A few sharp eared viewers have pointed out my error at the 2:00 mark. The sanding progression should be 100-120-150-180. Sorry for any confusion! 😅

Big fan of the side-by-side comparisons between sanded/undsanded, conditioned/not, and oil/water poly topcoats. Really makes it clear the benefits of each approach.

This is a great wood project book kzfaq.infoUgkxkPIWb22DigCqxmlXerCyUF4HCl6eSU2L . Most of the projects use the pallet simply as a source of reclaimed wood not as a recognizable pallet so even if you didn't have a pallet you could make these projects with any reclaimed (or even new) wood. The instructions are excellent. The style is charming and would work with lots of different decor. There are quite a number of projects that involve tiling of teh wood pieces which is a really cool idea and can produce beautiful pieces when working with aged wood.

I have NEVER been told about the oily rags! I am so glad you talked about that. Thanks!

Great Video. And here is why Clear, Concise Information No LOUD, annoying Background music Clear verbal instruction with corresponding Video Demo (No yammering on and on about what you had for breakfast or other irrelevant info) My mom was a DIY queen. I grew up in a family that sanded, stained, painted and repaired anything they got their hands on. My mom even made all her own drapes, curtains and re upholstered her 2nd hand furniture. Having said that, I learned something new about PRETREATING wood prior to staining. Good Tip.

love the tip on scribbling on the surface wood to help with sanding a must for newbees

The oily rage disposal tip was the best part. Everyone says don’t toss them in the garbage, but no one ever explains why or what to do instead. I’ve been keeping them in a metal bin full of kitty litter and now I realize that’s probably overkill. Lol. Thanks!

I am very thankful for this video because I had thrown wadded up rags with oil based stain on them in my trash can. Then I looked at this video and realized the error of my ways and promptly went and laid them out flat to dry. Thank you for that advice and possibly saving me from burning down my house.

Great video! I love how you go through the details, the pluses and minuses of different products and take your time explaining the process. Thank you.

Wish I’d had this video a couple years ago when I was researching how to refinish my kitchen table! There are very few people online that know what they’re doing, explain it well, and know why things are successful or not. Thank you for taking the time to share your expertise!

Finally, a how to video that gets to the point and doesn't have all of the unnecessary info 👍👍

Thanks. Really helpful and informative. The pencil tip between sanding levels was good. Straightforward and calm.

So glad i found this video. You explained it in layman terms and the comparisons made it the process understandable.

Awesome video. I never fully understood the why and how of products and why sanding is a must, but glad you did the side by side. Also the side by side was awesome with the finishers. Thanks for the information and taking the time to share.

Thanks for taking the time to demonstrate the finishes side by side. It certainly helps us all to decide on the method we would want to use without having to do the trial and error ourselves.❤

Concisely & effectively hits important points made throughout KZfaq woodworking videos...thank you much.

This is exactly what I wanted to see. I loved how you show the results of the different techniques side by side. Thanks!

THANK YOU for the tip with the pencil!!! Simple and brilliant!

I am a beginner and I Love this simple, straight forward, how to video. thank you! Also, appreciated instruction of the safe handling of the stain rags. My neighbor had a garage fire last year from exactly what you described. She tossed wet stain rags in a trash can and awakened in the middle of the night to her house on fire. It was terrifying, dangerous, costly and they were displaced for close to a year while the house was repaired and rebuilt. What wasn't burned was damaged by smoke and water. PSA...insurance doesn't come close to covering the totality of the loss.

I appreciate this simple, straightforward, how-to video. Thanks

This was an outstanding video. Extremely helpful. Love how you demonstrated how important sanding is and compared the oil and water-based polys. Thank you!!

Really fantastic guide, especially for newer people to woodworking! Really covers everything and explains why you're doing it, as well as things to watch out for. I'll echo the sentiment from others as well in saying having the side by side comparisons of the boards both with and without the steps you take is extremely useful in helping understand each part of the process. Thank you!

Nicely done! Thorough and clearly communicated information right here.

