(Part 2) Best household stains according to redditors

no idea about that. i've had mine for about a year and a half, and they're still like new. hopefully there's someone on here that's had it a while longer. i would have preferred to swap the cabinets out, but they're solid oak/plywood framed and in excellent condition, just the absolute wrong color (bright orange hued red oak). i think my last house, the cabinets were around $8k. this gel finish cost me about $500, but probably 100+ hours.

my deciding factor (other than my opinion that almost all painted cabinets look cheap) was i had an extra cabinet that i had removed, and i did half each method. sanding sucked, and i knew i didn't want to do that with that many cabinets (too much fine detail). also, i wanted to keep the wood grain, which painting would not preserve. if your cabinet is flat or has minimal detail where you can just run a power sander over the whole face, it may be a viable option. once i decided on gel, i tried a few different colors to see how they would look, how many coats i would need, etc. i ended up going with dark gray x3 coats, and clear x3 coats, with a very light sanding sponge in between each coat. stain was about a week to dry each coat. clear was a few hours.

stain

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KML6BCC/

clear

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001DT4QJS/

ColorTone Liquid Stain for Stringed Instruments, Purple https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FYT747R/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_FMDxDbG821H68

Computer screens are not necesarilly the best way to show precise color variations. You wil need to get a color that mathces your the best. Experiment on scraps using various amounts of stain, or even adding other stain colors.

Other than that why not just order it online:

• https://www.homedepot.com/p/Minwax-1-qt-Wood-Finish-Honey-Oil-Based-Interior-Stain-700494444/203400908
  
• http://www.sears.com/minwax-71149-1-gal-honey-272-stain-tools/p-SPM7739047003
  
• http://www.kmart.com/minwax-71149-1-gal-honey-272-stain-tools/p-SPM7739047003
  
• https://www.amazon.com/Minwax-227624444-Finish-Penetrating-Interior/dp/B00FK8MZG4
  

I would rip it up and put in a new pressure treated wood and stain with desired color in 6mos-1year.

If that is not an option, buy some bulk oxalic acid off of amazon and mix in a sprayer and pressure wash - this should brighten up the deck considerably. Afterwards, stain with your desired color. (Note: Restore-a-deck - makes some nice product and 1 gallon should easily cover you for two coats.

Oxalic Acid:

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B0147GM7CQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Pressure Washer:

https://smile.amazon.com/Sun-Joe-SPX4001-Electric-Technology/dp/B01NBV3LPV/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=sunjoe+pressure+washer&qid=1566841916&s=gateway&sr=8-4

Stain:

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B07C6YD9CC/ref=twister_B07C6ZXR8B?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Specifically this stuff. I've used general finishes water based dye on furniture and was immensely pleased with how forgiving it is during application. You can use full strength, or dilute it with water to the desired color, or mix it with any of the other dyes they sell for a custom color.

Absolutely!

limestone

polyurethane (this was way cheaper at Home Depot)

stain

this is the tutorial I used.

https://www.amazon.com/Cal-Flor-FL49133-TileFix-Custom/dp/B00UD62MA2

You can use epoxy to fill most of the hole, then patch at the surface with a kit like the link above.

Look into gel stain for the cabinets. I used a brand that was super thick, almost like a wax called Jel’d Stain by Wood Kote Wood Kote 213-9 Jel'd Stain, Walnut - 12 ounce can https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GW9O3EC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_VU7CDb2SPX590

When we redid our floors, I wanted a way to stain our mantle to match and it worked perfectly! I even used it on some oak picture frames to darken them. Unlike paint or regular stain, you can easily adjust how thin or thick you put it on. I did several light coats until I was happy with the color match. After staining I sealed it with a clear sealant.

I bought mine at a paint store- I’m pretty sure it was Sherwin-Williams and there a bunch of different shades.

You can look into whitewashing or pickling. Not sure how good this stuff is. white wash stain

Sure! I've been planning to do this since we bought this house.

This is the kit I'm using, obviously mine is in black. It comes with a sanding pad to do the sides of your cabinets, I guess they are made differently than the doors, but I went over all my cabinets with the pad and some 150 grit sandpaper, just so I could be sure it would adhere to the cabinets.

So far I've just been painting them, and being sure to use painters tape so I don't ruin anything. I am using a small artists brush to paint around the inner hardware so I don't have to take the doors off.

According to the reviews, and tutorials online they recommended to use This Satin Polycrylic Protective Finish just for added protection. I bought the one I linked, and plan to use it. It's a kitchen so I'm sure dings are going to happen. So for me the protection is a necessity.

