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There are several different
techniques you can use to apply stain to your project. You can
use a brush or a rag with most stains on the market. Some even
are packaged so you can spray them on. Absorbent rags made of
natural fibers like cotton work really well to apply stain. Use
a cut up old T-shirt or other piece of fabric. Alternatively,
you can also use a heavy-duty paper towel. If you prefer to use
a brush, it doesn't matter if you use a synthetic or a natural
bristle brush. Foam brushes may not be your best choice... they
can sometimes disintegrate from the solvents used in some stains.
If you are spraying your stain onto your project, set the paint
gun up for a light viscosity. If the stain you have chosen is
a thick pigment type, you'll also need to thin it before putting
it in the paint gun so it will spray properly.
If you choose to use a pigment
stain, make sure it is mixed thoroughly before you use it by
shaking it vigorously or stirring it. Pigments tend to settle
at the bottom of the container. If you are using a dye stain,
while they don't need to be stirred, you may want to strain it
first to remove any lumps of dye that did not fully dissolve.
If you need a lot of stain, and you have several small cans of
the same color, you may want to put them into one larger container
and mix them up to make sure your color is uniform and not streaked.
You may want to start by taking
your project apart, so the stain covers every bit of the wood
and doesn't gather around the hardware. Plan what pieces you're
going to do first... and if you have a large piece, figure out
ahead of time how you're going to approach it. You want to create
small workable areas. Once this has been figured out, use your
brush, your spray gun or your rag and apply the stain in the
direction you want. If you have trouble getting the stain into
small crevices, it pays to have a small brush handy to help force
the stain in. If you are working on a piece of wood that is already
installed in a high place over your head, say, like a piece of
crown molding, you may have a more pleasant experience if you
use a gel stain that won't drip on top of you. Apply the stain
to small areas, allowing the stain to dry for a few moments before
wiping the excess off with a clean rag. Be sure to wipe off the
excess in the same direction as the grain of the wood. |
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