Got into a spat at the hardware store over whether to seal pine before staining. Some say yes, some say no. Where do you stand?

3 comments

3 Comments

Depends what you're making with that pine. If it's furniture where you want an even color, a thin coat of shellac or wood conditioner first can save you from blotchy disaster. But if it's outdoor trim or something rustic, I'd skip it - the stain soaks in deeper for better protection. What's the actual project here?

tyler_davis1mo ago

Oh man, talking from experience... I tried staining some plain pine shelves a few years back without any conditioner. Looked like a toddler attacked it with a marker, all splotchy and awful. Had to sand the whole mess down and start over. Your advice would have saved me a solid weekend of cussing and redoing work.

the_mary1mo ago

Yeah, that "toddler with a marker" look @tyler_davis described is so real, it's why I test stain on a scrap piece from the same board first now.