Varathane Gel Stain screw up

[Warren]

Hello group, I'm an inexperienced woodworker, but I decided to make a computer desk.

Anyway, on this sheet of red oak plywood I put the Varathane Gel Stain, and I guess I didn't read the directions carefully enough, and didn't wipe it off. I gave it quite a thick coat of Red Mahogany gel stain and now it's basically dry on there. What can I do to save this? I mean, it looks like it's painted, and that's not too bad, but I am guessing by doing this right I'd have had a much nicer grain showing.

I'm guessing any solution involves either sanding or paint thinner. ;)

Can anyone offer any advice?

Thanks, Warren

[Don Vest]

Beyond starting with the obvious normal removal methods, I don't have much insight. I have used a spray on remover by Klean Strip that works well on starn ( Home Dopot) But, I would sure like to know where you bought the Varathan Gel Stain. I live in Arizona and have not been able to find the Gel Stain for a couple of years. I have looked on the web with no better results. I have tried other brands and nothing compares to the Varathane product. Didn't your mother teach you anything? Always read the directions. ( Like I do )

[Leon]

ASAP wipe it down with Paint Thinner and change rags often. Then resand.

[Leon]

IIRC Home Depot carries Varathan Gel Stains. If you like Verithane Gel Stains you will love Bartleys Gel Stains sold at WoodCraft.

[Todd Fatheree]

I don't have any experience with Varathane Gel Stain, but I used the Bartley's Gel Stain on some (gasp) cherry, and everyone who has seen it thinks it looks great.

todd

[nospambob]

[NoOne N Particular]

If it is totally dry (and it probably is by now) then sanding may be the only way. Using a gel stain *might* be your salvation in this case. It has been my experience that gel stains don't penetrate quite as far as oil or water based liquid stains. The problem you will run into now is that you may very well wind up sanding through the (very) thin oak veneer on the plywood.

I have left some Bartley's gel stain on a little too long and used a rag and Mineral spirits to clean it up. But one of the first pieces where I used Bartley's, it dried way too much and I had to resand down to bare wood. Once it dried hard, even mineral spirits wouldn't cut it.

Wayne

[Warren]

Hey thanks I'll check that out. I live in BC, Canada got the gel stain at Rona. Not sure they're down in the states, but I think they are affiliated somehow with Revy/Home Depot.

Warren

[Warren]

Thanks Leon, that's the path that made most sense to me. I'll let you know how it works out.

Warren

[Warren]

Well the paint thinner didn't really work too well. The gel is completely dry now. I suppose I'll look for something to strip it back down. I've learned my lesson -- follow the directions!

[Warren Johnson]

I tried some reapplication. It had about the same effect as the paint thinner, which is, basically none (a little came off if I rubbed hard enough).

Any suggestions on products that might take this stuff off? Is there a possibility of damaging the wood?

I suspect sanding would help a lot but I don't want to mess this up worse than it is, so I'll leave that until last.

Warren

" [e-mail]" wrote in news: [e-mail]:

[Rich]

The first time I used a "spray stain" I told my boss "yeah it did save time but man its pretty dark". I didnt know he wanted me to wipe it.

Tell us how sanding the sheet worked out.

Rich

[bridger]

try something like naptha. there are a bunch of higher solvents, one of which almost certainly will cut it. problem is they tend to be pretty toxic and in some cases explosive.

[Warren Johnson]

I got Poly Supa Strippa. It says to remove with a putty knife then wipe it off. I also got some steel wool for the edge moulding which is quarter round red oak.

I applied the stain, properly this time, to the 3 other parts of the desk: the side "legs" and the back/center part, which will sort of support the top of the desk. I must say it looks very good.

Warren