I've never stain wood, pine nor oak before... Just browsing through TH-cam to learn more ideas how to do it.. Came across your channel and your instructions, tips, demonstrations simply the best! Thank you for sharing your excellent tips 😊.. Please keep it up 👍
This is amazing!!!! I was loosing my mind trying to find a specific shade and here it is Special Walnut and Jacobean. You've managed to make a girl so happy and for that I am forever grateful ❤❤❤
I have been staining wood since 1989. This is a very good tutorial. Tons of good information. My preference is also Minwax for staining. I have the 'feel' for it...I guess you could say. The wood conditioner is a MUST for pine, also for cherry and for western red alder. My personal favorite is Puritan Pine (#218). Most popular with customers is Early American. Driftwood is popular, as is (and I can't believe it) Golden Oak. I have 'tinted' Golden Oak with grey to some success. I use chemist's glassware when I mix colors of stain, primarily to achieve consistant results. A couple of those graduated cylinders are less than $30, and give me confidence I can successfully repeat colorations. They are also useful in reduction of topcoats especially when thinning for spray...which I do a lot of. I also use the 100/150 progression with pine when sanding a product prior to stain. While many woodworking folk will recommend a 80/120/180 progression I want the stain to penetrate and find that anything past 150 grit doesn't allow as much penetration as I would like. Finish is half the job, in my opinion. You can build a masterpiece and trash it with poorly applied finish work. It takes practice, and more practice, and finally some more practice to begin to get the 'perfect' finish. Always test the finish before application. Always test the topcoat for compatibility. Some stains will bleed through a clear coating. Some clear coats will fish-eye or blotch. It is a neverending learning process, but to me finish work is the most satisfying part of the craft.
Thank you so much for watching! I feel validated that my process aligns with a staining veteran since I'm still relatively new to the craft. You've inspired me to try some new colors! Thanks for sharing your experience.
Great double blind study! I'm sure 9 out of 10 scientists would agree, lol, switch to shellac so you can use your glove stockpile! Nice job, everything came out very even, very clever to make a practical sample size for your customers. I LOVE the tru-black on my bougier workbenches (fir legs or mdf tops). For myself, I'm nearing the end of my stockpile of stain, and might experiment with dye and shellac or BLO. 200 - 221, whatever it takes....
I use pine almost exclusively. Yes, paper towels for small projects are great! I also use sponges for larger stain projects - I buy grout sponges and cut them into smaller pieces so they fit into the stain cans. I like your mixes and will be trying that in my own work. Well done and very thorough.
I've seen some interesting combinations and so far im looking to try out: fruitwood, gunstock with mahogany, and now early american with weathered oak. Thank you for all the tips and swatches from an experienced professional.
Great tutorial! I built a side table for my daughter, and she wanted to match her bedroom furniture. We had 10 mixes of different colors and ratios. That was a lot of fun. I used one of those really cheap metal coffee scoops. The stain wipes right off for the next dip. If I had had the Jacobean it might have only taken 3 tries 🤓
Very informative and helpful. I'd never heard the paper bag method and I didn't know one can mix stains to create unique stains. I will certainly try both. An idea for a future how-to video is re-staining an old weathered stained project and the best process for the best result. Thank you!
I like that idea a lot! My parents found a great vintage chest on the side of the road that I'm slowly working on and hope to post a video once I finish!
That waxy smooth feeling and look on Pine, and other milled wood is called mill glaze. As the rough wood is run through the milling process, planing, and jointing, resins in the wood form a hard waxy seal on the surface from the heat of the machinery cutters. It needs to be removed so any applied finish can penetrate and adhere properly. This even applies to new exterior Spruce clapboards and Pine trim, although for exterior mill glaze removal, applying a wood brightener and pressure washing removes it. Using hand planes does not cause mill glaze because there isn't enough heat made to create it. That's why in most cases, hand tool wood workers typically don't have to sand their projects.
Wow thank you so much for sharing. I'm super excited to learn this! I'm curious, why do the 'common boards' at the big box stores not have this waxiness? It seems specific to the 'Select' grade.
