Can you stain douglas fir

It seals the wood so that the stain is absorbed more uniformly to avoid the blotchy look. I love the look of the wood in picture 1. Great post, very informative and specific. I stumbled on to this with a google search, trying to decide if we should use pre-conditioner or not. The pictures are really helpful! Your pictures look the opposite, like the gel stain really defined the grain. Either way, we plan to overcoat the final stain color with Minwax Helmsman spar-urethane.

Do you have any experience with spar-urethane on doug fir? My own experience with polyshades is mixed. Plus the thickness of the poly is connected to the darkness of the color.

Can you be more specific on the type of wood.. Ive been trying to do a similar project but the different grades of Douglas Fir are mind boggling. Were there splits in the wood? Thanks so much for this! My brother in law just finished the most beautiful Walnut shelves for the shoes in my new walk-in. We are putting in a fir barn sliding door and wanted to stain it to look like walnut. We will try this out and hopefully it will turn out as lovely as your shelves did.

Wow, what different results! I never knew you could custom order wood—great tip. Looking forward to seeing these up! Gel stain is miraculous! Am looking forward to see what your shelves look like — love how chunky they are! Gift Guides! We designed the Charly line of sofas, chairs, and ottomans with perfect proportions for comfort — with wide arms, a loungey depth, and stylish and practical lumbar pillows.

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Browse the CLJ shop. In an industry that often feels designed to make you discontent, we want this to be place you come for inspiration, ideas, and encouragement to make the space you're already in feel like home. Attach grit sandpaper to a hand-sanding block.

Stroke the surface of the wood, using short strokes until the sandpaper produces dust with a slightly coarse texture. Sand forward 4 inches and backward 3 inches. Keep moving forward in a single line with the woodgrain. When you reach the end of the wood, start another row overlapping the first line by 1 inch. Dust off the wood with a soft cloth.

You should be looking at a dull surface without any shiny spots when finished. The dull appearance means that you have sufficiently opened the pores on the wood. Dip a folded cotton cloth into an open can of stain.

Douglas fir absorbs stain easily. Sand the surface of the wood smooth with grit sandpaper. Follow the grain of the wood when sanding. Apply a thin coat of a water-based latex exterior wood sealer to the Douglas fir with a nylon paintbrush. Let the sealer dry according to the package directions. What does fir wood look like? In quartersawn pieces, the grain is typically straight and plain. Can pallet wood be stained? Preparing the pallet wood before staining it will ensure proper application and a long-lasting stain.

Use a tack cloth to remove dust as you sand the pallet wood. If the dust settles in the pores, it can lead to your stain looking uneven and blotchy. Apply a wood conditioner to help the wood absorb stain evenly. Can you stain rough cut pine? Wood like this is a bit more difficult to stain than smooth textured wood but it does not have to be an overwhelming task.

Rough sawn wood is commonly used for exterior wood fences, decking trim, and house trim. Typical wood types are cedar and pine. What finish should I use on rough cut lumber? Boiled linseed oil and polymerized tung oil are two common products for finishing rough lumber. Make sure that your stain is completely dry before applying the finish. This is especially important if you are using both water-based and oil-based products on your wood. Practice staining your Douglas fir on a piece of scrap wood if possible so that you can get a feel as to how it will accept the stain.

Brynne Chandler has been a freelance writer and lover of all things home-related for her entire adult life. Her passions include remodeling old houses, gardening and crafts of all kinds. Her work has appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle and the Houston Chronicle online, among other places. By Brynne Chandler Updated February 21, Tip Make sure that your stain is completely dry before applying the finish.

Warning Never apply stain or sealer in a closed room, as the fumes can cause dizziness. Tip Practice staining your Douglas fir on a piece of scrap wood if possible so that you can get a feel as to how it will accept the stain.