Skill Level 1
Time to complete:
Experienced: 1 hr
Handy
1,5 hrs.
Novice
2 hrs
Materials: Water or oil-base varnish, Ishirts or rags, water or ol-base stain to match varnish, denatured alcohol, stainable wood putty, wood conditioner or gel stain, 120, 180-, and 220-gri sandpaper
Tools: Rubber gloves, cartridge respirator, putty knife, utility knife, 2-inch sash brush, tack cloth or paper towel, window scraper or single-edge razor blades, drop cloth, 000 steel wool
Stain and varnish are not the same. Compare the labels: you ll see tha stain is made from dyes and pigments that change the color of wood; varnish is made of resins that protect it. Neither product does both jobs. Varnish can be used alone, but stain can’t. Stain alone looks dull, and the dust and grime that settle on it are hard to remove. A top coat of varnish gives the stained wood some degree of shine, and it’s far easier to clean.
There’s a product called varnish stain that combines both color and protection, but it is not recommended for windows or trim. If a chip occurs, the color chips away too, and the entire finish is flawed.
Doors and trim are finished the same way. In both, the condition of the wood is highly important because stain emphasizes whatever is under it. If you put up new molding, make sure it’s stain grade rather than paint grade. Paint grade is made up of short lengths glued together; when these are stained, the joints and different shades of wood show up glaringly.
Unless previously varnished trim is in poor condition, you don’t have to remove the old finish. Modern varnishes adhere well to whatever is underneath. Sand and clean the finish well with a rag dipped in denatured alcohol. Let it dry thoroughly before applying the new finish.
Staining and varnishing trim that has
previously been painted is more of a challenge. Even a soak-in stripper almost never removes all the paint, and the remaining traces will show. Plan to spend time with more stripper, a stiff brush, and assorted tools (try a nut pick) for removing paint from the crevasses before you stain and varnish.
1.
Sand the trim and clean it with alcohol. Sand to lessen dents and imperfections and then to create a smooth surface on the trim. (Start with
120-grit sandpaper; follow with 180-grit to remove the marks left by the 120-grit, and finish with 220-grit.) Between sandings wipe up the dust with a rag dampened with denatured alcohol. (Tack cloths, popular with painters, often leave a waxy residue that may interfere with the finish, especially if it’s a water-base finish.)
2. Repair anything you can’t sand away. Patches may not match the rest of the wood perfectly, but damaged wood usually looks far worse Fill dents and gouges with stainable putty, leveling it with a putty knife or your thumb. Let the patches dry; if any of them shrink while drying, add more putty to the patch. When dry, sand smooth and wipe with a rag dipped in denatured alcohol
3. Apply a conditioner.
To prevent the blotchiness that stained pine, fir, and other softwoods often develop, first brush on a thin finish sold as “wood conditioner.” The instructions usually advise to let it dry 15 minutes to 2 hours. Some painters say it’s better to wait only 10 minutes, and most agree that you should not wait longer than 2 hours. At that point, the resins in the conditioner have dried out, and you can barely stain the wood If this happens, sand the surface, and reapply the conditioner. Or, avoid the need for conditioner entirely by using gel stains, which don’t penetrate deeply and therefore don’t blotch.
4
Brush or wipe on the stain. Apply the stain, let it soak in a bit (not long!), and then wipe it off, following the manufacturer’s instructions. Have plenty of old T-shirts or lint-free rags on hand for wiping. If the color isn’t dark enough, wait the recommended time and apply a second coat. If you use a gel stain, apply it with a sponge brush. Take off any excess very gently, using a brush instead of a rag.
5. Apply the varnish. Brush the varnish onto a short section of trim at a time, smoothing it quickly and lightly to cover completely and eliminate imperfections. Let the varnish dry the recommended time. Sand the trim with 220-grit sandpaper or very fine steel wool to level out any small dust bumps. Wipe down with a rag dipped in denatured alcohol, and apply another coat. Apply three coats of varnish for a durable and lasting finish.
WORK SMART
SAND BY HAND
Moldings made of softwoods like pine or poplar can be damaged if you sand too heavily with a power sander. Hand sanding with a fine grit paper to prep for the finish is the safest way to go
CLOSER LOOK
VARNISH –
STIR, DON’T SHAKE
You may find a layer of goo at the bottom of the can; this is a “flatting agent” designed to control the sheen, which may be matte, semigloss, or gloss. Mix the settled layer into the varnish before starting, otherwise you may not get the level of sheen promised on the label Important: Stir the varnish -never shake it. Shaking creates tiny bubbles that show up in the finish coat
WORK SMART
STRIPPING TRIM
Which type of stripper is best?
It all depends on what you’re stripping. An off-the-shelf liquid stripper will remove 90 percent of all clear finishes. Follow the instructions on the can and sand when the wood is dry. You may need to apply a new coat of stain to even out the color that the stripper leaves behind.
If you’re stripping paint
(particularly if you suspect it’s lead paint use a peel-and strip paste that removes paint without fumes or chipping. Spread on the paste, cover with the plastic sheet that comes with it, and a few hours later you can peel off both paint and paste like a strip of putty. In a worst case scenario involving a lot of paint that probably contains lead, gently remove the trim and have it stripped professionally at a dip-and-strip shop Refinish the trim before reattaching it.
CLOSER LOOK
STAINING PINE
The density of softwood varies, even in a single board. Pine, fir, and other softwoods stain unevenly, as shown on the left side of this board. Test by staining a scrap or the back of your wood. If you don’t like how it looks, even out the surface with a wood conditioner before staining, or else use a gel stain.