Just my two cents. Generally most professionals will not use a wood conditioners since it does not give the results you may think it does on certain species. In terms of staining certain species where the end result is blotchy, water popping is the solution. As a hardwood floor contractor we stain jobs that are anywhere from a couple hundred square feet to a couple thousand feet and more. The last thing we or our clients want would be to have their final product be blotchy. What is water popping some may ask. Whatever your project may be weather a table top or a couple thousand feet of wood flooring your sand job must be done correctly. I'll speak in terms of a wood floor. Although the process for all projects are the same. Once we are done sanding a wood floor and ready to apply a stain, we water pop the floor first. Literally we are on our hands and knees with a 5 gallon bucket of water and a car wash sponge washing the floor. Not flooding the floor with water. Simply washing the floor. That then sits over night which once it dries also raises and swells the grain of the wood. Then we stain over the water popped floor. We then allow the stain to dry. The following day we begin our polyurethane process. If you touch the project after you water pop it and after you stain it, it will be rough in texture. This is normal since the process has raised and swollen the grain of the wood which is the intent. Some abrade the stain after it's applied and dried with a maroon pad. Most wait to knock the grain raise down by abrading their first coat of finish. In our case polyurethane. A couple of the more bitchy species to stain would be the tight grain hardwood lumbers such as birch and maple ETC. Staining maple is like shooting a BB gun at a freight train. Stain a maple floor without water popping and uneven, blotchy results is what you will yield. Water pop it, let it dry over night then stain and a nice even color is what you end up with. For those who read this and do it there are two simple keys you must do for success. 1) Wash the project, don't flood it. 2) The water popping process must dry over night. For those who have a moisture meter it's best to take a moisture reading before water popping, and after water popping to ensure all the water has evaporated where the moisture content of the lumber is the same after you water popped as it was before you water popped. As a side note just know that water popping will give the color much more depth. In many cases it also will be a shade or so darker.
You're right. The water is the best way , but if you do use the wood conditioner on small projects , like I use to , you apply it against the grain . Not with the grain like this guy's video . You wipe it off using a wiping cloth , going with the grain . The water popping does bring a deeper stain . I had to apply 2 coats of stain when I used the wood conditioner vs. the water . Thanks for the comment .
You seem to know your stuff. I have a piece of scrap wood that was from an old table that belonged to my great grandad. My Grandaddy let me have it after he had sanded it and everything when he was clearing out his shed and trying to throw things out. I have no idea what kind of wood it is, I just know it WAS like a reddish color before he sanded it. I had an entire novel typed out of everything I’ve done to this little experiment slab I have, but my phone did the whole “select all, cut” thing and I’m so mad. Anyways, every time I sand it, or strip it, or clean it, even if it’s dry… these little dots come up. At first I thought it was moisture but it doesn’t evaporate. I don’t think it’s sap. It has almost an oily consistency. I guess from the supposed era it was from, it could be mahogany because that’s what was popular at the time. I’m not planning on doing anything other than messing with it and testing things on it. But I’ve used a conditioner pre stain stripper… you name it, I’ve done it. I’ve used a colored wash, a poly-stain, a gel stain, oils, stain then poly, EVERYTHING. Every single time, it comes out so blotchy that it looks like a child did it. No matter what application technique I used. I have no idea what kind of wood it is. I haven’t found anything online about what woods just weep oily little dots. So, if I actually needed to to do something with this little table top, and I came across this same mystery wood/problem, do you think something as simple as “ water plopping” could help? I’m just baffled at this thing and I don’t know if I’ll ever figure out what species it is. But I’ve never really worked with refurbishing or experimenting with a single mahogany piece this big so I guess if mahogany is like this then it all makes sense. Would that be a species that you would water plop? What temperature is the water when you do it? I’ve tried to find forums and posted a couple of times on Reddit about it but I’ve gotten no helpful info. I’ve also talked about it to every old man in the hardware store here. (I don’t think they really take me seriously and literally just suggest I do something easier like chalk paint and distress it. I’m assuming it’s because I’m a petite young woman and look like the kind of person who is into doing that. But my Grandaddy was a carpenter and made furniture, houses, chapels, cabinets, flooring… You name it. And I’ve been working with him on all of those things almost my entire life until he passed away in 2019 and I carry on his work as a hobby and sometimes extra income). Like I mentioned though, I’m not ever making anything out of this. I planned on just using it to test things or let my daughter paint on it to keep her entertained while I’m working on something else. But I can’t even get a decent test area and now I’m just determined to figure it out. Sorry for the long reply 9 months later! I thought you might be my chance to maybe get some solid input or advice! It’s not a huge deal, more like an unsolved mystery I’ve accepted I’ll never solve haha. But it would be nice to find something that worked just in case I ever do come across this same issue on a custom piece in the future! Hope you all had a lovely holiday season and happy new year! Thanks for reading!
Ive been a professional wood worker for 50 years. Lots of experience with stain and lacquer. Conditioner is not as necessary on hardwoods as it is on pine or other softwoods. Try a sample piece and make sure to sand everything well before staining. If you are using an oil based stain such as min wax or watco, be sure to soak all stain rags, disposable sponge brushes etc. in water before disposal. These stains have a tendency to self combust. You could save your shop by being careful. Good luck
@@90mphsleep So you didn't understand my question or don't know the answer. It's blatantly obvious that if you want something darker you can use multiple coats or use a darker stain or more absorbent wood. If you don't know the answer to my question then there's no point in you responding to a question I didn't ask and wasting my time.
