staining oak

[IHateMyJob2004]

So, I bought some oak and stain and am starting work this weekend. My question though is in regards to conditioner. Should I bother with it? I figure that oak is a very hard wood and that it will take the stain evenly.

Also, I am using a redish stain on it. And I want to make it as "deep" as possible so i am doing several coats. Is conditioner something that would limit the amount of stain that is absorbed?

Any advice is appreciated.

 

[theflyingpig]

I wish I could help you, friend, but I can't. Sorry.

 

[Engineer]

I've only stained a few pieces of Oak (thresholds) and have not used conditioner. I do know that oak soaks up stain like a sponge. Get's dark (deep) very quickly. I imagine that the conditioner would limit the rate (or amount) of stain soaking in but I'm not 100% sure on that.

 

[sactoking]

Conditioner won't help on oak, it's more useful on a soft wood where the grain can really mess up a stain and cause streaking. Instead, use a medium-grit sandpaper to rough up the wood just a touch before applying, that will help the wood accept the stain.

Use one of them cheap foam brushes to apply in slow, long strokes. After the stain has set up a bit (according to manuf. instructions) rub off excess in circular fashion using a cotton rag. Reapply a second coat for more even, deep color. Then top with a few coats of polyurethane, sanding using a fine-grit paper between coats.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Condition it for what? What sort of project is this anyway? Furniture? Sculpture? Cabinetry? Indoor? Outdoor?

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

Conditioner won't help on oak, it's more useful on a soft wood where the grain can really mess up a stain and cause streaking. Instead, use a medium-grit sandpaper to rough up the wood just a touch before applying, that will help the wood accept the stain.

Use one of them cheap foam brushes to apply in slow, long strokes. After the stain has set up a bit (according to manuf. instructions) rub off excess in circular fashion using a cotton rag. Reapply a second coat for more even, deep color. Then top with a few coats of polyurethane, sanding using a fine-grit paper between coats.

Awesome, I had not thought of using a sponge brush but that is a very good idea.

I'll do a test piece to see how things behave.

Much appreciated!

 

[dfuze]

If you want sponge brushes, grab them at a store like Ocean State where they'll be a fraction of the cost vs a place like Home Depot

 

[Vette73]

What kind of oak?

Red is a open grain and can blotch a little. White oak is closed and does a little better.

I always put a thin coat of wash on wood before I stain/dye. Wash = de-waxed shellac thinned down to about a 1 pound ratio. Zinnser seal coat is what I use and just thin out with a little alchol.

Also what stain are you using? oil or water based? and what kind of sealant are you going to use after?

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

Ummm, red oak. DOH

 

[Vette73]

What kind of stain/dye? Is it 2 in 1, water/oil, gel, etc...?

Red Oak does not blotch that bad, but the grain will stand out if you just apply a dye/stain as is.

 

[DrPizza]

I've never been fond of those foam brushes. Far more control applying stain with a rag. (I just use an old sock.)

 

[highland145]

Condition it for what? What sort of project is this anyway? Furniture? Sculpture? Cabinetry? Indoor? Outdoor?

Pine sucks to stain. Blotches. Had decent success on pine with the stain/finish combo but took several coats using a foam brush.

OP, what's the project?

I always put a thin coat of wash on wood before I stain/dye.

Is this for a more even staining?

I've never been fond of those foam brushes. Far more control applying stain with a rag. (I just use an old sock.)

This.

And I almost always wax after the poly with steel wool.

 

[Vette73]

^

Yea a wash cost will fill in the grain a little and allow for a more even stain. So it can help control blotch in woods that are bad for it. Oak is not as bad but if you don't want the more open areas to stand out as sharply then a very thin washcoat will help.

 

[highland145]

Heard some will wet oak to raise the grain and then sand. May not be "proper" but I put the first coat of poly on then sand with the fibers "locked in". Thoughts?

 

[Vette73]

Heard some will wet oak to raise the grain and then sand. May not be "proper" but I put the first coat of poly on then sand with the fibers "locked in". Thoughts?

You only need to wet the wood and sand down if using a water based dye/sealant. The water will raise the grain.

Dye works great for woods that blotch. So I am making stair treads for my house right now from some wide maple boards. I will wet them with water and then sand down(1xx grit). Then very thin was coat,dye and light sand to smooth (around 2XX grit), and then dye again. After that I will seal it. For stairs I will use poly but for other stuff I like water based "lacquer".

But for oil based stain you can sand smooth and then stain then seal without any after sanding.

 

[highland145]

Ordered unfinished maple doors for the cabinets I made. Couldn't get them to take the stain (red mahogany). Does the dye absorb better?

 

[Vette73]

Ordered unfinished maple doors for the cabinets I made. Couldn't get them to take the stain (red mahogany). Does the dye absorb better?

Yea maple is a wood that will blotch very easy.

Dye works great for maple but takes some extra steps. You can also get some Gel Stain and that helps as well.

Since the doors are already put together and to make it easy; a way to stain them and work better is to get some wood conditioner or some thinned dewaxed shellac. Use that as a wash coat, very thin. Then use the Gel stain. Gel sits on top of the wood and does not absorb as well. So less chance of blotch. Then seal with Matte or Semi-gloss poly. Thin the poly out by about 30% thinner so it does not go on as thick. Because of cabinet design if the poly is think it will clump up around round edges.

Now if you want full on pro then you need to spray your stain/dye. But that is a whole other mess.

If you like I can take a picture of some poplar I stained doing what I said above. Poplar is soft and also easy to blotch but came out well IMO.