So far the best video I`ve seen on the matter. I'm just starting with woodworking. Thank you!

This was SUPER helpful! Clear, concise, & full of helpful info & reasons why. Thank you for explaining the WHY oily rags about oily rags. Thank you! I’ve subscribed & will look up more of your videos.

Really like the two board comparissons. As someone who has little to no experience with this kind of thing, it really helped me understand the importance of all the steps. Thanks alot.

Thank you so much for this informative video. Have a big staining project coming up and this is honestly the best, most informative and, above all else, concise video I've seen. I really appreciate that you were able to convey so much useful information in just a 10 minute video as it really seems so many content creators are obsessed with running up the clock these days.

Thankyou. I used to get some lessons from my great grandpa on how to whittle and carve. This helped me revise what i was taught since I can no longer cross reference with him since he passed. I appreciate it.

something with stains has changed in the last several years. Staining on Oak was never a challenge before. Now its extra steps and costs to get an even finish. Thanks Greenies.

Thank you for this great video, with side-by-side comparisons of the results when you do or don't do specific processes. E.g. sanded vs. unsanded boards; use of pre-stain conditioner vs. not using it; oil-based vs. water based finishing top coat.

Thank you for putting together this video. I recently purchased a flintlock longrifle with an extra fancy curly maple stock and I am anguishing over how to finish it. Thank you again for the excellent tutelage on the importance of sanding and how different finishes may alter the wood's color slightly.

Thanks for this information especially about the heat dispersal of the finished rags. Didn't know, but now I do. Thanks again.

this was overall the best and most educational video i’ve seen on how to properly stain wood, thank you so much!

I really needed this how to video today. I’m getting ready sand and stain our front door where the sun’s dried it out. Great & easy to follow demonstration.

Great knowledge and teaching skills. I was so impressed with your safety tip about the damp rags and preventing combustion I hit the like button a few seconds before your suggestion to do so. Also subbed. Looking forward to future content.

Thank you. Your video was straight forward and cleared up some of my confusion with the process.

Very helpful stuff. I also appreciate the safety reminders, since it's missing in too many how-to videos.

I have watch a few of your videos - well done. Lots of information and you don't digress. Subscribed!

Great to the point video. I definitely learned something from and enjoyed watching it. Subscribed for sure

Lots of helpful information quickly, no fussing about. Thank you

Thank you for the info about disposal of rags. These mundane tips are so important.

Best video ever. I’ve instructed on lots of topics for twenty years. You hit big time on the one area 99% miss. You remark on every secret that is only acquired by years of experience that are where the knowledge to become an expert comes from. It’s usually not realized by people or mentioned for a variety of reasons. Well done dude.

I am so glad that you took the time to compare results with every strategy! The extra effort is appreciated

Great tip about the used rags. THANK YOU for that and the clarification about the sanding progression. I did catch that, but not knowing ANYTHING about staining wood, I didn't know it was incorrect 😆I'm so glad I found your video before starting my project. 😇

I watched 4 or 5 youtube videos on staining. This is the best one by far - thank you!

I have over 30 years experience in the hardwood flooring trade. While I am not wild about Minwax products, your info is spot on. Well done! Pine is probably the most difficult woods to work with stain wise. It tends to be blotchy no matter what. A pre-stain or at least a water pop is essential in making it look good. If your doing a piece of furniture where time is not a constraint, you can get away with an oil base finish. Do not apply one if the air is humid though. It will fish eye and screw up all your work! For flooring, use a waterbase finish. That way when the homeowner decides to walk across it the next morning, it's all good. With an oil, it won't be ready for traffic of any kind yet.

Yes that 80's!!!!

Thank you so much , your help for a new wood worker like me is so appreciated.

So glad you talked about rags catching fire!! I never throw mine away wet, or bunched up. I always lay them flat, like you do.