Love this product. I have never sanded/stained before. But, our front door was a disaster after 30 years and my 90 yr/old. He told me “only use Minwax” and this popped up on Amazon when I googled. Needless to say, the door looks great. Can’t say enough about how this product goes on, I used a brush, and the tone was great. I added 2 Coates with Minwax gel stain and amazing. Came here looking for sanding after staining tips and found your video. I am mechicanially declined and have never dont any wood working at all, let alone sanding and staining. It turned out fantastic.
Pretty much everyone advises to use the pre-conditioner before staining but honestly, I think it looks worse on every test piece I've ever tried it on. For me, the key to reducing or preventing splotchiness is proper sanding. It's easy to think you don't need to sand because "it's smooth enough" or whatever but stain makes everything "pop" and there are often hidden scratches and saw marks that really pop when you apply the stain. Sand those out beforehand and you will avoid most of the blotchiness without having to use a conditioner.
@@samwright285 sanding helps but I learned the hard way, you WILL have blotches without prestain. An extra $8 for conditioner will save you from ruining your project which took hours of work.
I had minwax and didn't know what to use it for I thought it was like a glaze but now that I know what it's for I can use it for what it's supposed to be used for thank you I appreciate your knowledge
I was just about to stain my bathroom door but decided to look for a staining video just in case someone had an interesting trick or two. I love this idea and am going to order it before I even consider touching my door. Thank you!
I'm a Minwax lover, was raised on it because my parents were Antique dealers, I too am dealing with antiques, but just starting a year ago, with the furniture, big, big, difference by using Pre Stain on my antiques, and the buyer comments on the finish every time. Thanks for your video, just kinda sealed the deal on Minwax Pre Stain.
I respect ALL opinions, but who needs Prayers? Btw, GOD AND JESUS LOVES ALL ALWAYS, and will NEVER LEAVE ANYONE!!!!! THEY ALWAYS HAVE THE BEST PLAN!!!! MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND EVERYONE!!!! Also, Please don’t use God’s and Jesus’s name in vain like, “Oh my Go*” Please copy this and paste this on TH-cam, Twitter, Instagram, etc. THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!
I've found that you get basically no blotchiness whatsoever if you hit pine really hard with the pre-stain. And by that, I mean putting it on as sloppy and wet as possible, letting it sit for a few minutes, wiping off the excess, then staining a half out later. I never get any blotchiness anymore by basically drenching the wood with the pre-stain.
Is it necessary to pre-stain pine that's already treated but needs a refresh? I plan to lightly sand an old pine cupboard and apply a fresh coat of stain. Do I need to pre-stain?
Nice video, the pre stain wood conditioner makes a huge difference to me, remember to let it do it’s job for at least 15 minutes and under 2 hours, I get beautiful results every time
Nice comparison demo. I use the pre-stain and although it does greatly reduce the blotching, it really doesn't eliminate it all. I'm a beginner so all I buy right now is the big box store cheap pine and it is easy to work and cut but really hard to finish.
I just started using this product on some basswood picture frames I've been making. The problem with color difference was pretty substantial. After using the pre stain the colors were much more consistent. I have always used minwax but I bought a small can of rust oleum dark walnut stain. The rust oleum looks more like walnut on the basswood than the minwax dark walnut. I really like the rust oleum stain.
I used the pre stain on pine. It looks like it absorbed pretty quickly. After the first coat dries should I apply another coat to it and wipe off the excess?
Jeez did I get lucky! I was just about to stain a blanket ladder I built for my fiance before I figured I should watch a how to video first. Of course the only things I had were the stain and a FOAM BRUSH haha. Guess I'm going back to the hardware store for conditioner and rags! You saved my project. Thank you!
i'm experimenting with a 1:3 poly/odorless paint thinner mix that seems to penetrate about 5mm into the wood with one very light wiping coat, specifically for pine. the mixture ends up a good deal thinner than typical wipe on poly. this mix has performed extremely well so far, and it's something most people should already have around the shop, so i'd suggest people give it a try on a test piece to see if they like the results.
Dude, stain in long continuous strokes with the grain. You get the blotchiness from just rubbing the foam brush all over the place in random directions
I am remodeling my studio and chose to paint and stain my new work benches myself (for some reason I thought I was smart) thank you for this real nas like video. It was very informative
We did the pre-conditioning staining and the sanding and it still doesn't look right? The wood got rougher - would you recommend painting on this wood rather than staining?
THANK YOU! I’m a wood staining newby, as I’m redoing my kitchen cabinets diy style. This tutorial was extremely helpful! Question: for kitchen cabinets would you recommend oil or water based stain?
Hi Angie! I would 100% recommend the oil base stain. Water base just never looks good to me and does not look as good. Not to mention that the oil base will hold up much better after a lot of the using and abusing over time. Hope this helps!
Tool Review Zone thank you! I’ve already done 2 cabinet doors - stripped the white paint off, sanded, and applied wood conditioner and stain - and they look great!
I've used it before. I'm here because they used to call it grain leveler and it didn't turn up in any searches. It's pre-stain conditioner now. It's the only way to go, especially trim. It makes the wood that would normally look very different from board to board look consistent. Make one board your master, label it, and stain to match the rest.
I am getting ready to stain a large oak headboard. Have had some oak flooring I got from my Grandpa's store when he died in the late 60's. I like the rag rather than a brush. Minwax suggests a brush, but i have gone to several sites and without fail they recommend rags.
Is it necessary to pre-stain wood that's already treated but needs a refresh? I plan to lightly sand an old pine cupboard and apply a fresh coat of stain. Do I need to pre-stain?
