I'm about to trim in 8 windows on the second floor of my house. First time I've ever done such a thing. The drywall is painted already. My question is - do I stain and poly the 1"x4" pine FIRST, then rip, cut, shim, nail etc., or is it easier to do all my cutting and nailing, have the window trim on and finished, then apply the stain and poly ?
I see a drawback to both. With method 1, the stain and poly will likely chip off around the table saw and mitre saw cuts, requiring it to be touched up anyways after it's up. With method 2, it would be a pain in the *ss to stain and poly it once it's up because then I either have to tape off the drywall around the trim or be damn careful.
Any tips are welcome !!!
Thanks - Shawn