I really appreciate your video. I just built a cabin play area/bunk bed for my kids, and my next step is prepping it for stain. I've never been happy with my stain results before, so I've been nervous about this part. This video is exactly what I needed. Thanks!! Wish me luck 😅

Fill soft grain prior to staining. Always good advice with any kind of finish, clear, opaque, paint, anything. You can use lots of things to fill that soft grain. Sanded off paint makes a great "Americana" look, perhaps a little like your US flag with EGA. Hooya Marine. I learned to stain by first applying shellac to raw wood with 1 lb cut or even lighter. The little lac bug tincture fills those soft, porous areas on the grain. Then stain over the shellac. More than one shellac coat, sanding in between, allows you to vary the light to dark effect of the stain. Amber shellac will reduce the light to dark spread and tend to keep everything a little more in the dark tones, more blended. Several coats - shellac - very light stain - Shellac (repeat repeat repeat) with sanding in between will make the finish look deeper and allows you to "Sneak up" on the final color. Especially helpful if you're trying to match an existing work piece color. Remove shellac errors any time with alcohol. Just finish any shellac with poly or whatever you like. The shellac is not waterproof. Maybe those poor little bugs died every time it rained. I was also taught to shellac after staining and before other finishes. "Fat over lean" was the mantra we learned (Don't use water based finishes over oil based finishes but the reverse is ok). Magical shellac doesn't suffer any of that incompatibility problem. Shellac lives just fine under/over essentially any finish. Finally, Whiskey makes an interesting primer for shellac. It pops the grain so sand after drinking...I mean applying it. Not sure how the sugars and carbohydrates in the booze deal with things but I've whiskey primed thick epoxy table tops and seen them 30 yrs later with no finish weirdness.

Super informative, to the point video. So impressed by the visuals. And the “quickies” about the rags and the pencil marks…awesome. So glad I ran across this info, thx!

honestly the best video i’ve come across. redoing my dining room table na have watched plenty of videos but this was the most informative.

Great intro and examples. Well put together. Thx for taking the time to do this walk-thru, super helpful.

Fun fact, instead of a conditioner just wipe it with a damp rag. It does almost exactly the same thing, but in my opinion highlights the grain better. Do let the wood dry between wetting and applying stain. That is how I stain all my floors.

Great video, I’m so excited to stain stuff RIGHT this time! I stained a table top yesterday, with minimal knowledge, I was so eager to start I made some minor mistakes, it was fun but it had some flaws of course. This video was great and understandable, and will DEFINITELY help me with future projects, thank you!

Definitely the video I was looking for. Very well explained! Thank you.

In my experience, the water based Polycrylic is not as protective as the the oil based Polyurethane. I have 2 desk I’ve made in my house. I made one with a polyurethane finish and one I used polycrylic. 3 layers each and got excellent finishes. both desk have been used the same way. Both used for kid’s homework/coloring and computing. The Polyurethane has had zero water marks from drinks without coaster, the Polycrylic one has (luckily the top was Aspen so it’s a super white colored top anyways so it’s not super noticeable). Lastly the marker test. The kids have done coloring on paper on both desks and either marker bleed through or sliding off the paper has happened on both surfaces. It has stained the polycyclic and will not come out with any cleaning agent. The marker cleaned right off the polyurethane. Just food for thought while trying to pick a finish. 😊

THANK YOU for getting right to the point. It's clear that you know what you're doing. This will help me greatly with my project. Saving this video. :D

Excellent video. Straight. To the point. Informative with a little sprinkle of humor. I too grew up in that 80s and wood paneling weirded my view on wood colors

I haven’t done much staining on my projects yet, but the first time I ever did, I decided to use a clean and unused shop rag. Multiple different people who approached me were amazed and assumed I was a pro woodworker who had years of experience under my belt (hardly) and a few older and experienced woodworkers thought I was daft for not using a brush! Using a rag and gently “scrubbing” the stain on simply made much more sense to me.

“They don’t call it stain for nothing”😂

Great job, very informative. "Use this if you want this look, use that if you want that look..." Nicely done.