Huh? Did I miss something? Did you flip the wood? You conditioned the right side of the wood square and the left (unconditioned) side comes out better both with the brush and rag. Or did I miss you switching sides?
I sand, wipe good with moist cotton rag, let dry off 10 minutes, mix linseed oil 50/50 mineral turps about two cups total and put a bit of dark stain in about table spoon, then start applying coats by rubbing into the wood and wiping smooth, leave, repeat until its as dark as i want. Maybe a sand between the final coats. I like just getting a light chocolate look to natural pine. Its not that dark but a chocolaty look.
I have a question. I stained a project built with pine. No, I did not use a prestain conditioner. Yes, I did get a lot of blotching. My question is: Would the pre-stain conditioner help now before adding a second coat of stain ? Would that cure the problem of blotching ? ? If not, what can I do about all the blotching ?
@@ToolReviewZone Thank you for your prompt reply. What I did was do a lite sanding over the whole storage box, and then concentrated more on the blotched areas. I did not sand any of it down to bare wood. I then put a 2nd cote of the Walnut stain on top of the first coat. I was very surprised and pleased how it looked. No more blotches. The color was a little darker than first expected, but it was more than acceptable. I actually liked the darker color. Today I will put a first coat of Polyurethane on it and a 2nd coat tomorrow. Yes I am very satisfied with the final result. Next time I will ues the pre-stain conditioner. Again Thank you, Jerry Phillips
Nice demonstration, but please don't rotate the wood in the middle of the comparison....very confusing. This could be improved during editing by adding some overlay text to more clearly indicate which is which.
I was gonna reply same thing cause it threw me off, I mean you don’t have to be 10 to think that the project wood on the video (especially when you are “comparing” two sides of a piece of wood) that they don’t get flipped to opposite sides in the middle of tutorial, totally threw me off and I consider myself pretty intelligent. I mean why would you do that? But I did appreciate the tutorial and it got the point across, use conditioner and use a rag on pine.
@@sghrigsby1 Looks like we have Americans on our hands. I've also speed run my projects, but goddman, this is not a rocket science. He even shows both sides of the board before they are stained. How much more straight forward can he get? Only Americans would ask for adding overlay text. I didn't mean to belittle someone, but these comments are sad.
Thanks for the video sharing your experience. For me, I do see a difference but I don't like it anyway. Still some blotchiness. If I were looking to buy wood furniture I wouldn't get anything that looks like this. Do finished furniture pieces use different/better wood? Different process?
in the second round, where he used a cloth for everything other the pre conditioner..I felt like the difference was just barely noticeable other than being significantly darker on the side that did not have pre conditioner..right? But noticeable. So if I go back over the pre conditioned, stained, and then add another layer of stain. how long should i wait to apply second layer of stain to get darker?/will it make it much darker?
I stained a butcher block with a walnut stain. I applied the conditioner. I would never use it again. It doesn’t let the stain penetrate the wood enough to collect the dark color. I sanded it down and started over and now it’s beautiful without it.
If you've got nothing else, then the Minwax pre-stain helps a little bit with blotching. IMO, however, a few wash coats of waxless shellac (1/2 pound mix) works a lot better and can be used with almost any stain, varnish or paint.
Was the timber sanded before you stained it, a lot of the blotchiness comes from rougher parts soaking in more stain quicker, whereas a good even sand will reduce most of that.
Thanks so much for the video. It was really helpful. And thanks for not giving us all the detail on the history of wood staining and when it was invented and who invented it. Very quick and informative video. Thanks a lot.
I have some leftover stain with a little linseed oil mixed into it. For the moment, I just kept the leftover in a plastic container with a lid on top (the contain I used to mix and apply with). Is this ok? Not sure what other container to keep this leftover in, as I don't want to pour it back into my original stain can without contaminating it. And I don't have any extra tin can to use.
Why didn't I watch this last night ! I bought a pine plant stand and it sucked up so much stain I can't believe it. Started with a small half can that wasn't enough so I went and bought another small can and can u believe that wasn't enough either lol I have stained lots of stuff but not pine I know it's not the greatest wood so rand back and bought a large can this time and I've used a third of the can but I want to see it in the morning!
Do you have any tips to fill in oversanded areas where the color has changed ? Im hoping to "patch" the color to avoid sanding the rest of the table down to the bare wood to match. Any info helps
I wasn't going to use the pre-stain conditioner due to time and budget constraints, but after watching your video I've decided to rethink my decision. I'm doing a t&g ceiling, and I'm looking for some variation, but I want control of the variation.
I was really trying to avoid the conditioning step on the 60 T&G boards I'm about to tackle, but staring at a splotchy ceiling until I die sounds worse than one extra step. No time for laziness: Tongue and groove is expensive! Thanks for the video!
That's definitely a factor. I get impatient and hate waiting for stuff to dry but you're right, one day of waiting to make it look better for the next 60 years is definitely worth it.
lovely demo. what if I don't have a wood conditioner? In Oman I didn't see such in the building material stores. Can I use wood filler (liquid) or Sanding sealer prior to staining? yes after filler or sanding sealer I will sand it with 220 or 300 grit.
That introductory story you told? That's exactly what happened to me! But...I used Behr Pre Stain Wood Conditioner! Then I let it dry and then sanded it. I applied the stain with a staining sponge and it looks horrible! It's bad. Can I sand it down then redo it? Do I have to sand it all off or can I just lightly sand it down and then reapply the stain? With a rag this time. Thank you!