Being that #2 Pine has knots, so they may not plane them as smooth, but the glaze is there. Next time you're at the store, grab a short one, they may have 6-footers. Hold it up and extended to the light so you can see down its length. You should see the shine, which is the glaze, and when sanded goes away. Also, if you have any true lumber yards close enough to you, check out their supply. Many times a lumber yard will have better selections of grades, and "maybe" even cost a bit less. Plus, you'll be supporting a small local business.@@carpenterkatieco
@@carpenterkatieco There are benefits to a lumberyard that can be difficult to find at a box store. Starting with customer service. You still have the option of sorting through your material to find the best pieces, and in many cases, they will even load your vehicle. And some, like two of my local places, have drive-through buildings that allow you to, first, be out of the weather, and two, drive up to the areas where your wood is stacked. There should most likely be people readily available to answer and actually know there answers to any questions you may have. Something that is very much lacking in box stores. And over time, you can build up a report with the owners and or the employees.
I am starting with staining and your video is the best one, thank you for your time. I still not able to have dark colors as yours, and I think the problem is the wood. Cann your share what is the wood you use? If you can share a link will help me a lot.
Thanks! Make sure you’re not sanding to too high of grit (I stop at 150 or even 120). You can always add more coats after an hour or two of dry time for a darker color. One coat typically works for me, I’m pretty generous with the amount of stain on my rag. I use the 1x pine from Home Depot or Lowe’s. Here is an example: t.ly/GFWf4
I’ve used the premium pine before and I started out at 180 grit because of how smooth it felt. Kinda like it’d just been ran through a planer, I mean it looked absolutely flawless. It looked much worse after that, like I’d just used a 30 grit on it. So I agree, I think it has something like a wax on it to make it that smooth. The lack of knots is the only thing appealing about it to me now.
I agree. It looks great and it's usually much straighter than the other options, but I find it so challenging to stain. It seems like the wax really penetrates the wood because it can still turn out splotchy even with a lot of sanding.
Hi Katie, thanks so much for this video. It was really helpful. But if I may simply add a minor comment. "Jacobean" is pronounced like jack-o-bee-ann. It refers to the time in English and Scottish history when King James was fighting for the throne. I am not a hater, just trying to give you a helpful comment.
I appreciate you teaching me this! Someone else told me the same thing after posting the video and I can’t stop laughing at myself 😂 The proper pronunciation makes so much more sense.
Exactly!! I used to think it was Jack-oh-bean because that's what everyone called it on the job site. As I was studying european history and watching a bunch of documentaries I realized that everyone was saying it wrong, lol
Excellent tutorial Have you ever matched stains across brand ie: what general stain in the color nutmeg is equivalent to the minwax brand Hard to get general finishes here thank you
Good question! I've only used Varathane and Minwax and of those two, I enjoy working with Minwax the most. I would love to try other brands at some point, I don't have any experience with General Finishes yet.
Thank you for a very informative video! I am so sad to have just found it because in my new house with pine floors I had to choose a stain very quickly and only knew I didn’t want them to be dark. So I went with Puritan Pine but was told that stain is discontinued. Chose Ipswich Pine because it looked closest to Puritan. They are so yellow and I really dislike them. What can I do to salvage them? If they are redone what will that involve? Is there a shortcut I can take to give them more of a light tan look?
Oh no! I'm sorry to hear that. I have no experience finishing floors, but if they've already been sealed they would sadly need to be sanded down to start over from scratch. Floors are typically sealed with oil-based polyurethane which has an amber tone to it, so if you decide to start over keep that in mind since it may alter the final color. You might want to try a water-based poly which generally dries more "clear" but even on raw pine it will still bring out the golden tones. I've also heard of people using a special 2-part wood bleach on raw pine, but I haven't tried it yet. Pine is tough as it will yellow with age no matter what.
YOU ARE THE BEST!! Been three day’s looking for the best colour match stain i wanted for my project of pine wood!! And found this!! 🤩😍🤌🏼 Thank you so much! 🫶🏻
Very nice finishes but I don't know if it's the camera or what, there is no way I can get pine to look like that. I don't know what I'm missing here but a more detail, step by step process would be helpful.
