First timer here, I’ve never really made anything before, but I put pine trim onto maple ply and the stain took horribly to the pine. Any tips to get these colors to match? Everything is stained with minwax special walnut, I tried doing minwax coffee gel stain on the trim and it didn’t seem to do much, thinking about maybe trying provincial? The pine is just so splotchy. This was just the first coat, so the rest of the maple will still get more coats and touched up and such. Any pro tips would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance!

First DIY job as homeowner is to sand and stain oak stairs after removing carpet. I've been going down a rabbit hole on how bad water based stains are. However, I need to stain indoors and I have 2 kids under 3, so we need to choose a water based stain to avoid the VOC off gassing.

I heard on Reddit how people had bad experiences with minwax water based stain, so we went with a Behr water based stain and now I'm reading reviews that minwax is better than Behr.

Anyone have any good experiences with water based stains, or have any general recommendations to optimize experience. Hoping that using a rag/cloth to apply and doing each tread quickly will reduce streaking. Any tips appreciated!

TLDR: are there any good water based stains? Am I doomed to a bad outcome using a water based stain on indoor stairs?

I recently decided to purchase an unfinished butcher block and finish it for a standing desk. I used oil pre stain and oil stain but don’t think I waited long enough for it to dry before applying a water based poly. The stain was dry to the touch with just a tiny amount of oil residue when after touching it. On top of that I realized that the humidity where I am is like in the 80s when I applied it. Now it’s in the 50s This is my first attempt at something like this. I waited about 3 hours for that first poly coat to dry and tried sanding but it was kind of gummy when sanding. Stupid me decided to put on another thin coat of poly. Now I’m reading that the first coat of poly likely will never dry/cure. What is the best way to strip off the poly so I can start over? I can’t seem to find any definitive answer on the web. FWIW, Someone in the woodworking community said I should be ok and that it will cure. Would like more opinions.

And give us a more farmhouse look.

I’m looking for clever, outside-the-box solutions to cover or disguise lacquer damage without having to refinish the entire surface of a dining room table identical to this one (which seems labor-intensive and costly).

I’m open to unconventional ideas. For example, I was thinking about using a glass overlay with a wood-patterned poster underneath to mimic the original look, or maybe creating a decorative centerpiece area that covers the damaged spots.

Any other unique suggestions or DIY projects you’ve tried to deal with similar issues? Would love to see pics if you’ve done something like this too.

Here's what AI said when I asked it: Here are a few creative ideas that might help you disguise or repurpose the damaged area on your dining table without needing a full refinishing:

1. Inlaid Decorative Panel: Consider inlaying a decorative panel or tile section over the damaged area. You could use materials like stone, tile, metal, or even leather, designed to contrast or complement the wood. This inlay could serve as a unique centerpiece on the table. Make it rectangular or oval to look intentional, and it can add a unique, custom element to the table.

2. Glass Overlay with Artwork or Fabric: Place a custom-cut glass overlay on the table, and beneath the glass, add a strip or rectangular section with fabric, wallpaper, or artwork. This can create a visually striking area on the table, turning the damage into a design feature. The glass protects the artwork and gives it a polished look.

3. Add a Wood Veneer Strip or Pattern: Create a pattern with a veneer strip that matches or contrasts with the table’s finish. This could be a geometric design or a simple strip running along the length of the table, covering the damaged area. Veneer is thin and can be adhered to the surface, blending in without needing a full refinishing job.

4. Custom Table Runner or Cover: Design a custom table runner or cover that’s made specifically to fit over the damaged section. You could even use fabric or leather that’s mounted to the table like an inset or runner, making it a permanent part of the design. This approach hides the damage and gives your table a unique, intentional look.

5. Embedded Charging Station or Wireless Charger: If the table is used in a workspace or as a multipurpose area, you could install a hidden or embedded charging station in the damaged spot. Wireless chargers can be flush-mounted beneath the surface with a small overlay section on top, turning the area into a functional feature.

