My latest refinish project had me longing for the old stain formulas

I was fixing up an old dresser and used a new gel stain from the store. It went on so thick and covered up all the beautiful wood grain. Back when I started, oil stains would sink in and show off the natural patterns. Now everything seems made to be fast and easy, not to look good. I had to take it all off and use an old can of oil stain I had saved. The wood looked alive again, not just coated. It just feels like we traded quality for speed somewhere along the way.

3 comments

3 Comments

piper_moore1mo ago

Feel the exact same way after totally ruining a nice table with that new water based junk. It just sat on top like plastic wrap and killed all the character. @king.lisa is right about those old oil recipes actually working with the wood instead of against it.

king.lisa1mo ago

Know exactly what you mean. Used a modern water based stain on a pine table last year and it looked like a painted film. No depth at all, just a flat, gummy coat. Had to sand the whole thing back to bare wood. Found an old recipe for an oil based walnut stain my grandfather used. The difference was night and day, it actually let the wood breathe. We totally gave up good results for quick drying times and easy cleanup.

adam8481mo ago

Wait, you had to sand the entire table back to bare wood? That's a brutal amount of work down the drain.