@@carpenterkatieco wow! So kind of you to respond to my comment. As you mentioned in your video I am working with home depot "premium" pine, which looks super nice and smooth but my tests produce extreme blotchiness and it doesn't "grab" the color very well. It also doesn't look shiny like yours. I've also tried danish oil, osmo and rubio, not super happy with any. I just want a very light finish that doesn't darken the wood but helps bring contrast in the grain, it has zero contrast out of the shelf. Thank you so much!
@@PaulPhoenix2010 I rarely use the “premium” pine for that reason. It’s very splotchy and weird for me too. I use the 1x boards that are a step below that at HD/Lowes (the ones with usually a lot of knots). They stain so much better but the knotty wood doesn’t suit every build. It works well for my small decor products.
Hi! Is the IRVING Clear Pine Board from Home Depot the same type/grade of wood as the one you used in your video? I'm wondering if the colour result would be similar to what was shown in the video. Thank you!
It looks like that might be Select pine. It is usually very smooth and free of knots, but I find that it sometimes has a wax or some type of coating that can result in splotchy stain if it's not sanded extremely well. The colors should be similar to my video if you use the same process and oil based stain. I used #2 grade pine for my swatches which is a couple grades below Select and has more knots in it. I'll be posting another step by step video of prepping and staining the wood next week since I had a few questions after this video. It might help with your project since I'll be comparing the exact process for Select vs lower grade pine.
Maple is tough. I've tried Minwax Golden Oak topped with a watered down coat of white paint (applied like stain). It's close but can also end up a little too pink-ish.
@@saidamnia4295 I might try Golden Oak and the wood conditioner in a 50/50 blend. Cuts coloration in half while still retaining the drying speed of an uncut stain. I would wholeheartedly recommend you do not mix brands of stain while doing this ..or any other stain mix...as some proprietary formulations are reactive and you either get jello or a colorant that will not stay suspended. Either way...a fail. The cost of stains are really an insignificant portion of the project as a whole, when your time (and love) are considered. Especially...especially...do not mix stains made with different carriers. As in, do not even dream of mixing an oil-based stain with a water-borne stain. Won't work...ever.
I can't believe you're getting those dark colors after that conditioner. Am I missing something? Are you wiping with a clean towel after 5 minutes or so?
The best instruction on Staining for a beginner I have seen. Thank you so much.
Wow, thank you! I’m glad it was helpful!
@@carpenterkatieco This has helped me a ton too with my project. Thanks so much!
“Jack - uh - bee - an”
Thanks, such a helpful and informative packed video!
I've never stain wood, pine nor oak before... Just browsing through TH-cam to learn more ideas how to do it.. Came across your channel and your instructions, tips, demonstrations simply the best! Thank you for sharing your excellent tips 😊.. Please keep it up 👍
Thanks for watching! Staining seems straightforward but it really is a delicate art. I learn something new and improve my wood finishes every day.
Thank you for showing the mixed stains. Very nice demo.
Thanks for watching! The mixes are a nice alternative to the 'straight out of the can' colors.
This is amazing!!!! I was loosing my mind trying to find a specific shade and here it is Special Walnut and Jacobean. You've managed to make a girl so happy and for that I am forever grateful ❤❤❤
Oh great! I'm so glad you found a nice match! The mixed colors feel so special compared to what's straight from the can.
@carpenterkatieco credit to you though for doing such a great job at picking the shades to match. Absolute winner and a new fan here. All the best🙏❤️
I have been staining wood since 1989. This is a very good tutorial. Tons of good information. My preference is also Minwax for staining. I have the 'feel' for it...I guess you could say. The wood conditioner is a MUST for pine, also for cherry and for western red alder.
My personal favorite is Puritan Pine (#218). Most popular with customers is Early American. Driftwood is popular, as is (and I can't believe it) Golden Oak. I have 'tinted' Golden Oak with grey to some success.
I use chemist's glassware when I mix colors of stain, primarily to achieve consistant results. A couple of those graduated cylinders are less than $30, and give me confidence I can successfully repeat colorations. They are also useful in reduction of topcoats especially when thinning for spray...which I do a lot of.
I also use the 100/150 progression with pine when sanding a product prior to stain. While many woodworking folk will recommend a 80/120/180 progression I want the stain to penetrate and find that anything past 150 grit doesn't allow as much penetration as I would like.
