Cabinets, Furniture, Woodworks/staining maple table

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Expert: - 9/6/2009


Question
Hi. I am staining a maple table with Old Master's gel stain. I am about to put on a pre-stain conditioner (Zinsser's Bulls Eye Sealcoat diluted 50 with denatured alcohol) to reduce blotching. The instructions say that after applying I should lightly rub with a fine synthetic abrasion pad before staining. Is that the same as 0000 steel wool or a high grit sandpaper or do I need to get a certain kind of pad? Also, I would appreciate any other tips you can pass along. (Sanded maple table to 220 grit, going to apply sealcoat-alcohol mix, lightly rub, apply stain, and then apply several coats of wipe-on poly. I think I am supposed to lightly sand between each coat of poly with 320 grit, right?) Thanks so much for your help.

Answer
Hi Megan, 0000 steel wool would be fine, and will actually "cut" better...but resist the urge to rub too much on your sealer coat, as it's easy to rub through in spots and that will defeat the purpose. Only rub if it's rough to the touch, and only rub until the surface is uniformly smooth. Do your staining, wipe off the stain evenly, let it dry overnight and then pad on the wipe on product.If you want it darker, apply a second coat of stain after overnight drying before the clear, you want to make sure that each successive coat doesn't melt the previous coat. Use your fingers as a guide, a wipe on product shouldn't need any sanding, and probably not even any rubbing between coats. ONLY if it's rough when dry to the touch...3 coats with proper drying between coats (again, overnight) should give you a nice finish.Best of luck- Greg

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Greg Scholl

Expertise

Questions on Woodworking, wood finishing and refinishing of all kinds, repairing furniture and wooden objects, Architectural details, Woodturning, carving, tool usage, product usage, some chemistry as it applies to woodworking and related interests,cabinet making and furniture construction/design, etc. I have experience with all manners of colorants, finishes, paints, stains, dyes, glazes, and coatings, wood species recognition and usage,tool recommendations, blade types and recommendation,techniques and methods for many Woodworking related issues, etc.

Experience

Fine furniture restorer and cabinet maker for over 30 years,serving high end Antique dealers, Interior designers, Collectors in the CT area. Consulting for area Painting/Decorating and Building contractors on non painting issues..(staining, wood prep.,clear finishing, floor restoration and architectural detail restoration and repair, etc.) Sold, built, serviced, setup Home, Industrial, and Commercial stationary woodworking tools for a major tool retailer in CT. for three years, sold hand and power tools , provided knowledge, parts replacement, service, and on site service, Trade show Demo, and training as well.

Publications
Published in Fine Woodworking Magazine (12/97), included on Fine Woodworkings first "Best of Fine Woodworking" CD-ROM (2002) ...("27 year compilation of expert know-how")

Education/Credentials
Art School at Silvermine Guild in Norwalk, CT., 9 year apprenticeship in a European run Cabinet and Restoration shop in CT., various classes on subjects having to do with the field. Seminars from major Tool manufacturers, Skil/Bosch, Delta, Powermatic, Ritter, Porter cable, Milwaukee, Dewalt/B&Decker, Performax.

Past/Present Clients
Many varied clients including work on Martha Stewarts' Westport, CT. show house, many fine Antique dealers and private collectors in and around Fairfield County and in Woodbury, CT. (the Antiques capital of CT.), Golden Age of Trucking Museum, Wilton Historical Society.

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