Wood Preparation You'll need to prepare your wood for staining. Wood must be dry and cleaned of dirt, grease, wax, polish, marks and old finishes. Start with a medium grade of sandpaper (e.g., #120) and gradually work your way to a finer grade (e.g., #220).
The only time it's too late to stain your deck is when the stain is peeling or flaking off. Any other time, it's never too late… See this deck here? If your deck looks like this one, then you can't stain it…
Yes, sanding wood before staining is essential in a cabinet project to ensure a smooth and even finish. Sanding removes imperfections, opens up the wood pores for better stain absorption, and prepares the surface for a more uniform application of the stain.
Minwax® PolyShades® is an easy way to change the color of your currently stained or polyurethane finished wood. There's no stripping or heavy sanding necessary to remove the old finish!
Also called pre-stain, wood conditioner is a substance you put on wood before you stain it. Wood conditioners prevent the stain from penetrating too deeply into the wood. This can seem counterintuitive at first, but this gives the stain a more even finish.
If you have an older fence or deck that has turned gray you may think it is too late to have beautifully stained wood in your backyard. The truth is that fences and decks can be restored to their original condition and transformed with quality outdoor stain.
Your local Five Star Painting® experts recommend priming with a latex primer and a compatible exterior latex paint, also known as water-based paint. Do not oil-based paint because it does not adhere well to pressure-treated wood.
If staining pressure treated fence posts, deck rails or other vertical surfaces, start at the top and work your way down. Know how long to wait before staining pressure treated wood. Most stains need 24 to 48 hours to dry. Plus, check your local weather to avoid staining during rainy or humid days.
A quick wipe down with a damp microfiber towel and a drop of dish soap, or even a scrub down with Clean-A-Finish for the worst pieces, will ensure that you are enhancing the brightest, cleanest version of your wood finish possible. Just clean, dry, then buff in a little polish to shine.
Clean With Mineral Spirits
Woodworkers often use mineral spirits before staining or painting, as it helps you spread a pigment over a surface easily. Pour a small portion of the mineral spirits onto the surface, then wipe along the wood grain to avoid making scratches or grooves.
Alcohol interacts with wood surfaces, acting as a solvent when it touches wood. Solvents dissolve wood finishes, including staining and varnishes. It does so by stripping away the top layer of the furniture. This can significantly damage the integrity, aesthetics and value of the piece.
Fully opaque, Silver Lining's lack of transparency conceals scratches and scuffs from years of hard use. This solid color stain gives your wood a highly desirable weathered look, as well as offering the tough, durable resistance required to keep your exterior wood protected from wind, rain and pounding sun.
Denatured Alcohol: Choose denatured alcohol such as methylated spirits or a wood spirit. Denatured alcohol is basically ethanol with a few extra ingredients that make it a more aggressive substance. In other words, denatured alcohol is an excellent solvent for cleaning.
For interior and exterior wood applications, use BEHR PREMIUM PLUS® Multi-Surface Primer and Sealer. To apply the primer, use a high-quality 3/8 - 1/2" nap roller cover, nylon polyester brush or airless sprayer. Stir the primer occasionally.
However, if you want to maximize the natural look and warmth of the wood, you can skip the stain and apply a clear or lightly tinted sealer to add waterproofing and, depending on the sealer, UV protection to help prevent fading. As with stain, the treated boards will need to be clean and dry before you seal them.
1. Zinsser B-I-N. Zinsser B-I-N Primer is a shellac-based primer that offers great stain blocking properties and adhesion for your chosen topcoat. This stain blocking paint is particularly suited to covering any stains on wood or MDF.
New, weathered, pressure treated or uncoated wood:
Follow with a product such as KILZ Wood Cleaner & Brightener at full strength to remove mill glaze and/or loose wood fibers, dirt and other debris. Rinse and allow to dry.
To prepare wood for staining, make sure the surface is clean (no dust, dirt, wood fibers or grease), dry and free from mildew. When a surface is not clean, stains and other finishes have trouble sticking and may end up peeling. You can remove dirt with warm water and detergent, but mildew problems require more.
When preparing wood for stain, you'll need to sand its surface. Use a sanding sponge or orbital sander. Sandpaper with a lower grit number will make wood rougher, allowing more stain to absorb and creating a darker color. Start with 120-grit sandpaper for pieces that already have a finish.
Water popping or grain-popping consists of introducing clean water to an unfinished wood surface to open or "pop" the smooth and closed wood grain. Wood, by its nature, is hygroscopic and absorbs water. As wood absorbs water the wood cells expand (open) and as the water evaporates the expanded cells remain more open.
Apply Minwax® Pre-Stain Wood Conditioner to ensure an even stain color (see Wood Preparation for other tips). Stir the can thoroughly. Stir the can thoroughly to evenly redistribute any color pigments that may have settled to the bottom.