The problem with pre-stains is that it makes it very difficult to get a dark stain. You can first wet the wood to open the grain, let it dry, then give it a light sanding to set the grain. Finally, pre-stain and then stain. I actually find that using de-waxed shellac is a better pre-stain. Use Zinsser "Seal Coat", which is a 2 pound cut, and dilute it about 3 to one with alcohol. It is then used similar to other oil based sealers. Flood it on and wipe it off. If you are trying to get really dark, consider changing to a dye stain, rather than a pigmented stain. You will probably have to go to a woodworkers store to find them. The "big box" storea and most paint stores will not have them.
Alright, soo...I need a small tip. I’m trying to make a small decorative dice box (I’m an Dnd player), and it’s made of cheap balsa wood. I’m trying to get a nice finish out of a cheap product, lol. I tried once before, but I may have applied way too much stain, as the box had an extremely pungent scene after 2 weeks. Any tips on how to apply the wood stain and get the scent out? Thanks.
Alright....after further inspection, it’s not balsa wood...don’t know why I said balsa wood tbh 🤦🏻♂️ It is still just a cheap wood box you can get at a craft store, though.
Have you used that prestain on a black stain before? How did it come out? I just built a aquarium stand and trying to decide between black paint or black stain.
Need advice ; I used the MINWAX treatment then the MINWAX penetrating stain, But I didn't wipe off a section of my pine wood stain project, Now it's still quite wet and tacky 24hrs later! Is there a fix or will it eventually dry after a few more days?
I just got two small pine swinging indoor doors. The kind you see in old western bars where the fight ends up going through the swinging doors and breaks. Anyway I have mini wax wood finish penetrating stain. It’s a small can but I have the color sample if I need more Do I need the Condioning stain first? Thanks
I'm making a timber biltong box and was thinking about staining the timber. Would this need another layer of something like epoxy? And would that affect the finish?
Someone recommend the pre-stain conditioner to me several years back. I bought a small can, used it, and have never stained without it since. It's a real boot to the berries to put so much time and effort into a project to have it all be for naught because of the stain. Great vid.
Just my two cents. Generally most professionals will not use a wood conditioners since it does not give the results you may think it does on certain species. In terms of staining certain species where the end result is blotchy, water popping is the solution. As a hardwood floor contractor we stain jobs that are anywhere from a couple hundred square feet to a couple thousand feet and more. The last thing we or our clients want would be to have their final product be blotchy. What is water popping some may ask. Whatever your project may be weather a table top or a couple thousand feet of wood flooring your sand job must be done correctly. I'll speak in terms of a wood floor. Although the process for all projects are the same. Once we are done sanding a wood floor and ready to apply a stain, we water pop the floor first. Literally we are on our hands and knees with a 5 gallon bucket of water and a car wash sponge washing the floor. Not flooding the floor with water. Simply washing the floor. That then sits over night which once it dries also raises and swells the grain of the wood. Then we stain over the water popped floor. We then allow the stain to dry. The following day we begin our polyurethane process. If you touch the project after you water pop it and after you stain it, it will be rough in texture. This is normal since the process has raised and swollen the grain of the wood which is the intent. Some abrade the stain after it's applied and dried with a maroon pad. Most wait to knock the grain raise down by abrading their first coat of finish. In our case polyurethane. A couple of the more bitchy species to stain would be the tight grain hardwood lumbers such as birch and maple ETC. Staining maple is like shooting a BB gun at a freight train. Stain a maple floor without water popping and uneven, blotchy results is what you will yield. Water pop it, let it dry over night then stain and a nice even color is what you end up with. For those who read this and do it there are two simple keys you must do for success. 1) Wash the project, don't flood it. 2) The water popping process must dry over night. For those who have a moisture meter it's best to take a moisture reading before water popping, and after water popping to ensure all the water has evaporated where the moisture content of the lumber is the same after you water popped as it was before you water popped. As a side note just know that water popping will give the color much more depth. In many cases it also will be a shade or so darker.
Thank you gentleman!
I took all notes
Thanks. I'm about to try it
You're right. The water is the best way , but if you do use the wood conditioner on small projects , like I use to , you apply it against the grain . Not with the grain like this guy's video .
You wipe it off using a wiping cloth , going with the grain .
The water popping does bring a deeper stain . I had to apply 2 coats of stain when I used the wood conditioner vs. the water .
Thanks for the comment .
You seem to know your stuff. I have a piece of scrap wood that was from an old table that belonged to my great grandad. My Grandaddy let me have it after he had sanded it and everything when he was clearing out his shed and trying to throw things out. I have no idea what kind of wood it is, I just know it WAS like a reddish color before he sanded it.
I had an entire novel typed out of everything I’ve done to this little experiment slab I have, but my phone did the whole “select all, cut” thing and I’m so mad.
Anyways, every time I sand it, or strip it, or clean it, even if it’s dry… these little dots come up. At first I thought it was moisture but it doesn’t evaporate. I don’t think it’s sap. It has almost an oily consistency.
I guess from the supposed era it was from, it could be mahogany because that’s what was popular at the time. I’m not planning on doing anything other than messing with it and testing things on it. But I’ve used a conditioner pre stain stripper… you name it, I’ve done it. I’ve used a colored wash, a poly-stain, a gel stain, oils, stain then poly, EVERYTHING.
Every single time, it comes out so blotchy that it looks like a child did it. No matter what application technique I used. I have no idea what kind of wood it is. I haven’t found anything online about what woods just weep oily little dots.
So, if I actually needed to to do something with this little table top, and I came across this same mystery wood/problem, do you think something as simple as “ water plopping” could help?
