Author Topic: Pre-Stain Wood Conditioner  (Read 10373 times)

Offline MiTm

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Pre-Stain Wood Conditioner
« on: October 09, 2009, 11:04:46 AM »
I will be staining 6 interior double-hung windows that have pine framing. I have read that softwoods
such as pine & fir MAY blotch when stains are applied. I will be using an oil-based stain...either Min-Wax
or Benjamin-Moore. The color is similar to  a dark amber.

Do I need to use a pre-stain wood conditioner? Brands? Application tips?
And what exactly does this do?

Thank You for any help...

Mark


"Each is the Architect of their own Joy and Sorrow"

Offline Roadog

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Re: Pre-Stain Wood Conditioner
« Reply #1 on: October 09, 2009, 04:36:32 PM »
I would use a conditioner on pine. I've tried Cabot and min wax and both seemed the same. However, I have since gone to the "old" way which is very inexpensive. (last staining job was over 2000 sq. ft of wood) I take Zinnser Seal Coat which is a 2 lb. cut of de-waxed shellac and mix equally with denatured alcohol so I have a 1 lb cut. Then just rag it in (quick even pass). Works great and after testing against the other canned stuff, it was there equal but pennies compared to dollars! Also, you can stain when you want with shellac formula. With the others I believe you have a certain window (hours) that you have to apply the stain.

Offline MiTm

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Re: Pre-Stain Wood Conditioner
« Reply #2 on: October 10, 2009, 01:24:46 PM »
Yes...the MinWax says w/i two hours. Haven't checked prices yet.

Thank you....

mark
"Each is the Architect of their own Joy and Sorrow"

Offline CarlThePainter

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Re: Pre-Stain Wood Conditioner
« Reply #3 on: October 10, 2009, 02:20:36 PM »
To me, this has always been a matter of personal opinion.  I have never really used conditioner on pine, mostly because my clients aren't willing to pay for that extra step in the wood finishing process for something that you may or may not be able to even tell a difference.    When you stain wood, the more porous areas of the wood are going to be darker because the stain will penetrate further there.   The conditioner helps to fill some of those porous areas so that your appearance will be more uniform.   The conditioner itself is simply a thinned down poly.   You can make your own with anything...thin down shellac, varnish, lacquer, etc.   The ratio is anyones guess but I think I remember it being somewhere around 80 percent thinner, 20 percent poly? When you put it on the wood, it feels like you are just putting thinner down really. 

Offline BrushJockey

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Re: Pre-Stain Wood Conditioner
« Reply #4 on: October 10, 2009, 03:11:09 PM »
I've also used penetrol to do this.
"It would be ludicrous to think I'm new to this, I know this, this is what I do"  ( Prince and Geo Clinton..)

Offline tntpainting

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Re: Pre-Stain Wood Conditioner
« Reply #5 on: November 08, 2009, 09:17:07 PM »
yeah totally man you need to apply a conditioner beforehand ive used cabots,sw and minwax they all work well

Offline AmericanPatchAndPaint

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Re: Pre-Stain Wood Conditioner
« Reply #6 on: November 09, 2009, 09:30:35 AM »
If ur at a BM retailer you should pick up a can of "Old Masters" gel stain, not room for adjusting the color but if you find one you like it applies and covers great for things like windows and trim, it also creates the same appearance between different wood types! -AP&PCo.

 

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