I'm picking up materials for a king size farmhouse bed tomorrow and I'm trying to decide on my finishing supplies.
The bed will be made from pine and I understand that I should pick out the least blemished pieces of wood that I can find, possibly even buying a higher grade for the most visible parts of the bed. And I know how important sanding is :) Where I really need help is picking out the type of stain and other products I should use.
I'm going for a rich, antique look, but not too rustic. I don't want a raised or very obvious grain and imperfections. I'd like either no gloss or a very low sheen. I prefer the warm soft look of oiled wood. I'm very partial to chestnut and walnut shades. I also really like Pottery Barn's mahogany, it's just right (not too red). The research I've done so far says that I should use a gel stain, but I don't know if I should use a conditioner with gel stain. It seems kind of redudant, but what do I know? :) I definitely want a nice even, high quality finish. I'm not sure that need a poly finish over the stain. It's a bed. I don't expect to spill water or food on it. I don't have kids who are going to draw on it. I do have a large dog and I expect the header on the foot board to get scratched, so it's important that the finish doesn't flake or peel when scratched (I had poly on hard wood floors that did that, if I ever do hardwood floors again, I'll use tung oil). I don't mind touching up scratches with more stain from time to time. Do you think I should use a finish?
I'm open to any and all suggestions on the type and color stain, conditioners, finishes, techniques etc. Pictures are welcome too!
claydowling
Thu, 03/03/2011 - 17:34
Polyurethane won't peel when scratched unless it was put on a surface that wasn't properly prepared.
A gel stain should be fine. Sealing it ahead of time with dewaxed shellac (sometimes sold as sanding sealer) is recommended for uniform coloring in any kind of resinous wood like pine. A top coat is also recommended. I love the acrylic finishes such as water-based polyurethane. It doesn't affect the color and it's super durable. If your dog does scratch it up, a light sanding with 220, recoat the problem area, and you're golden. It also seems to offer a good deal of UV and oxidation protection, because a set of oak shelves I finished with it a decade ago hasn't darkened since the day I finished it.
A coat of buffed paste wax on top of the acrylic will give it depth and a lovely sheen.
lindsey
Thu, 03/03/2011 - 19:58
Thank you for your reply. One question, can you use a water based poly over a gel stain? I thought gel stains were oil based ... or does that not matter?
Connecticut
Fri, 03/04/2011 - 02:59
(1) Definitly use a wood conditioner. Softer more porous woods, like pine, can end up taking stain (gell or otherwise) unevenly without a wood conditioner, resulting in a blotchy end result.
(2) Also, definitly use a sealer of some sort after staining. In addition to providing surface protection to the wood, it will also keep the moisture content in it stable. Between the murky humidity of August and the dry heat of January, the amount of moisture in your wood can vary, and without a good sealer, it can become warped.
claydowling
Fri, 03/04/2011 - 08:37
Conneticut is right. In fact, of you're ever in doubt, seal it with a coat of dewaxed clear shellac. It's a universal buffer, and it's super easy to apply. Just make sure that you've given the coat underneath sufficient time to dry, or you will experience unfortunate results, like bubbling.
Tsu Dho Nimh
Fri, 03/04/2011 - 14:12
You definitely need a sanding sealer to avoid blotchiness.
oil-based gel stain - such as General Finish's stains sold at Rockler and other woodworking shops - is less "grabby" than water-based stains.
General finishes also has a wipe-on satin urethane that is really easy to use. It can be touched up by wiping on another coat.
I recommend sanding, sealing, staining and one coat of finish BEFORE assembly. It is so much faster and easier to do flat boards than finished furniture. You have to be more careful about assembly, but touching up a nick or two is better than fichting to get stain between boards and in corners.
lindsey
Sat, 03/12/2011 - 09:26
I bought the Zinsser de-waxed shellac/sanding sealer. On the can, it says that for a pre-stain coat, I should mix it 50/50 with denatured alcohol. Does that sound right?
Edit: I answered my own question. I went ahead and diluted it 50/50. I took a scrap board, sanded it at 60, 100, 150 and 220 grit. Wiped clean with mineral spirits, allowed to dry, applied a thin coat of the Zinsser seal coat solution, let dry, roughed up with a fine Scotch pad, wiped with a clean towl, applied the first coat of gel stain, waited 15 minutes and wiped off excess. I think I liked it better before I wiped off the excess ... hopefully it looks more even after the next coat.
claydowling
Sun, 03/13/2011 - 01:58
Try without cutting the sealing coat, and skip the roughing up. Splotchiness is caused by uneven absorption of stain, which typically happens when there's no sealer, or insufficient sealer. You're on the right track though. Trying stain on samples until you get what you want is the best way to end up with a happy result.