How To Stain And Finish Natural Wood Trim (page 3 of 3)

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Staining Techniques

Brush on the stain and wipe it off fast
The key to getting an evenly stained surface is to saturate the wood thoroughly and then wipe the stain off evenly. Start by stirring the stain. Scrape the stir stick across the bottom and pull up any settled solids, then work them into the solvent until they’re all dissolved. (Use the same method to mix the sanding sealer and the varnish later.) The best application method is to simply dip a natural-bristle brush into the stain and brush it right onto the wood. Rags are messy and waste stain. Don’t skimp when you’re applying stain—more is better.

Wipe off the stain with clean cotton rags in the same order you put it on. The idea is to let it soak into all areas of the wood for about the same amount of time. Wipe with light, even pressure. You’ll know if you wipe too lightly because you’ll leave streaks. Refold wiping rags frequently so you have dry cloth for most strokes, and grab a new rag whenever one gets soaked.

Next, “dry-brush” any cracks or crevices that the rag couldn’t reach by dragging a dry brush through them.Wipe off the bristles on a rag or newspaper between strokes to keep the bristles dry and to avoid smearing. Don’t waste time. It doesn’t take long for stain to start drying, and it becomes sticky and hard to remove. If the stain gets tacky before you can wipe it off, simply apply more stain to soften it and then wipe it off again.

Finally, closely examine the surface for smudges, brush marks and blotches. Look for swirls left by rags and wipe them down again. These marks are easy to miss but you will see them after finishing, so examine the surface carefully.

If you spot areas in the finish that seem too light, add more stain. Let it sit for a couple of minutes and then wipe it off again.Work quickly; as the stain dries, it will smudge. Lighten dark areas by rubbing them lightly with a rag dampened with paint thinner. Make these color tune-ups for each piece right after staining. It’s easiest to make color corrections while the stain is still damp. Let the stain dry overnight before you start the finish coats. If you’re unhappy with grain lines that are too dark compared with the surrounding wood, restain and wipe the whole surface and let it sit overnight again.

Test the stains

Oil stains are the finish of choice among pros because they’re forgiving and easy to apply. Avoid “fast-drying” stains. You’re better off with ones that require at least overnight drying time. Getting the best color usually requires stain mixing, so buy a few different 4-oz. cans in the color family you’re interested in.

Then sand extra trim, cut it into 3-in. pieces and start experimenting. Mark all the pieces with the colors you use to keep them straight. You can lighten stain easily by diluting it with paint thinner. It’s not unusual to use mixes that are 25 percent or even 50 percent paint thinner. But measure carefully so you can replicate your results on a larger scale. Next, finish the samples with the same sealer and varnish coats you plan to use, to get an accurate finished look.

Trying to match a stain that’s on existing trim is difficult, especially if the trim is more than a few years old. Even pros rarely attempt it themselves. The best bet is to bring a sample of the finish you want to match, along with raw wood samples, to a paint store that offers a color-matching service. You may have to shop around a bit. As a last resort, find a furniture refinisher that’s willing to help.

Brush on a sanding sealer
Brush on the sanding sealer in the direction of the grain until the whole surface is coated. Shine a strong light on the wet surface to highlight areas you might have missed (they’ll be dull). Then add more finish wherever it’s needed. Immediately “tip-off ” the wet finish by stroking the entire surface from end to end with long, light, overlapping strokes of the wet brush (Photo 8). That’ll further even out the coat and help eliminate brush marks. Work quickly; sanding sealers dry fast. If you wait too long before tipping off, you’ll leave brush marks. If you see brush marks after tipping off, leave them and sand them out later. Lastly, look carefully at the edges to find any drips and smooth them out with the brush. Leave the wood lying flat during the finish application and while it dries afterward. That’ll minimize runs and sags and help finishes to “level out” so brush marks will disappear.

Sand the sealer before varnishing
After the sealer dries, lightly sand the surfaces with 240- or 280-grit (extra fine) sanding pads or paper. You’ll know it’s smooth enough when you see a fine dust on all the surfaces and they’re smooth to the touch. The sanded surface should be uniformly dull. Shiny streaks or spots indicate missed spots.

Sand carefully, especially near sharp corners. It’s easy to sand through the sealer and the stain to leave exposed raw wood. If that happens, just retouch with more stain to even up the color. There’s no need to reseal small areas. Use a shop vacuum fitted with an upholstery brush to remove most of the dust. Remove the remaining dust by wiping the surfaces with a tack cloth.

Finish up with oil-based varnish
Brush on the varnish and tip it off with the same techniques you used for the sanding sealer (Photo 8). If you’re working in a clean room and did a good job of sanding the sealer, one coat will be plenty. Trim doesn’t receive much wear or abrasion, so you don’t need a tough, thick finish. But if you have dust specks, brush marks or other imperfections, don’t try to pick them out of the wet finish. Let the finish dry overnight. If there are only a few specks, pick them out with your fingernail. If there are a lot of specks, resand and add another coat. Either way, specks in the finish mean the room is still dirty. Clean the room more thoroughly or find another, cleaner place to work for the next coat. To add another coat, prepare the surface as you did after the sanding sealer, including sanding the finish with extra-fine sanding grits, dusting the surfaces and wiping everything down with a tack cloth. Then add another topcoat of varnish.