I’m just baffled at this thing and I don’t know if I’ll ever figure out what species it is. But I’ve never really worked with refurbishing or experimenting with a single mahogany piece this big so I guess if mahogany is like this then it all makes sense. Would that be a species that you would water plop?
What temperature is the water when you do it?
I’ve tried to find forums and posted a couple of times on Reddit about it but I’ve gotten no helpful info. I’ve also talked about it to every old man in the hardware store here. (I don’t think they really take me seriously and literally just suggest I do something easier like chalk paint and distress it. I’m assuming it’s because I’m a petite young woman and look like the kind of person who is into doing that. But my Grandaddy was a carpenter and made furniture, houses, chapels, cabinets, flooring… You name it. And I’ve been working with him on all of those things almost my entire life until he passed away in 2019 and I carry on his work as a hobby and sometimes extra income).
Like I mentioned though, I’m not ever making anything out of this. I planned on just using it to test things or let my daughter paint on it to keep her entertained while I’m working on something else.
But I can’t even get a decent test area and now I’m just determined to figure it out.
Sorry for the long reply 9 months later! I thought you might be my chance to maybe get some solid input or advice! It’s not a huge deal, more like an unsolved mystery I’ve accepted I’ll never solve haha. But it would be nice to find something that worked just in case I ever do come across this same issue on a custom piece in the future!
Hope you all had a lovely holiday season and happy new year! Thanks for reading!
Ive been a professional wood worker for 50 years. Lots of experience with stain and lacquer. Conditioner is not as necessary on hardwoods as it is on pine or other softwoods. Try a sample piece and make sure to sand everything well before staining. If you are using an oil based stain such as min wax or watco, be sure to soak all stain rags, disposable sponge brushes etc. in water before disposal. These stains have a tendency to self combust. You could save your shop by being careful. Good luck
Is there anything you can do to increase the absorbency of the wood if you want to stain really dark?
@@jamesmcinnis208 darker stain or multiple coats
@@90mphsleep How does a darker stain or multiple coats increase the absorbency of the wood?
@@jamesmcinnis208 it doesn't. If you want it to be darker, use a darker stain or multiple coats. Or use a different wood in the first place
@@90mphsleep So you didn't understand my question or don't know the answer. It's blatantly obvious that if you want something darker you can use multiple coats or use a darker stain or more absorbent wood. If you don't know the answer to my question then there's no point in you responding to a question I didn't ask and wasting my time.
I was just about to stain my bench but now I just must go get some pre-stain conditioner And I'll use a rag instead of the brush, Thank You
Good luck Sandy!
M
You can use shellac too
Sameeeee haha
Love this product. I have never sanded/stained before. But, our front door was a disaster after 30 years and my 90 yr/old. He told me “only use Minwax” and this popped up on Amazon when I googled. Needless to say, the door looks great. Can’t say enough about how this product goes on, I used a brush, and the tone was great. I added 2 Coates with Minwax gel stain and amazing. Came here looking for sanding after staining tips and found your video.
I am mechicanially declined and have never dont any wood working at all, let alone sanding and staining. It turned out fantastic.
Awesome! Thanks for the feedback GeophysGal!!!
Pretty much everyone advises to use the pre-conditioner before staining but honestly, I think it looks worse on every test piece I've ever tried it on. For me, the key to reducing or preventing splotchiness is proper sanding. It's easy to think you don't need to sand because "it's smooth enough" or whatever but stain makes everything "pop" and there are often hidden scratches and saw marks that really pop when you apply the stain. Sand those out beforehand and you will avoid most of the blotchiness without having to use a conditioner.
Water pop your project.
Wrong. Use conditioner. Sanding doesn't replace conditioner. Not even close.
Thank u so much for the tip. Saved e time and money.. Working on my first project utilizing stain for the first time👌
@@levigivens really?
@@samwright285 sanding helps but I learned the hard way, you WILL have blotches without prestain. An extra $8 for conditioner will save you from ruining your project which took hours of work.
I had minwax and didn't know what to use it for I thought it was like a glaze but now that I know what it's for I can use it for what it's supposed to be used for thank you I appreciate your knowledge
I was just about to stain my bathroom door but decided to look for a staining video just in case someone had an interesting trick or two. I love this idea and am going to order it before I even consider touching my door. Thank you!
Awesome, and thanks for the comment Maria!!!
I'm a Minwax lover, was raised on it because my parents were Antique dealers, I too am dealing with antiques, but just starting a year ago, with the furniture, big, big, difference by using Pre Stain on my antiques, and the buyer comments on the finish every time. Thanks for your video, just kinda sealed the deal on Minwax Pre Stain.
I respect ALL opinions, but who needs Prayers? Btw, GOD AND JESUS LOVES ALL ALWAYS, and will NEVER LEAVE ANYONE!!!!! THEY ALWAYS HAVE THE BEST PLAN!!!! MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND EVERYONE!!!! Also, Please don’t use God’s and Jesus’s name in vain like, “Oh my Go*” Please copy this and paste this on TH-cam, Twitter, Instagram, etc. THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!
Do you use pre-stain on every time of wood, including oak?
I've found that you get basically no blotchiness whatsoever if you hit pine really hard with the pre-stain. And by that, I mean putting it on as sloppy and wet as possible, letting it sit for a few minutes, wiping off the excess, then staining a half out later. I never get any blotchiness anymore by basically drenching the wood with the pre-stain.
Is it necessary to pre-stain pine that's already treated but needs a refresh? I plan to lightly sand an old pine cupboard and apply a fresh coat of stain. Do I need to pre-stain?
