as a sealer on the first coat and it mostly gets sanded off. For me if I'm looking for a fine finish on wood it typically takes me at least 3 coats. I expect the first two coats to come out like trash. If I'm lucky whatever I do the third time around works. But I don't always get lucky. I keep finishing until I get the results I desire. I will apply poly over shellac for a more durable finish too.
Great video, Scott. I'm gonna have to try some of this. Usually the projects made of construction lumber aren't really the ones I'd put much time in finishing them. But with this guide these projects may end up looking a whole lot better. Thanks!
Method three wins but I just can't! I need the shortest and least time consuming method to stay sane. And for that reason, I'm going with the first method. Looks great and thanks for the help!!
I find sanding after a long day at work really relaxing!
Haven’t stained and sealed yet but supplies are on the way. LOVED your video with lists and comparisons. Found your video while trying to answer the question Which Conditioner to Buy (for water based stain or for oil based stain) and why are those conditioners different? My cabinet-water-splashed-stain-repair project is going to be finished with Oldie’s Oil, not available in box stores.
This video helped me determine my guitar finish, THANK U 🙏
I really liked the Gelstain look. Would love this effect on my board game table.
Serious question, do people really dislike sanding? That's my favorite part of a project. It's really when you start to feel the texture and see the work that you put into a project. It's so satisfying!
@B.L.A. That sounds Like a good thing to me.....
I'm not a fan of sanding. I find the work pretty tedious to do. But at the same time I realize it is part of the job. Still, if I had a magic wand that could do it I'd use it. Sanding is what makes or breaks a finish, that's for sure. If the surface isn't smooth your finish isn't going to be smooth either.
Well explained and demonstrated. thank you. Appreciate the tips and tricks. God bless!
I have finished using either Helmsman Spar Varnish or Diamond Varathane. I have sanded with 220 after it has dried and reapplied another coat. The Spar is a much longer process. To apply them I generally use a Spongie but I have poured the finish on the project and used a plastic blade type applicator, like you use doing bodywork to spread the finish. I tried using that milk white Pre-Stain stuff but I did not see any real difference except it cost more and took longer. I use a lot of colored stains like blues, greens and reds. About the only oil based stain that I use is Minwax Dark Walnut. Lately I have taken to trying out Shou Sugi Ban using Unicorn Spit Stain and applying wipe-on Poly. I recently tried the 3 Coat Varathane. It's expensive. I bought a can, used that and a week later went back for more. Only to discover at every place that sells it they inflated the price ten dollars. I'm in Canada. I love staining over painting. So I buy good wood and can still see the wood after staining. Even construction lumber can look really impressive when stained. But when you paint, you have no idea what kind of wood it is. I pretty much stain everything I make. The only time I generally paint is if the situation is such that I have no choice in order to hide problem areas.. In particular when I have had to fill in places with wood putty. Then again it depends on the wood I used as well. Can't stain MDF and Particle Board very effectively but I have given it a try. Really like your videos, very informative, I always learn something. And I enjoy the humor you bring to them. Thanks.
The first one is exactly what I’m looking for. It’s going to be in a closet so it’s not something you see all the time but gives you something interesting to look at when you do see it
thanks Scott, super helpful
Thank you 😊
Take a tip from furniture manufacturers: avoid stain, use alcohol-soluable dyes instead. Add the dye to the topcoat and spray it on. One and done. Obviously, this isn’t for everyone. But dyes (available in both water and alcohol-soluable formulas) are *much* less prone to splotchiness than stains. A stain is a mixture of colored solids ground up and suspended in either water or alkyd. The solids collect in the small troughs between the growth rings present in any wood, making them stand out. Dyes have no solids, so they provide more even color. A bunch of years back I used a bright green stain (Solar-Lux) on BCX plywood (after sanding to 180), covered by acrylic poly. It looked great with nice even color.
I'm a big fan of alcohol-based aniline dyes for non-brown pieces. I used a bright red and bright blue dye on some simple boxes about 20 years ago, and the colors still pop. You have to exercise some care when using them, but because they're alcohol based, there's no heavy oil stink afterwards, and they dry darn near instantly.
Another advantage to alcohol dyes is that they're very easy to mix and customize once you learn how.
I would never add the dye to the topcoat since it makes it look muddy. I put my dye in the wood, and the finish ON the wood.
I've had good luck with water based stains topped with 3-5 thin layers of clear shellac (light sanding between each layer.) You get the color of the stain with the vibrant depth of shellac, and most home stores still carry clear (and orange) premixed shellac so it counts. I've used this technique anywhere that isn't a table surface people commonly eat off of. For table surfaces I prefer the durability of a poly.
I agree, my favorite look was the gelcoat on pine!
Ooh I love those 3M sanding disks they're so nice 🤩
This is super helpful!! Thank you for sharing this! If I also want to wire brush it to add some 3D texture but I also want a even colored stain( like method 3), do I brush it after staining?
Great vid.That Bob Ross clip made me laugh out loud!
I love the more even stained look. the main problem is, in my country, nobody sells pre-stain conditioner.
Well done. Have to try your method 3 combining water and oil.
