Gel Stain Problems On Red Oak Plywood

that's why a trowelable pore filler, spread over the entire surface works so much better. You won't see any areas that are shaded differently. Next time, try that approach. You can apply it with a rag or plastic trowel, wipe it off quickly, let it dry, then carefully sand. Voila, the pores are filled and you will get a uniform color and nicer finish, to boot. There are a number of trowelable fillers on the market. I use a water based red oak formulation that works superbly. It's made by Zar.

Anytime you apply a putty to a portion of an open pored wood, you are gonna have this type of problem. Coat the entire surface with the same thing, or keep everything off it until you stain. (Not including water or mineral spirits, to check out your sanding or to raise the grain, nor a stain conditioner, wash coat of shellac, etc.) BTW, I'm kinda new at this, but I read a lot and someone will jump in to correct any factual error that I make, so just hang on til tonight, to see if the WW gods object! :)

dave

snipped-for-privacy@usa.com wrote:

-- I AM NOT PARANOID .. .. .. but EVERYONE thinks I am !! !! !!

I always fill before staining, and have never had a problem sanding the filler clean to the hole. Maybe I have just been lucky.

Famowood "Fir" is a good match for red oak and takes a stain in the same shade as the oak.

Well if you don't fill them before the top coat, how do you ever get them colored? I've started filling them first, sanding (leaving them a bit sunken after they dry) and then using the wax pencils after the first couple of top coats.

Either that or Pore-o-pac the whole thing if it is something like red oak....

"" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@att.net:

-- I AM NOT PARANOID .. .. .. but EVERYONE thinks I am !! !! !!

In my experience that is typical with most stains.

Probably too late this time but in the future, put masking tape over the spot that you intend to put a nail. Nail through the tape, putty the hole through the tape and let it dry. Sand the putty and tape off. The tape will keep the putty in the hole and not let it spread over the surrounding wood.

You can protect the area with masking tape. Nail through the tape and apply putty through that hole.

Take a cloth dampened with naptha and wipe off the wax. I do not know if that will work now after you stained. Many fillers, especially the stick types have wax in them. I always fill after staining and top coating, unless I use sanding dust and hide glue for a filler.If the excess filler is not wax, a wood putty filler that dries hard, see if you can scrape it off. mike