Finish is half the job, in my opinion. You can build a masterpiece and trash it with poorly applied finish work. It takes practice, and more practice, and finally some more practice to begin to get the 'perfect' finish. Always test the finish before application. Always test the topcoat for compatibility. Some stains will bleed through a clear coating. Some clear coats will fish-eye or blotch. It is a neverending learning process, but to me finish work is the most satisfying part of the craft.
Thank you so much for watching! I feel validated that my process aligns with a staining veteran since I'm still relatively new to the craft. You've inspired me to try some new colors! Thanks for sharing your experience.
Thank you for the info. I took a screenshot of your comment. ❤
Great double blind study! I'm sure 9 out of 10 scientists would agree, lol, switch to shellac so you can use your glove stockpile! Nice job, everything came out very even, very clever to make a practical sample size for your customers. I LOVE the tru-black on my bougier workbenches (fir legs or mdf tops). For myself, I'm nearing the end of my stockpile of stain, and might experiment with dye and shellac or BLO. 200 - 221, whatever it takes....
Ooohh your workbenches sound beautiful! I love the true black as well. Very nice, rich color. Good luck with your experiments!
Thank you so much for demistifying what I've struggled with as a novice woodworking enthusiast!
I'm glad this was helpful for you!
I use pine almost exclusively. Yes, paper towels for small projects are great! I also use sponges for larger stain projects - I buy grout sponges and cut them into smaller pieces so they fit into the stain cans. I like your mixes and will be trying that in my own work. Well done and very thorough.
Thanks for watching! Great tip for the grout sponges too, I’ll have to try that out.
I've seen some interesting combinations and so far im looking to try out: fruitwood, gunstock with mahogany, and now early american with weathered oak. Thank you for all the tips and swatches from an experienced professional.
Fruitwood is one of my recent faves! It also looks good mixed with a tiny bit of black stain. Thanks for watching!
This video was so thorough and informative. Just what I was looking for. Keep ‘em coming!
That’s great to hear! Thanks for the nice comment 🙂
Great tutorial! I built a side table for my daughter, and she wanted to match her bedroom furniture. We had 10 mixes of different colors and ratios. That was a lot of fun.
I used one of those really cheap metal coffee scoops. The stain wipes right off for the next dip. If I had had the Jacobean it might have only taken 3 tries 🤓
Mixing stains is so much fun! It makes projects feel truly one of a kind. Great tip on the coffee scoop, thanks for sharing.
Very informative and helpful. I'd never heard the paper bag method and I didn't know one can mix stains to create unique stains. I will certainly try both. An idea for a future how-to video is re-staining an old weathered stained project and the best process for the best result. Thank you!
I like that idea a lot! My parents found a great vintage chest on the side of the road that I'm slowly working on and hope to post a video once I finish!
I'm looking forward to the video. Good luck. @@carpenterkatieco
Wow, very thorough video. Definitely hit all the important points.
Thank you!! I tried to include all the info I was looking for when researching this sander.
Good stuff! I LOVE the mixed stain samples!
Thanks for watching! The mixes are so fun to get some unique colors.
Ok you are freaking awesome, what a perfect video!! Thank you!
Thank you so much! I hope it was helpful!
Very informative, liked, shared, saved and subscribed!
Awesome, thank you! I'm glad you found my channel!
Decent tutorial received a save!
Thanks for watching!!
Very helpful. Thank you! 😊
Glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching!
excellent tutorial, thank you!!
I’m glad you liked it! Thanks for watching
That waxy smooth feeling and look on Pine, and other milled wood is called mill glaze. As the rough wood is run through the milling process, planing, and jointing, resins in the wood form a hard waxy seal on the surface from the heat of the machinery cutters. It needs to be removed so any applied finish can penetrate and adhere properly. This even applies to new exterior Spruce clapboards and Pine trim, although for exterior mill glaze removal, applying a wood brightener and pressure washing removes it. Using hand planes does not cause mill glaze because there isn't enough heat made to create it. That's why in most cases, hand tool wood workers typically don't have to sand their projects.
Wow thank you so much for sharing. I'm super excited to learn this! I'm curious, why do the 'common boards' at the big box stores not have this waxiness? It seems specific to the 'Select' grade.
