General Finishes Gel Stain

General Finishes Gel Stain

General Finishes Gel Stain

Gel Stains are heavy-bodied, and so do not penetrate as deeply into the wood as liquid oilbase stains do. Because of this, they are often less affected by the condition of the wood, and can help you get a more even appearance on difficult woods such as aspen or pine.

Tips:

  1. A little goes a long way. I mean it.
  2. Be cautious to remove all swirls/brush streaks before allowing to dry. You’ll have to sand them out and will really struggle to get a uniform stain after sanding a small section.
  3. Corners and joints in the wood really soak up the stain. I used a clean, old, sock to wipe in the corners so they didn’t end up black.
  4. Don’t think that putting an extra generous, thick coat will speed up the process. You’ll end up with a gloppy looking finished product. Trust me, do the light coats that dry completely. 4-5 light coats will make everything look brand new! 2 thick coats will make you regret it.
  5. Oh…and before I let a coat dry for the day, I took a nice,VERY LIGHT, wipe of a sock over the whole surface. It might make you sick because it looks like it removes all the stain, but it keeps the stain from building up too thick. You’ll be glad you took the time to do this step.