Going Night Amongst Gel Stain

Hi Friends, Happy Tuesday!  The lastly calendar week or thence has been a flurry of activeness amongst terminate of schoolhouse events gearing up, my sweetness daughter's birthday was yesterday, together with oh, that petty One Room Challenge thing I receive got going on.  I've had many late, tardily nights for the past times few days, but I'm happy to study that the room is finished!!!  I can't hold back to percentage it amongst you lot on Thursday. My friends on Instagram receive got seen a few peeks together with receive got been thence encouraging, give thank you lot you!

Today I'm sharing a projection that I've debated for years (I totally acquire how some of you lot experience stuck on pattern decisions sometimes... I practise too!).  I fifty-fifty asked for your suggestions most 2 years agone inwards a post.  This armoire is special because my Dad made it.  A solid unit of measurement friend commissioned him to acquire inwards most twenty years agone together with they used it inwards their home, but when they no longer had a identify for it, I was able to buy it dorsum from them.  It's oak, real substantial, together with super heavy.  It's all the same inwards perfect condition, yet, every bit amongst most oak, has taken on that orange-y tone.  I had such a tough fourth dimension deciding what to practise amongst it, because although I knew that pigment would live an tardily fix, I couldn't quite select myself to pigment over the beautiful forest that my Dad worked thence difficult on.  

It's been a media cabinet inwards a few erstwhile homes, but amongst the built inwards bookshelves inwards our Living Room inwards this home, it didn't receive got a place.  So, nosotros moved it to the bedroom.  Since nosotros don't receive got whatever type of dresser inwards the room, it's been cracking for extra storage (confession, my hubby gets the 2 drawers, but the entire locomote past times is packed amongst pillows, lampshades, fabric, etc!).  

Ultimately, the conclusion to proceed the forest musical note was a expert one, peculiarly for my novel room.  Everything else inwards the room is lite together with painted, thence nosotros actually needed a slice to add together some multifariousness together with warm it upwards a bit.  

OK, thence on to the project.  During all of my debating on what to do, a field dorsum I saw Sarah's post service most re-staining their cabinets amongst gel stain, together with I idea that would live a expert choice for me.  It's non necessary to totally strip the existing complete or sand downward to bare wood, it only needs an initial sanding to stone oil it up.  Sounded tardily enough!

I used General Finishes gel stain inwards Antique Walnut.  Many people dearest Java, but I didn't desire to buy the farm quite that dark, I only wanted a warm forest tone.  There is a broad multifariousness of colors available, or you lot tin shipping away fifty-fifty mix 2 together if you're looking for a shade inwards betwixt what's available.  I flora it at our local Woodcraft, but it's also available on Amazon.  You'll also demand 80-150 grit sandpaper (I used 80), a foam brush, mineral spirits, gloves, together with soft, build clean rags (I cutting upwards old t-shirts).  

Generally, I followed the directions on the stain can, together with the General Finishes website has fifty-fifty to a greater extent than helpful tips, but hither is the procedure I used.  

First, I prepped my area.  This affair is massive, together with at that spot was no means nosotros were moving it exterior to locomote on.  I did take away the doors together with drawers together with worked on them inwards the garage, but left the frame inwards place.  The sliders were all the same nether it from when nosotros painted the room 2 years agone (good grief), thence I taped off the rug roughly the residue of the bottom, together with thence covered what was all the same within the large department amongst some old towels.  

Also, if you lot receive got a smoke detector close where you're working that's wired into your solid alarm, you lot powerfulness desire to embrace that up.  I learned that lesson from a previous project... if there's besides much dust from sanding inwards the air it volition laid off your smoke alarm!  

The armoire had been varnished, together with the complete was all the same inwards perfect condition, thence it was slick together with smooth.  To stone oil it up, I used lxxx grit sandpaper on the entire piece.  Be certain to sand amongst the grain, you lot don't desire to scratch upwards the forest going the incorrect way.  I began sanding past times hand, but that was taking WAY besides long, thence I decided to role my palm sander fifty-fifty though nosotros were indoors.  My sander doesn't receive got a fancy dust extractor, but I've flora it real helpful to concur the sander inwards 1 mitt that the vacuum hose inwards the other, together with motion them both together every bit I work.  Not a perfect solution, but it actually helps cutting downward on the dust (read Claire's funny storey here).  

After sanding, vacuum or wipe downward everything to take away all of the sanding dust.  You powerfulness demand to repeat this stride 2 or iii times, brand certain it's totally clean.  Then, you're ready to apply the stain.  Gel stain is thick, similar the consistency of pudding.  After stirring good to mix, start applying amongst a foam brush (put your gloves on if you lot don't desire dark-brown fingers).  Work inwards smaller sections (like 1 drawer forepart or 1 side at a time). 

Unlike regular stain, you lot actually don't desire to permit this sit down for long.  It becomes tacky real quickly, thence every bit shortly every bit you lot complete brushing it on, role your build clean rag to start wiping it off.  I flora it best to wipe inwards long strokes, along amongst the grain.  Keep wiping until it seems that the stain is wiped inwards together with you lot receive got an fifty-fifty finish.  It powerfulness non live every bit black every bit you lot desire yet, but that's ok.  Thin coats are amend than leaving it thick for a darker color, it won't dry out properly.

One play a trick on I found, if you lot DO laissez passer on off to permit it sit down for besides long together with it's difficult to wipe without existence sticky, dampen your cloth amongst some mineral spirits together with and thence wipe it down.  It volition loosen upwards the stain together with acquire inwards to a greater extent than workable again.  Wipe until it's non viscid whatever to a greater extent than together with you lot receive got an fifty-fifty finish.

Let the commencement coat dry out for 6-8 hours.  Then, if you lot desire a darker finish, role the same steps to apply some other coat.  Here's the divergence betwixt 2 coats together with 3, thence you lot tin shipping away actually encounter what a divergence additional coats make.  

I did allow extra drying fourth dimension betwixt each additional coat, similar 12 hours betwixt coats 2-3, together with thence a total 24 hours betwixt additional coats.  This projection volition stretch out into multiple days, to a greater extent than oft than non because of drying time, but you lot actually don't desire to rush that step. 

I mean value I ended upwards amongst iv coats on the frame together with five on the drawers (I had totally stripped the drawers downward when I was trying to create upwards one's heed what to do, thence since they were bare they took an extra coat).

I haven't pose whatever sort of protective coat on locomote past times together with am non certain if I will.  Honestly, it doesn't seem to demand it.  If I did this on something similar kitchen cabinets, though, I definitely would role some polyurethane on top.  

Besides the finish, hardware was a tough choice!  I didn't desire it to expect rustic, together with nix was seeming quite right.  I finally settled on uncomplicated drinking glass pulls for the doors, together with clear knobs amongst a gilt backplate to add together a petty to a greater extent than heft for the drawers.  

We actually can't believe the divergence that the darker stain made.  It feels similar an alone novel slice for actually no to a greater extent than evidence than icon it would receive got been.  Have you lot tried gel stain yet?

OK, that's your sneak peek until Thursday, encounter you lot then!  And live certain to depository fiscal establishment agree out the Midweek ORC gals together with their large reveals tomorrow at Calling It Home, I can't wait! 

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