Being that #2 Pine has knots, so they may not plane them as smooth, but the glaze is there. Next time you're at the store, grab a short one, they may have 6-footers. Hold it up and extended to the light so you can see down its length. You should see the shine, which is the glaze, and when sanded goes away. Also, if you have any true lumber yards close enough to you, check out their supply. Many times a lumber yard will have better selections of grades, and "maybe" even cost a bit less. Plus, you'll be supporting a small local business.@@carpenterkatieco
@@kperellie Thank you! I’ll eventually make it to an actual lumberyard. Not sure why it intimidates me so much but I should support a local business.
@@carpenterkatieco There are benefits to a lumberyard that can be difficult to find at a box store. Starting with customer service. You still have the option of sorting through your material to find the best pieces, and in many cases, they will even load your vehicle. And some, like two of my local places, have drive-through buildings that allow you to, first, be out of the weather, and two, drive up to the areas where your wood is stacked. There should most likely be people readily available to answer and actually know there answers to any questions you may have. Something that is very much lacking in box stores. And over time, you can build up a report with the owners and or the employees.
Thats so interesting. So would i need to condition wood i sanded on the top of a dresser to remove the varnish/stain before using new stain?
very helpful, thank you!
Thanks for watching! I'm glad it was helpful!
Thank you! This is great! 👍🏼
Thanks for watching!
Great video! Thanks!
You bet!
I love English chestnut but like you mentioned it’s got a reddish look to it.
I like it too! Mixing it with Jacobean is nice and tones down the red a little bit.
I haven't managed to get consistent stains from this one from can to can, it seems like it tends to vary quite a bit
Great very informative !
Thanks for watching!
I am starting with staining and your video is the best one, thank you for your time. I still not able to have dark colors as yours, and I think the problem is the wood. Cann your share what is the wood you use? If you can share a link will help me a lot.
Thanks! Make sure you’re not sanding to too high of grit (I stop at 150 or even 120). You can always add more coats after an hour or two of dry time for a darker color. One coat typically works for me, I’m pretty generous with the amount of stain on my rag.
I use the 1x pine from Home Depot or Lowe’s. Here is an example: t.ly/GFWf4
I’ve used the premium pine before and I started out at 180 grit because of how smooth it felt. Kinda like it’d just been ran through a planer, I mean it looked absolutely flawless. It looked much worse after that, like I’d just used a 30 grit on it. So I agree, I think it has something like a wax on it to make it that smooth. The lack of knots is the only thing appealing about it to me now.
I agree. It looks great and it's usually much straighter than the other options, but I find it so challenging to stain. It seems like the wax really penetrates the wood because it can still turn out splotchy even with a lot of sanding.
@@carpenterkatieco it does. Prestain condition really doesn’t help at all either.
Paper towels are definitely the move!
I’m glad I’m not the only one!!
Hi Katie, thanks so much for this video. It was really helpful. But if I may simply add a minor comment. "Jacobean" is pronounced like jack-o-bee-ann. It refers to the time in English and Scottish history when King James was fighting for the throne. I am not a hater, just trying to give you a helpful comment.
I appreciate you teaching me this! Someone else told me the same thing after posting the video and I can’t stop laughing at myself 😂 The proper pronunciation makes so much more sense.
Thank you. I was going to make that very point 😂
Exactly!! I used to think it was Jack-oh-bean because that's what everyone called it on the job site. As I was studying european history and watching a bunch of documentaries I realized that everyone was saying it wrong, lol
Omg get a life
Excellent tutorial Have you ever matched stains across brand ie: what general stain in the color nutmeg is equivalent to the minwax brand Hard to get general finishes here thank you
Good question! I've only used Varathane and Minwax and of those two, I enjoy working with Minwax the most. I would love to try other brands at some point, I don't have any experience with General Finishes yet.
Thank you for a very informative video! I am so sad to have just found it because in my new house with pine floors I had to choose a stain very quickly and only knew I didn’t want them to be dark. So I went with Puritan Pine but was told that stain is discontinued. Chose Ipswich Pine because it looked closest to Puritan. They are so yellow and I really dislike them. What can I do to salvage them? If they are redone what will that involve? Is there a shortcut I can take to give them more of a light tan look?
