When you stain wood, you must use proper techniques in order to achieve a professional-looking finish. Here are the steps to take when staining a piece of wood: Materials:
Scrap piece of wood (the same kind of wood as the work piece)
Wood stain
Paintbrush
Sandpaper
Work piece
Tack cloth
Clean rag
Mask or respirator
- Before you begin staining, test the stain on a scrap piece of wood to see how many coats of stain you need. Apply one coat to a small section of the wood, two coats to a second section, three coats to a third section and so on (figure A). Allow the stain to dry between coats. Once the stain is dry, you can determine which section looks best.
- Sand the surface of the work piece (figure B). Wipe any debris from the work piece with a tack cloth.
- Use a small paintbrush to apply the first coat of stain (figure C). Brush in the direction of the grain. Wear a mask or respirator for protection from the stain's fumes, and open the windows in your shop for ventilation.
- After every three or four strokes of the brush, immediately go over the stain with a rag. Sweep the rag across the stained surface in the direction of the grain (figure D).
- If you apply too much stain, pour a small amount of paint thinner on a clean rag, and sweep it over the work piece in the direction of the grain.
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