Nice video, the pre stain wood conditioner makes a huge difference to me, remember to let it do it’s job for at least 15 minutes and under 2 hours, I get beautiful results every time
Nice comparison demo. I use the pre-stain and although it does greatly reduce the blotching, it really doesn't eliminate it all. I'm a beginner so all I buy right now is the big box store cheap pine and it is easy to work and cut but really hard to finish.
I just started using this product on some basswood picture frames I've been making. The problem with color difference was pretty substantial. After using the pre stain the colors were much more consistent. I have always used minwax but I bought a small can of rust oleum dark walnut stain. The rust oleum looks more like walnut on the basswood than the minwax dark walnut. I really like the rust oleum stain.
This bodes well for my relatively unresearched stain choice for my maple fireplace mantle :D. Go Rust-Oh go!
Never used pre stain, always sanded the wood then used a rag for staining (never use a brush!) Never had the issues he demonstrated.
What do you sand up too?
@@Grumplefut to whatever is needed to achieve a perfect smooth finish, as long its soft and free of any scratches and so on
I used the pre stain on pine. It looks like it absorbed pretty quickly. After the first coat dries should I apply another coat to it and wipe off the excess?
Yep 👊
Jeez did I get lucky! I was just about to stain a blanket ladder I built for my fiance before I figured I should watch a how to video first.
Of course the only things I had were the stain and a FOAM BRUSH haha. Guess I'm going back to the hardware store for conditioner and rags!
You saved my project. Thank you!
Glad it helped Will!
The ladder turned out great! The color was exactly what we were going for and not a single smudge thanks to your advice. Thanks again. Cheers.
That's awesome Will!!! Thanks so much for letting me know 👊
Thank you. I had the minwax, but didn't know about using a rag instead of a brush. Great save.
Looks good.
Why color stain did you use?
I'm looking for a slightly darker stain color for some pine wood shelves.
Confusing video because of constant rotation of the wood. Keep your test product oriented to one side.
i'm experimenting with a 1:3 poly/odorless paint thinner mix that seems to penetrate about 5mm into the wood with one very light wiping coat, specifically for pine. the mixture ends up a good deal thinner than typical wipe on poly. this mix has performed extremely well so far, and it's something most people should already have around the shop, so i'd suggest people give it a try on a test piece to see if they like the results.
I'm going to tell you within the first 13 seconds you answer of my important question! I'm so glad I chose you and thanks for making this video
Thank you. This is the best video I found on staining
Awesomeness 👊👊👊
Thank you for your advice. My husband had bought pre stain conditioner and I grabbed it after your video and it worked great!
Awesome!!!!! Thanks for letting me know Mama👊👊👊
Commentary is the best!
Thanks for the vid!
Thanks you saved my upcoming project from botches. However, that means another trip to the hardware store.
Lol, your welcome and sorry haha
When you think staining is the hard part but the actual hard part is the sanding😂😂
This hahha
I’ve been sanding for 10 long ass years these past 3 days 😭😭
Omg yes!!!
@@ashleyh4509 lol
Reading my freaking mind lol
Dude, stain in long continuous strokes with the grain. You get the blotchiness from just rubbing the foam brush all over the place in random directions
I am remodeling my studio and chose to paint and stain my new work benches myself (for some reason I thought I was smart) thank you for this real nas like video. It was very informative
We did the pre-conditioning staining and the sanding and it still doesn't look right? The wood got rougher - would you recommend painting on this wood rather than staining?
THANK YOU! I’m a wood staining newby, as I’m redoing my kitchen cabinets diy style. This tutorial was extremely helpful! Question: for kitchen cabinets would you recommend oil or water based stain?
Hi Angie! I would 100% recommend the oil base stain. Water base just never looks good to me and does not look as good. Not to mention that the oil base will hold up much better after a lot of the using and abusing over time. Hope this helps!
Tool Review Zone thank you! I’ve already done 2 cabinet doors - stripped the white paint off, sanded, and applied wood conditioner and stain - and they look great!
Good comparison, i'm convinced. About to redo a tabletop, and was looking for techniques. I appreciate it!
Let me know how it turns out!
I've used it before. I'm here because they used to call it grain leveler and it didn't turn up in any searches. It's pre-stain conditioner now. It's the only way to go, especially trim. It makes the wood that would normally look very different from board to board look consistent. Make one board your master, label it, and stain to match the rest.
I am getting ready to stain a large oak headboard. Have had some oak flooring I got from my Grandpa's store when he died in the late 60's. I like the rag rather than a brush. Minwax suggests a brush, but i have gone to several sites and without fail they recommend rags.
Very helpful! Thanks! Now I will go get some pre stain and use a rag on my pine wood floating bookshelves👍
Is it necessary to pre-stain wood that's already treated but needs a refresh? I plan to lightly sand an old pine cupboard and apply a fresh coat of stain. Do I need to pre-stain?
Awesome! Going to buy some right now!
Found this at the perfect time. Thank you much!!
Doing some research for my man cave project and I will be using the pre-stain. Thanks for the tip.
Huh? Did I miss something? Did you flip the wood? You conditioned the right side of the wood square and the left (unconditioned) side comes out better both with the brush and rag. Or did I miss you switching sides?
"It aint nice liike" Got a like just for that! 😁
Haha, thanks bro...that's real nice like!
Love minwax products and decided to try the prestain conditioner
Thanks for the insight, excited to start my first wood working project and of course there will be electronics inside.
I've never used stain, though my mom was a carpenter so I grew up around it. I have some wood to stain so I really appreciate these tips.
My Father was a carpenter... Ba dum tss. Thank-you I'll be here all week, Try the Stain.
