Staining Pine

An excellent way to get rid of the old worn out look of pine wood furniture, bookshelf or cabinets, is to stain them. The best part of staining is that it will keep the natural character and grain of the wood intact. However, staining pine has its own share of challenges because of the high absorbent power of the wood. Due to this, some parts of the wood may absorb excess of stain and others may not do so. This would cause blotch marks all over the wood which are not very pleasing to the eyes.

Staining Pine Wood

First of all, you have to procure the tools and materials that are needed to carry out the job. It includes drop cloth to cover up the work area, tack cloth, cotton rags, sandpaper, paint brushes, stirring sticks, wood conditioner and stain. When you are ready with all these materials follow the step by step instructions given below for staining pine furniture, cabinets or shelf:

Step #1
Prior to staining, the wood surface should be lightly sanded, to get rid of its uneven texture. The roughness caused by sanding will ensure uniform staining of the wood. Take a medium grit sandpaper, and rub it over the wood surface in the direction of the wood grain. It should be followed by sanding with a fine grit sandpaper. Once the sanding is done, clear up the sanded dust, by wiping it off with tack cloth.

Step #2
The next step involves treating the pine with wood conditioner. This will prepare the wood surface for proper absorption. A wood conditioner is available in any paint stores. The selected conditioner should be same as the base of the stain. It means, if you are using an oil based stain, then the conditioner should also be oil based. This will enable the stain to blend well with the conditioner. Apply the conditioner on the wood in a thin layer, with the help of a brush. Move the brush in the direction of the grain. Allow the conditioner to dry for approximately 3 hours.

Step #3
Now, it's time to prepare the stain. Select a stain which is water-based as these stains are more suitable for pine wood. Stir the stain thoroughly, so that its ingredients are mixed well. When you are not sure about the color of the stain, do a patch test. For this, apply the stain in one hidden corner of the wood. If you are happy with the result, proceed to the next step. Otherwise, add water to lighten the stain color or add more stain to make it darker.

Step #4
Application of the stain has to be done with great care. This because while staining, you cannot use uneven multiple strokes, as is used in painting. You have to keep the strokes even, to avoid a discolored look of the wood at the end. You can use a sponge brush or a rag for this purpose. As done in the previous steps, the staining brush should also move in the direction of the grain of the wood. Once you have covered up the entire wood surface with stain, allow the stain to sit on the wood for a minute or two. Then wipe off any excess stain from the wood by rubbing a piece of cotton rag. If the wood is not as dark as you expected, then repeat the staining immediately. This should be done before the staining has dried, or else the next coat will not adhere to the wood properly.

Step #5
Allow the applied stain to dry up completely for the next 24 hours. Then apply a thin coat of water based finish on the stained pine to protect the wood for a long period of time. Apply the first coat of finish and wait for a minute. Gently sand the surface with a fine sandpaper, and reapply the second coat polyurethane and allow it to dry overnight.

After you are finished with the staining job, you will really feel happy to see the end result. It will give the furniture or wooden cabinets an amazing look. Finally, I would like to advise you to protect yourself with suitable protective gear like gloves and safety glasses before venturing into the project.