I'm making a spray booth, I'll try this stuff once it's done. I might not even have to sand between coats, maybe the last few coats of clearcoat. I'll try using 2K clearcoat and basecoat too, and tinted candy clear too
I kind of like the accentuated grain look, though! The water than oil combo does look nice. I finally graduated from 2X & plywood building to hardwood. And boy does sanding make a *HUGE* difference. Thanks for another excellent video. That slap of the hand in the beginning was hilarious!
Me too
I was looking for this video. Thank you
Great video. I will take your tip on vacuuming between sanding passes to fix some issues I had on a recent project (couple of swirles made it through). As for my favourite method...Optionally wipe wood with water to open pours if I want to get darker stain (with a quick final sand after it dries). Next apply oil stain with an old sock (no lint due to years of washing, holes optional) but only wipe on what the wood can immediately absorb for an even coat (re coat if needed later). Apply thinned out layer of oil based poly for first coat. Apply second coat. Sand second coat with either 600 grit paper or fine steel wool. Apply final coat with foam applicator but super thin, like squeegee/push it on not brush (adds final gloss without any brush marks).
Traditionally you're supposed to use a tack cloth to remove dust between coats. But if a vacuum does it then more power to ya. The problem with running a vacuum is it may put dust in the air. Dust that may then settle on the work you're doing. We don't all have HEPA vacuum cleaners.
I am a big fan of wipe on Poly. It’s super fast and always smooth.
The method I was taught by my father and have used for about 50 years is the 2 rag method with oil stains, wipe and rub until you achieve the colour you want then wipe off immediately with the second rag then a final wipe. For a finish my favorite compromise is an oil based wipe on poly, lay out all of the rags to completely dry.
This is great. Thanks!
I just came here to say the one you called awful is Actually the best looking one and looks nice and rustic and like natural wood! I’m looking to achieve that look exactly.
So many different types of finishes you can make look awesome. Each one can make a piece of furniture look very cool. Sometimes even sanding is not desirable depending on the project. Sounds crazy , but its not. I use spray paint on wood all the time before i ever sand. Add stain that has been deluted with thinner so it goes deeper into the wood, gives a good color without saturation of that color. Then after sanding adding colored wax instead of sealers. Just one way, but it goes to show that theres a thousand ways to get great colors and depth with and amazing soft to the touch feel. If a piece is suppose to look old then process changes compared to just a new stained product. So many fun ways. Get creative in your project by exploring different ideas. Youll be amazed. Great channel and great information.
thank you!! very helpful :)
I just redid speaker cabinets. oil based stain, 3 coats of satin polyurethane. knocked off nibs with 320 sandpaper on coats one and two . coat 3 ( final) was pretty good. a few specks. used 1000 grit wet sandpaper, wiped it across finish and it took off nibs. didnt dull the finish. im happy with the result .
Good tips! Thanks
The one you think is so ugly, I actually love. It's far more interesting IMHO. Though it clearly depends on what you are working on and what you hope to achieve.
I usually use 3-0 steel wool on each coat of poly to get the smoothness and lustre of the finish in your final piece. Keep a strong magnet nearby and shop vac running to clear the air of steel wool bits, in addition to a good mask.
I actually vastly prefer the "ugly" accentuated construction wood stain, the others just look like a bad paint job to me. The whole point of staining is to have contrast, it's like with pattern welded metal.
i agree you want the contrast otherwise its well boring, nothing to see here
the whole point of staining is to change it to your preference
I like to go for method 3 but, swap the polyurethane for a tung oil finish and make it super glossy with a variable speed orbital polisher and wood wax
Great video. Suprised you don't have 1m views. Please keep at it.
I often use a little CA glue on the attachment point of cheap foam brushes. Helps hold them together.
Interesting and helpful video.
HI Scott. Love the finish on the last one. Do you find the paste gives it a more natural look over poly alone? And does the past take time to dry/cure and leave a greasy finish? Thanks!
Personally I like cathedral grain and choose/cut my lumber to get more of it. This dose bring its own problems with cupping. As long as you are aware of this and work with it it can make for some dramatic finishes.
Cathedral grain is the least desirable cut of wood. It is indicative of flat sawn wood. But that's what low end wood is. Better wood is rift or quarter sawn.
I've seen recipes for that conditioner as just a mix of water and some wood glue. I tried it and it worked really good. I consider it necessary on pine unless you want strong grain effects. I'm pretty sure commercial places like Ikea put a clear coat on pine before a spray stain.
There are some waterbased conditioners/prestains that are pretty much the equivalent (oil-based ones are typically just highly thinned finish). In case you don't know, almost anything you can apply prior to stain application that partially blocks off the wood's ability to over-absorb colour in localised areas can work as 'conditioner'. In the more recent past a "washcoat" or "spitcoat" of shellac was pretty much the go-to method, prior to that it might have been diluted hide glue. You might want to try either or both of those in direct head-to-heads with the diluted wood glue, see how you think they'll compare (spolier: I think you'll be pleasantly surprised). P.S. One other thing that's worth trying, if you're not already doing this, is to apply whatever you're using and leaving it to dry prior to a light final sanding (with the same grit you stopped at previously).
my favorite way of applying stain is with a rag a brush can be better if theres alot of carvings or small details in the wood but for all other thing a rag is perfect
With the water based stain, on a large panel, I would be inclined to try using a 4" terry cloth roller, moderately saturated, so it does not pool or drip, to apply evenly and quickly, then immediately wipe away excess with clean cotton rags.