How to Lighten Stained Wood

mesquite, bleached by grey

As times change, so do styles. This doesn’t apply just to clothes and cars, but to the cabinets and furniture in our homes as well. Different types of wood and wood colors will be popular for a time, and then be replaced by other colors. This leaves the homeowner with having to put up with … Read more

How Long to Let Stain Dry Before Polyurethane

Wood projects which are stained should almost always have a clear finish applied over the stain. About the only exception to this is when exterior oil-based stains are applied to rough cedar siding. The oil in the stains itself is enough of a protect for the wood then, as the cedar is highly resistant to … Read more

Can You Use Kilz 2 as a Final Coat

kilz, coat, primer

With all the different finish options that exist, paint is often thought of as a “simple” finish, that anyone can apply perfectly, without any previous experience. While that is possible, there is much more to a painted finish than most people realize, especially in applying paint over difficult surfaces. Knowing what products to use and … Read more

Best Stain for Pine

pine, stain

Pine is the most common wood used by the home woodworker, partially due to its ready availability and partially due to its low cost. Many new woodworkers, who don’t have a lot of experience working with hardwoods, think that they are harder to work with than pine, so avoid them. But pine has its own … Read more