Oh no! I'm sorry to hear that. I have no experience finishing floors, but if they've already been sealed they would sadly need to be sanded down to start over from scratch. Floors are typically sealed with oil-based polyurethane which has an amber tone to it, so if you decide to start over keep that in mind since it may alter the final color. You might want to try a water-based poly which generally dries more "clear" but even on raw pine it will still bring out the golden tones. I've also heard of people using a special 2-part wood bleach on raw pine, but I haven't tried it yet. Pine is tough as it will yellow with age no matter what.
YOU ARE THE BEST!! Been three day’s looking for the best colour match stain i wanted for my project of pine wood!! And found this!! 🤩😍🤌🏼 Thank you so much! 🫶🏻
That’s so nice, thank you! I hope you got some helpful tips for your project
Hi ant Katie it is me jada ❤
Hi Jada! 😁😁
Very nice finishes but I don't know if it's the camera or what, there is no way I can get pine to look like that. I don't know what I'm missing here but a more detail, step by step process would be helpful.
Hi Paul! No camera trickery here. Perhaps we’re working with different types/grades of pine?
@@carpenterkatieco wow! So kind of you to respond to my comment. As you mentioned in your video I am working with home depot "premium" pine, which looks super nice and smooth but my tests produce extreme blotchiness and it doesn't "grab" the color very well. It also doesn't look shiny like yours. I've also tried danish oil, osmo and rubio, not super happy with any. I just want a very light finish that doesn't darken the wood but helps bring contrast in the grain, it has zero contrast out of the shelf. Thank you so much!
@@PaulPhoenix2010 I rarely use the “premium” pine for that reason. It’s very splotchy and weird for me too. I use the 1x boards that are a step below that at HD/Lowes (the ones with usually a lot of knots). They stain so much better but the knotty wood doesn’t suit every build. It works well for my small decor products.
Hi! Is the IRVING Clear Pine Board from Home Depot the same type/grade of wood as the one you used in your video? I'm wondering if the colour result would be similar to what was shown in the video. Thank you!
It looks like that might be Select pine. It is usually very smooth and free of knots, but I find that it sometimes has a wax or some type of coating that can result in splotchy stain if it's not sanded extremely well. The colors should be similar to my video if you use the same process and oil based stain. I used #2 grade pine for my swatches which is a couple grades below Select and has more knots in it.
I'll be posting another step by step video of prepping and staining the wood next week since I had a few questions after this video. It might help with your project since I'll be comparing the exact process for Select vs lower grade pine.
I wonder what stain color would go best with my walls which is painted Sherwin Williams Armory?
I think Early American is a classic!
I dont know if mine is pine. I know its super cheap
Ty what happened to Golden Oak
Totally forgot about Golden Oak! That’s a nice one too.
What stains color can I mix to get a maple color? Maybe weathered oak and white?
Maple is tough. I've tried Minwax Golden Oak topped with a watered down coat of white paint (applied like stain). It's close but can also end up a little too pink-ish.
Thank you so much!
@@saidamnia4295 I might try Golden Oak and the wood conditioner in a 50/50 blend. Cuts coloration in half while still retaining the drying speed of an uncut stain.
I would wholeheartedly recommend you do not mix brands of stain while doing this ..or any other stain mix...as some proprietary formulations are reactive and you either get jello or a colorant that will not stay suspended. Either way...a fail. The cost of stains are really an insignificant portion of the project as a whole, when your time (and love) are considered. Especially...especially...do not mix stains made with different carriers. As in, do not even dream of mixing an oil-based stain with a water-borne stain. Won't work...ever.
I can't believe you're getting those dark colors after that conditioner. Am I missing something? Are you wiping with a clean towel after 5 minutes or so?
Hi! I usually let the conditioner sit for at least 10-15 mins. I think the can says you can apply stain up to 30 mins after conditioning.
See if you can mimic the Pottery Barn rustic look.
I love that idea! I'll try it out for a future video. Thank you!
Some stains are semi transparent what’s the type for the black stain 21:00
Thanks for watching! It’s Minwax oil based stain in True Black (in the yellow can).
I'm going to white wash when do you 🤔
Tents....painters points.
in my honest opinon, not that you not nice to look at but when u talking have your video on what you doing instead. otherwise makes me disinterested.
Thanks for your feedback!