[kah5683]

Stained this rocker for my daughter 30 years ago. I may have done one, at most 2 coats and no topcoat (that I'm aware of)


Daughter now wants for my granddaughter.


If I want to update rocker so that stain looks better, where do I go from here?


1. Lightly sand and re-stain or sand to bare wood to stain?
2. If the answer to #1 is lightly sand: as long as new stain is same color stain or darker, ok?
3. For a novice, apply stain by brush or cloth/pad?
4. How many coats of stain?
5. Use a topcoat, and if so, what and what sheen? (and how many coats)

 

[cocomonkeynuts]

Clean first. Lightly scuff with 220. Use oil based gel stain from general finishes or old masters. You can make it darker but generally not lighter.
https://generalfinishes.com/videos/how-update-existing-cabinets-furniture-projects-gel-stain

Do your self a favor though and just put some mineral spirits over the existing coating to preview what it will look like with a fresh clear coat.

 

[mark sr]

Do your self a favor though and just put some mineral spirits over the existing coating to preview what it will look like with a fresh clear coat.

I agree, it's quite possible all it needs is a cleaning and a couple coats of poly.

 

[kah5683]

Do your self a favor though and just put some mineral spirits over the existing coating to preview what it will look like with a fresh clear coat.

Sounds like a plan...how would I apply mineral spirits? Just brush on entire rocker, or just maybe on the underside to see? And if it's not what I want after seeing? The scuffing will be enough with the mineral spirits to then do the gel stain?

 

[kah5683]

I agree, it's quite possible all it needs is a cleaning and a couple coats of poly.

If this is what I decide to do, how do I best clean this item before putting on a couple coats of poly?

 

[kah5683]

When you stain and/or apply poly, how do you break up an item like this to do the coats? Would you do everything you see on the top side first until all coats done - stain and poly, then flip over and do the same on the underside? Or would you start underside first, and then topside. Or is there a better way? Just wondering about the edges where the top and bottom come together and how to handle so it doesn't look bad.

 

[kah5683]

sorry to keep adding things on here...
my wife reminded me that there are a couple places on the rocker that wore through the stain, so may the gel stain is the answer.


The video on the gel stain says to clean finished items with scotchbrite pad and 50/50 denatured alcohol and water. Let dry and sand. Guy at store where I would buy product said just use dawn dishwashing detergent and sand. What do you think?


The video says to use dry brush method. Is that just using a brush and not having much on it and brushing in like video? What is the purpose of wiping off on the rag on the video - just to get off excess? Guy at store said just use a foam brush so only have to do two coats instead of the three on the video. Don't know why they contradict what is said by manufacturer.

 

[cocomonkeynuts]

sorry to keep adding things on here...
my wife reminded me that there are a couple places on the rocker that wore through the stain, so may the gel stain is the answer.


The video on the gel stain says to clean finished items with scotchbrite pad and 50/50 denatured alcohol and water. Let dry and sand. Guy at store where I would buy product said just use dawn dishwashing detergent and sand. What do you think?


The video says to use dry brush method. Is that just using a brush and not having much on it and brushing in like video? What is the purpose of wiping off on the rag on the video - just to get off excess? Guy at store said just use a foam brush so only have to do two coats instead of the three on the video. Don't know why they contradict what is said by manufacturer.

Don't use dish washing detergent it's hard to rinse.

50/50 denatured alcohol and water or a clean rinsing detergent like dirtex or krudkutter or tsp substitute.

Don't use foam, a light natural bristle brush works best. And a little bit of that gel stain goes a LONG way over previously finished wood.

No offense to the guy at your store but has he done any finishing before? Doesn't sound like it...

 

[ron45]

This may be helpful

At least it might be interesting.

https://www.familyhandyman.com/?s=restoring+furniture

 

[Two Knots]

If you didn’t put a poly on to begin with then all you would need to do
is clean it well ( as mentioned above) and then a light sanding, clean it
with tack cloth and then apply a coat of stain.
I like minwax stains. ( not gel stain, I don’t like gel stains)
Find a color that best matches your rocker, and rag it on.

After the required wait time, do a light sanding and then apply
minwax oil based poly.
You can thin out the poly a little with a dollop of turpentine which makes
it easier to apply. I apply all finishes with a soft rag ( undershirt) I never
use a brush. Apply two or three coats of poly, light sanding between coats.

 

[mark sr]

While the wood is wet with thinner it will mimic what it would look like with poly.
Be careful to not sand thru the stain!

 

[Two Knots]

While the wood is wet with thinner it will mimic what it would look like with poly.
Be careful to not sand thru the stain!

Yes, light sanding is key...I like to lightly sand with 000 steel wool.

 

[SeniorSitizen]

If it's been mentioned i missed it, but i've never cared for the darker coloring of end grain. So, if it were mine i'd give those end grain areas a good sanding until they equaled the hue of the flat wood after a light sanding of those surfaces. possibly a bit lighter,















If the rocker has never had a finish applied i'd be applying a brushing lacquer. This isn't a item that needs a humongous amount of protection as a counter top etc. might. In the right drying conditions 3 coats can be applied in a short time and additional coats can be applied years later and will absorb into the old original finish.


EDIT: EDIT:

 

[Two Knots]

I want to add that a minwax water-based poly, dries quickly, you can apply a second and
third coat in just a couple hours of waiting time.

You can use semi-gloss if you choose, or gloss. I use gloss because it’s clear...
I take down the shine with sanding, using fine wet sandpaper and 000 steel wool.
I sand until I get the nice soft luster that I like.

 

[ron45]

 

[kah5683]

Ok. So I cleaned with scotch brite green pad and 50/50 denatured alcohol and water, then sanded with 220. I then dry brushed with General Finishes gel stain. With manufacturer's video, they said wait 2-3 days after dry brushing before reapplying a second coat. After three days, a slight bit of tackiness with palm (none with back of hand) here and there. Same after four days. Is it a matter of waiting out this little bit of tackiness, or is this a lost cause and it didn't penetrate?

 

[mark sr]

I've never been fond of gel stains so I rarely use them. With most stains you are supposed to remove the excess after a few minutes. Stains are formulated to be absorbed rather than dry from exposure. I suspect there was too much stain applied and that is causing it not dry properly.

 

[Two Knots]

I've never been fond of gel stains so I rarely use them. With most stains you are supposed to remove the excess after a few minutes. Stains are formulated to be absorbed rather than dry from exposure. I suspect there was too much stain applied and that is causing it not dry properly.

exactly, gel stains are crappy, they don’t absorb into the wood cause
it is mainly a paint.

Yes, it’s a lost cause...it will always look like a mucky mess...

But all is not lost, you can start over, first you have to remove what
you did - sand it down, and do what I recommended.

 

[mark sr]

You can take a wet thinner rag and scrub off the excess stain. With a little care/luck you might get it looking good enough for poly, if not you'd need to sand and start over.

 

[kah5683]

Since I did a dry brush method of applying the gel stain like below, there was very little stain applied.



Also, I just had my wife touch the stained area, and she isn't feeling the tackiness. Maybe it's just my oily hands. I feel a TINY bit on my fingertips and palms, but nothing on the back of my hand.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=24&v=jin60_yOEGM&feature=emb_logo