I sand, wipe good with moist cotton rag, let dry off 10 minutes, mix linseed oil 50/50 mineral turps about two cups total and put a bit of dark stain in about table spoon, then start applying coats by rubbing into the wood and wiping smooth, leave, repeat until its as dark as i want. Maybe a sand between the final coats. I like just getting a light chocolate look to natural pine. Its not that dark but a chocolaty look.
Did you SAND this before you stained it???
Big difference...
I have a question. I stained a project built with pine. No, I did not use a prestain conditioner. Yes, I did get a lot of blotching. My question is: Would the
pre-stain conditioner help now before adding a second coat of stain ? Would that cure the problem of blotching ? ? If not, what can I do about all the blotching ?
I would sand it all down then add the pre-stain. Won't work on already stained wood
@@ToolReviewZone Thank you for your prompt reply. What I did was do a lite sanding over the whole storage box, and then concentrated more on the blotched areas. I did not sand any of it down to bare wood. I then put a 2nd cote of the Walnut stain on top of the first coat. I was very surprised and pleased how it looked. No more blotches. The color was a little darker than first expected, but it was more than acceptable. I actually liked the darker color. Today I will put a first coat of Polyurethane on it and a 2nd coat tomorrow. Yes I am very satisfied with the final result.
Next time I will ues the pre-stain conditioner.
Again Thank you, Jerry Phillips
Awesome 👊
Nice demonstration, but please don't rotate the wood in the middle of the comparison....very confusing. This could be improved during editing by adding some overlay text to more clearly indicate which is which.
srs? confusing? how old are you? 10? Jesus Christ.
@@kasparsjansons9220 it is confusing when you are speed running videos to finish your project!
Kaspars Jansons damn dawg chill lol
I was gonna reply same thing cause it threw me off, I mean you don’t have to be 10 to think that the project wood on the video (especially when you are “comparing” two sides of a piece of wood) that they don’t get flipped to opposite sides in the middle of tutorial, totally threw me off and I consider myself pretty intelligent. I mean why would you do that? But I did appreciate the tutorial and it got the point across, use conditioner and use a rag on pine.
@@sghrigsby1 Looks like we have Americans on our hands. I've also speed run my projects, but goddman, this is not a rocket science. He even shows both sides of the board before they are stained. How much more straight forward can he get? Only Americans would ask for adding overlay text. I didn't mean to belittle someone, but these comments are sad.
Not only was this entertaining but soooo helpful! So happy I found this video before I started my project
Awesome! Thanks so much for the comment, and good luck on your project KELKAY!
Moist.....not moist..... lmao
Thanks for the video sharing your experience. For me, I do see a difference but I don't like it anyway. Still some blotchiness. If I were looking to buy wood furniture I wouldn't get anything that looks like this. Do finished furniture pieces use different/better wood? Different process?
Not only informative, but very funny! Thank you!
Thanks Grieving!!!
This is my first job...So pre-stain conditioner ,before I it the stain on..use the conditioner with a foam brush,and the stain with ,what kind of rag?
Before I put the stain on
in the second round, where he used a cloth for everything other the pre conditioner..I felt like the difference was just barely noticeable other than being significantly darker on the side that did not have pre conditioner..right? But noticeable. So if I go back over the pre conditioned, stained, and then add another layer of stain. how long should i wait to apply second layer of stain to get darker?/will it make it much darker?
After you sanded the wood... Did you Wipe with a TACK Cloth???
I stained a butcher block with a walnut stain. I applied the conditioner. I would never use it again. It doesn’t let the stain penetrate the wood enough to collect the dark color. I sanded it down and started over and now it’s beautiful without it.
Don't think you are supposed to stain a butcher block🤔 should use wax
Does durable paper towel work instead of a rag? What are other options besides a rag? Old kitchen hand towels?
I bet the negative reviews are because he said moist several times. In all seriousness, this was a very helpful video!
If you've got nothing else, then the Minwax pre-stain helps a little bit with blotching. IMO, however, a few wash coats of waxless shellac (1/2 pound mix) works a lot better and can be used with almost any stain, varnish or paint.
Was the timber sanded before you stained it, a lot of the blotchiness comes from rougher parts soaking in more stain quicker, whereas a good even sand will reduce most of that.
Great comment! The pre-stain would seem to prevent the stain from going deep into the porous wood and bringing out the grain design itself
can you tell me what of oil that will keep the wood moisture all the time?
Thanks so much for the video. It was really helpful. And thanks for not giving us all the detail on the history of wood staining and when it was invented and who invented it.
Very quick and informative video. Thanks a lot.
I have some leftover stain with a little linseed oil mixed into it. For the moment, I just kept the leftover in a plastic container with a lid on top (the contain I used to mix and apply with). Is this ok? Not sure what other container to keep this leftover in, as I don't want to pour it back into my original stain can without contaminating it. And I don't have any extra tin can to use.
Why didn't I watch this last night ! I bought a pine plant stand and it sucked up so much stain I can't believe it. Started with a small half can that wasn't enough so I went and bought another small can and can u believe that wasn't enough either lol I have stained lots of stuff but not pine I know it's not the greatest wood so rand back and bought a large can this time and I've used a third of the can but I want to see it in the morning!
Do you have any tips to fill in oversanded areas where the color has changed ? Im hoping to "patch" the color to avoid sanding the rest of the table down to the bare wood to match. Any info helps
Hi I want to stain a table that I have sanded but was wondering do I stain and then use varnish on top to prevent marks on table?
Yeah, sand again 👊
So which was better, brush or wipe? I didn't see much difference.
