Decorative chair rail molding staining problem

[Bob Wilsey]

Hi Group,

I recently purchase some chair rails from Lowes that is the kind that has a decorative pattern on it and comes in 7ft sections. The problem is that it does not except stain (minwax) very well. The wood slightly darkens but the wood does not absorb the stain very well at all. 2nd and 3rd coats does little to darken it. I have tried light sanding, mineral spirits to make sure that there wasn't some kind of factory coating on the wood, and different color stains. No help trying to match it to the color of the rest of the molding in the house. I hate to paint it but I will have to if I can't find a solution. The only thing I can think of is that the decorative pattern is pressed into the wood thus making the wood to dense to stain.

Any help would be appreciated.

Bob

[Bob]

Bob,

Your assumption is correct. Try finding a gel stain to match or get one as close as you can then mix in some oil paint(s) (as in artist paints) to match.

Bob S.