Lining my cabinets with this chevron contact paper

And I'm thinking that hardware will really modernize my kitchen, which is what I'm going for.

Worth Knowing I used a different "no sand" type paint in my bathroom, and I love this so much more. This brand has a Facebook page, and seriously, their product really is awesome. I should have taken more before photos.

Also the kit only comes with 2 quarts(?) and it goes so far. My kitchen is huge! And we have done it all and 59% of it already has a second coating! and we have barley used 1/3 of the paint.

I bought a "damaged" box off Amazon, check there. This kit is at my Lowe's for $149, and $69 off the manufactures website. I paid $30. My contact paper was $10 and my Protective coating was $10. Might buy hardware but that's optional. So new fucking cabinets for $50, $40 if you skip the paper? Cannot be beat.

Thanks for the advice, I'll make sure to double check my work. My set came in a couple days ago and I'm looking forward to staining it next weekend.

Did you use the aerosol finish from that video you linked? Do you know about how much stain you used? I'm considering this one but the can is only 8 ounces, I don't know if that would be enough.

Thank you! So if I use one of those stain pens marketed towards "red mahogany" it should work just fine, correct? The reason I ask is because the picture on the package looks darker than my stain.


Here's the exact production in question- Minwax 63484000 Wood Finish Stain Marker, Red Mahogany https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000BQN8FM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_a-YVDb0N2SEYH

Hey I really appreciate it! I used Minwax brand everything for the stain and sealer. The first go around was not a success due mostly to the brush we used. I ended up using a black foam brush which worked much better. The legs and riser supports are painted white for a contrast (basic white paint). I try to keep things simple and realistic but also make it look nice. It may not be perfect but hopefully I get to keep improving!

What do you think of this stuff?

I did some Googling and a few folks recommended this stuff. http://www.amazon.com/Minwax-23333-Polycrylic-Protective-Finishes/dp/B000C02AO2

Sure. Yours is 32oz - $17 so $.53 per ounce.

this is 128 oz -$55.75 so $.43 per ounce.
So not half, but certainly a lot less per ounce.

You save 12.80 all together.

I light sanded and then used this in very thin coats. Moisture content of wood was low.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B017NNJYBW/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_c_api_tQGLAbPFQ0QVH

I would powerwash it and let dry for a week or so, then do one of two things:

1. find the best quality paint that will stick to the existing paint and to the exposed wood. Repaint every 4 to 6 years. I don't know anything about deck paint, but research and find best quality possible.
   
   
2. more work in short term, but better option - get a powerful sander that you can attach a shop vac to, wear ear protection, and sand all that paint off. i would use rough 60 grit and maybe a pass with 100, but not worry about getting it too smooth. then seal it with a high quality sealer/stain, which will need to be reapplied every 5 to 8 years. I used a product called TWP based on a recommendation from guys at the best lumberyard around. They said their contractors find it lasts almost twice as long as products like Thompsons. It was very easy to apply, just soaks right into the wood. Contains a fungicide so keep it off your skin while applying. 2nd coat a few hours later then about 5 days to fully dry/cure. Note that the low VOC version works great and that the clear version does not have UV blockers which allows the wood to turn gray. It goes on so easily that I can't imagine painting a deck would be worth it.
   
   You possibly could flip those deck boards and have a clean, unpainted surface. Worth checking out. May look like new under there.

Get one of [these pens] (http://www.amazon.com/Minwax-63484-Finish-Interior-Mahogany/dp/B000BQN8FM/ref=pd_sim_hi_2) but be sure to get the right color. It is hard to tell if it is badly chipped or just dinged a bit. For the bulk of it: Restore-a-finish in the appropriate color applied with some 0000 steel wool.

Wood will almost always look better than paint. To get a really good job with the paint you'll put about the same amount of work.

I bought them in store so they were cheaper. The grey one is really thick. The wand was also 3D printed and stained.

Minwax Red Oak

Rust-oleum Weathered Grey

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Any recommendations for stain? I came across this product via a YouTuber
Rubio Monocoat Zero VOC 2 Component Oil Finish Pure (350 mL) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OA5V19K/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_59tFDbN6DDAET

I’m new to this so my stain game isn’t up to snuff yet.

If you do get a spill - check out [wine-out] (https://www.amazon.com/Gonzo-Wine-Out-Stain-Remover/dp/B00NXNRXS8)


Worked in fine dining and we had to wear long sleeved white shirts with our suits and backservers with their vests. Occasionally wine would spill on someone. The office always had some wine-out on there and it was like a miracle worker - though I don't know if it is good for all fabrics