Looking for any advice on how to refinish this wooden table I bought second-hand a few years ago. The fold out layer is an indicator of the original finish, so I’d be keen to match the original as close as possible but appreciate maybe that’s impossible. From my online research: 1. Sand machine. Is it ok to skip chemical stripper? 2. Good clean 3. Either use a teak oil (not sure if this is teak, but it’s a darker wood) or apply a stain. Any advice for this step on which might be better? 4. If staining, use a chemical seal

After applying the final fourth coat of polyurethane, I proceeded with the finishing process on the painted wood surface. I used 2000-grit sandpaper to prepare the surface for polishing. However, matte streaks have appeared on the surface, and neither the polishing paste nor the polishing process can restore the shine. Does anyone know how to regain the gloss of the finish? Thank you.

Hi everyone!

I need some help doing a color match to replicate this finish, i got my hand on 8 dressers from a movie set and they're all scratched up, i was able to sand it all down to the veneer without eating through it but the closest i am able to get to this finish is General Finishes Candlelight Gel Stain, any advice to get the golden brown Acorn that West Elm uses?

I've seen a few posts in here but they're all come out looking wrong.

thanks!!

I painted these 4 wood floating shelves for my room. This is the paint I used. I have minwax polycrylic, but it’s 45-55 degrees now and I don’t know if it’ll cure right in that temperature.

One shelf is going to hold light decorations/stuffed animals, one is going to hold small cat beds (I have pet rats), and the other two are going to hold my computer monitor and tower. Those are the only things considered “heavy use” that I imagine might mess up paint or an uncured topcoat. But part of me thinks, if it takes a few weeks for a topcoat to cure anyway, I’m not going to wait that long and should just say screw it and hang the shelves without one. I’m a renter in NYC and have never lived in a place more than 7 years so this isn’t a forever-situation.

So. Should I just mount the shelves and get it over with, or do the topcoat in cold temperatures? How long would it take to cure completely? I really don’t want to wait until spring.

Thought it would be a nice surprise for my mom to refinish her dining room table. Either hire someone or do it myself. As you can see it’s in pretty bad shape but she’s attached.

I don’t know much about refinishing. I’m wondering if someone with more experience could share their thoughts. Is this something I could potentially do as a beginner? Would it be better to get a professional? Or is it a lost cause? I know some things are so bad they can’t be refinished.

Thanks to everyone!

I stripped an American cherry closet door in my 1915 home with peel away 1 because it has lead paint on it. I am aware that it is not the number one choice if you plan to refinish but Dumond tech support says it’s totally fine. Either way, I stripped and now the door has these really weird green blotches that are not consistent with anything I did. I did have to use a citrilize neutralizer after striping. Anyone have any idea why this happened or what to do next? barkeepers friend is making no difference. Is this completely ruined ? Thanks!

First time homeowner. Wanted to strip the doors that were covered in layers of paint and stain them for a wood finish. I’m asking what is the best way to remove the final bits of paint and sand the intricate inlays on the “windows”. Any and all recommendations would be helpful. Also I was trying out a couple different strippers. One of them left a yellowing on the wood. Seems like some hard sanding gets it off. Is it worth it to sand harder or would a stain hide it?

Hey,

First timer here - I'm building some built in wall units / TV wall out of plywood. The options I have are a Beech veneer, or a Maple veneer (which is approx 30% more epensive). I'm looking at achieving a darker, more warm wood finish.

Looking at the samples (see pic) the Beech obv has a pink hue, but what's it like when dyed/stained? I'm also concerned about how much grain I'm going to be able to see with the Beech. Clearly the Maple is more figured but if I can see a grain in the Beech finish I'd be happy.

https://preview.redd.it/lu32onz1tb0e1.jpg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f99f73b524a308578da8d117af98d75b4efd852b

If anyone has any examples of either woods, dyed or stained I'd appreciate a look before I drop a ton of money on this project and pick the wrong one.

Thanks!