I wasn't going to use the pre-stain conditioner due to time and budget constraints, but after watching your video I've decided to rethink my decision. I'm doing a t&g ceiling, and I'm looking for some variation, but I want control of the variation.
Hey brooo lmk how it went if you can. I’m doing the exact same on momday
So glad I saw this! I am staining my walls and it looks horrible. Now I know!!
Thanks for the demo; already planned on it, but like to see what possibilities...
Very useful video. Thank you so much
I was really trying to avoid the conditioning step on the 60 T&G boards I'm about to tackle, but staring at a splotchy ceiling until I die sounds worse than one extra step. No time for laziness: Tongue and groove is expensive! Thanks for the video!
That's definitely a factor. I get impatient and hate waiting for stuff to dry but you're right, one day of waiting to make it look better for the next 60 years is definitely worth it.
My current nightmare. Except it’s 86 boards of Redwood T&G. Wish I was here sooner.
Do you any any other coating after the staining? Like a polyurethane coat?
Sure, you can put that on after 👊
Are you using a water based stain or oil? I have a set up basement stairs i am building and im not sure if I should use oil based or water based
Thisbis oil base. I don't really care for water base stains
I love love this video. Dude you are not only helpful and informative, but you are pretty funny
Haha, thanks Karrie, I really appreciate the comment 👊
lovely demo. what if I don't have a wood conditioner? In Oman I didn't see such in the building material stores. Can I use wood filler (liquid) or Sanding sealer prior to staining? yes after filler or sanding sealer I will sand it with 220 or 300 grit.
That introductory story you told? That's exactly what happened to me! But...I used Behr Pre Stain Wood Conditioner! Then I let it dry and then sanded it. I applied the stain with a staining sponge and it looks horrible! It's bad. Can I sand it down then redo it? Do I have to sand it all off or can I just lightly sand it down and then reapply the stain? With a rag this time. Thank you!
Hi I live in Greece and don’t get Miniwax. I got a white underbase coat? Is this the same?
The problem with pre-stains is that it makes it very difficult to get a dark stain. You can first wet the wood to open the grain, let it dry, then give it a light sanding to set the grain. Finally, pre-stain and then stain.
I actually find that using de-waxed shellac is a better pre-stain. Use Zinsser "Seal Coat", which is a 2 pound cut, and dilute it about 3 to one with alcohol. It is then used similar to other oil based sealers. Flood it on and wipe it off.
If you are trying to get really dark, consider changing to a dye stain, rather than a pigmented stain. You will probably have to go to a woodworkers store to find them. The "big box" storea and most paint stores will not have them.
Well, it looks like from the video he got a much darker stain
Good video - I never thought of using a rag.
Alright, soo...I need a small tip. I’m trying to make a small decorative dice box (I’m an Dnd player), and it’s made of cheap balsa wood. I’m trying to get a nice finish out of a cheap product, lol. I tried once before, but I may have applied way too much stain, as the box had an extremely pungent scene after 2 weeks. Any tips on how to apply the wood stain and get the scent out? Thanks.
*scent, not scene 😂
Alright....after further inspection, it’s not balsa wood...don’t know why I said balsa wood tbh 🤦🏻♂️ It is still just a cheap wood box you can get at a craft store, though.
Prestaining does help with different dark color wood it does help to sustain a more even color flow over dark and light wood...
Thanks for sharing.
Have you used that prestain on a black stain before? How did it come out? I just built a aquarium stand and trying to decide between black paint or black stain.
Need advice ; I used the MINWAX treatment then the MINWAX penetrating stain, But I didn't wipe off a section of my pine wood stain project, Now it's still quite wet and tacky 24hrs later! Is there a fix or will it eventually dry after a few more days?
You can use some mineral spirits and clean it off. May need to sand after. Remember, stain is not paint, it will gum up if there is to much
hi. may I know the name of the stain that you used for finishing?
I just got two small pine swinging indoor doors. The kind you see in old western bars where the fight ends up going through the swinging doors and breaks. Anyway I have mini wax wood finish penetrating stain. It’s a small can but I have the color sample if I need more
Do I need the Condioning stain first? Thanks
They didn’t tell us we would need the conditioner, but I’m going to get it before I stain our countertops. Thank you!
Wonderful thank you so much
Great video! You made it helpful and funny!
When staining, What rag should be used? Should there be one rag for application and one rag for wiping
I'm making a timber biltong box and was thinking about staining the timber. Would this need another layer of something like epoxy? And would that affect the finish?
Yes you need a protective topcoat most people use polyurethane, but a epoxy would also work.
How does this work compared to resin other than the coloring?
I couldn’t follow what dude was what after you stained. Was it one board or 2 different?
If my wood have polyurethane polish do I need to Grind or sand it first before doing stain?
Yes
Someone recommend the pre-stain conditioner to me several years back. I bought a small can, used it, and have never stained without it since. It's a real boot to the berries to put so much time and effort into a project to have it all be for naught because of the stain. Great vid.
So wait if I wanna wood stain my desk would I have to sand off the clear coat? Or would it stain just fine?
What kind of rags do you use to put the stain on? Are they just microfiber towels or does it really matter?
Great video thank you..can you use it on a new kitchen counter
Ah yes. The I have to go back to the store cuzz I just watched your video feeling. Like your explanation of things.
Thanks for the comment Foxtrot!!
The commentary is excellent.
Thank you!!!!
I am definitely going to try the pre-stain conditioner. Thank you
Let me know how it works for you!!!
@@ToolReviewZone I sure will.
How long did you wait from the time you put the stain on with the rag until you wiped it off?