I'm still kind of a beginner but I have done much research and I consider myself more of the beginner because of the jobs I've done but as far as my research and my practice, I'm comfortable with where I am. I'm sending my guitars paint job off and going straight to the bare wood and getting a dark nice even stain on that and replacing the hardware with upgraded hardware and a whole thing, big job especially because this is my baby I'm messing with. I've seen so many videos got so many websites and taken somebody notes and I'm just watching this video just to kill time while I'm doing some yard work and you summed up every single thing all my research has showed me. Everything that I've learned from so many different videos and you put it all together in one. So simple so straightforward and I'm happy for all I've learned but a little upset I haven't seen your video till just now. Great great job, you're doing the world some good with this one. Thanks for the video

Great safety tip about the wet rags. You maybe just saved someone’s business, house, or life. Great video, too!

I liked the contrasting look of the sanded board better than the stain conditioner prepared one.

Great video. I learned more in this video than from spending hours researching this topic. Thanks for sharing. 😊

Just wanted to clarify your sanding routine. 100 - 220(?)- 150 - 180..correct

Excellent vid. Really learned a lot - even as someone who has sanded stained and Poly’d before 💪🏼💪🏼💪🏼💪🏼

First time ever staining an older piece of furniture. Your instructions were easy to follow and I liked how you showed the different ways of doing things. My project is not finished but very close and I think I may have nailed it (after many attempts but hey it's called learning) So thank you very much

Glad i watched this before staining my project. it seems easy but its nice to know there are more steps than just applying stain. Very helpful information so thanks.

Thanks for the tips. I'm working on a project now and I need to get better at the staining and top coat.

Thank you for the information about how to handle used stain rags. I had no idea they could cause a fire! Thank you so much! ❤ This is a great video for many reasons!

This was the best video I’ve seen yet. I seriously feel confident now in my project

really clear steps. thank you

Very good tutorial! I worked in a custom cabinet/moulding shop for years. Learning when to use the MANY MANY different options of wood finishes is the main lesson. We had dozens of different stains, toners, lacquers, shellac…etc. Sometimes we’d use catalyzed lacquer in an hvlp sprayer, sometimes we’d use water based rub-on varnish. A lot depended on the type of wood, what the customer was specifically looking for, or if we were matching an existing 100+ year pattern. It was extremely meticulous and educational. I miss it sometimes!

Great tips! I'm attempting a birthday gift for my buddy's 40th, so this was a handy guide for a newbie like me.

Excellent guide, very well thought out and presented - Thank you, time to refresh my furniture

Excellent tutorial. Quite a few good tips found in here. Thanks for putting this together!

You gave an amazing tutorial class. Thank you so much and learned a lot watching your video. Thanks a bunch... Stephanie

This is my favorite video so far. Ive been watching many on how to build a butcher block countertop

I love the wood grain 80s, I'm in the process of redoing my studio to mimic that era! feels Cozy

So many good tips, so clearly explained and contrasted. Many thanks

Great video for us new DYI'ers. Thank you

Great video. Super simple instructions and extra details to make one successful.

Thank u! Uncomplicated...demo of differences...and i needed to know all this. Great video

Great video. Glade you mentioned the spontaneous combustion. I had a foam brush and rags catch on fire right before my eyes. Luckily I was in the room when it happened or it could have been very serious. There were no warnings on the product labels or instructions. Thanks making the video.

great! straightforward and well explained. thanks!!

This video rips. Thanks for the thorough explanations.

Excellent informative video, love it! Definitely helps me with the process of staining. Thank you!!

Outstanding tutorial.

Thank you for sharing this video with us, I have recently developed an interest in woodworking, and this video was a great tool for me to gain knowledge fast.

Great tips and explantation on wood floors! Thank you.

Thank you. You answered the questions I had about finishing wood. 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸💙💙💙

Thanks! I got an idea from your video that will save my budget for my project!

I learned quite a lot from this. Definitely did not properly sand and prep my basic pieces I've done.

Nice one dude. Made planning my future projects a bit easier. I’ve saved to my favourites so I can come back for reference. Thanks bud.

Thank you 😊 ❤

Learned so much! Very clear explanation!

Thank you - great demonstration.