Expert: Joseph G. Swallow - 8/7/2011

Question
Hello,  We recently had new oak treads installed on our stairs.  They were stained with Sherwin-Williams stain.  The treads were stained first and then wood putty was applied over the nail holes, and after that the sealant was applied.  We are noticing that the area around the nail holes where the wood putty was applied is turning very cloudy and blotchy.  We pointed this out to the contractor and he claims it will be easy to repair (he has not done it yet).  Is this something easy to fix and if so how should it be done, or do all the treads need to be stripped and re-stained?  Thank you.

Answer
Generally this is an easy repair, especially with the Sherwin-Williams brand stains.   I would recommend that the nail holes be filled with a color putty that matches the stain.  That way there is no chemical reaction.  Most putties have an acitone base and can cause a reaction, not to the stain but to the varnish or laquers.  Usually you would want to sand down the nail hole blemishes enough to restain and blend.  If it is an oil-based stain you sometimes need to sand down to the raw wood and reblend.   It shouldn't be a problem.