Tyler began by staining the underside of the table. Again, our thought was, "If we mess up, hopefully we can fix it, and no one will be the wiser". To apply the stain, we set the tabletop on a smooth/clean work surface. We completed this part of the project in a wood shop, so we didn't worry too much about drips or stains on the floor or application surface. However, in hindsight, I would say laying a plastic tarp between your tabletop and work surface is a SMART idea. Tyler then used small, foam brushes and 1 pint of Minwax Early American (stain) to complete the job. I have to say foam brushes are essential for application. One, they don't leave brush marks, and two, they don't leave behind thin bristles as other paint brushes might.
To apply:
1. Dip your foam brush in the stain about 1/2 an inch. Wipe off any excess along the rim of the can. (There is no need to dip the entire brush, as this would cause the brush to drip all over the place and would make it much harder to control your application.)
2. Begin with your brush near the edge of the tabletop. Apply the stain by moving your brush in a up and down motion, following the grain of the wood. As you complete the first section of the board, complete the same section on the two remaining boards before moving further down the tabletop.
3. As you move, dip your brush back into the stain every few strokes. You'll know when you're ready for more because the stain won't spread any further on the wood. However, do not reapply stain if it pools or bubbles on the wood's surface. If either of these instances occur, keep spreading until you have the stain sets evenly.
4. Repeat until you've covered the whole underside with stain.
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| Doesn't it look pretty?!?! |
5. Finally, let the stain sit. The can recommends 5-15 minutes, depending on how dark you want the stain to become. After doing sample patches on scrap wood, Tyler and I decided to leave it on for 30 minutes (starting after the underside was complete) to achieve the look we wanted.
6. When the 30 minutes was up, we wiped off any excess stain with paper towels.
7. At this point, the hard work is over. You simply need to let the stain dry. I suggest leaving it overnight before flipping to complete the other side.
8. Once the appropriate drying time has elapsed, complete the top and sides using the process described above.
Overall, the staining process is relatively easy and fun. I'm pretty sure Tyler felt like he was Michaelango painting the Sistine Chapel. He really got into it. Do be prepared to set aside a couple of days though. Staining requires a lot of wait time. Your schedule will probably look something like this:
Day 1
30 minutes - Apply stain on the underside.
30 minutes - Wait for stain to be absorbed.
5 minutes - Wipe off excess stain.
Overnight - Allow stain to dry and set completely.
Day 2
40 minutes - Flip tabletop to apply stain on top and sides.
30 minutes - Allow stain to be absorbed.
5 minutes - Wipe off excess stain.
Overnight - Give stain time to dry and set.
Total Time: 2 days Actual Time Putting in Physical Labor: ~ 1 hr. 15 minutes
FINAL TIPS:
- Be careful not to overload the brush when staining the sides. It is easy for drips to occur here.
- Although you don't want the stain to drip through the tabletop, you also want to make sure the stain gets into any cracks in the wood or gaps between the boards. Go slowly in such areas.
- When cleaning your foam brushes, do so with SOAPY water. The soap not only helps lift the stain off of the brush, but it also ensures that the stain will not blemish your pretty, white/cream/beige sink. If any residue is left on the sink's surface, just scrub it with a soapy cloth.
HAPPY STAINING!
Jolly Polly please! I'm having fun reading! Elizabeth
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