Wood Conditioner
The purpose of a wood conditioner is to partially seal the grain of porous wood which allows the stain to penetrate evenly and provide uniform color.
Wood conditioner. Some woodworkers claim that brush-on pre-stain conditioners are necessary whenever using brush-on or rub-on stains with certain woods but that gel stains are much less prone to splotching and can be used without the pre-stain conditioning. The conditioner soaks into the fibres of the wood itself forming a protective barrier between wood cells and the colour stain to be applied. A porous piece of wood such as pine especially one with many knots in it will absorb stain unevenly.
What type of wood needs a wood conditioner. Some people use pre-conditioning stains on their wooden projects and prefer to use gel stains compared to liquid stains. This seal hinders the absorption of stain but allows for a very uniform stain coat.
In a recent article in Woodworkers Journal June 2005 Michael Dresdner says The important thing is to stain while the wood is still wet with conditioner. The penetration of the conditioner prevents the colour stain from blotching and discolouration. It penetrates the grain of the wood to promote uniform acceptance of oil-based stains.
A wood conditioner helps even out the absorption of the stain by filling in the pores of the wood to help prevent the stain from absorbing in some areas. In simple terms a wood conditioner is a prestaining step for finishing interior wood before applying a stain. When wood conditioner is applied on a wood surface it works by penetrating and temporarily sealing the wood.
34 Cup Oil vegetable canola olive oil- whatever you have on hand 14 Cup Vinegar White or apple cider vinegar whatever you have on hand Directions. Treating the surface with Pre-Stain Wood Conditioner helps prevent streaks and blotches by evening out the absorption of oil-based stains. A wood conditioner is used for pre-staining wood before finishing to prevent it from uneven and irregular stains.
If the wood on the cabinets in your kitchen needs a little bit more TLC prepare an industrious homemade wood conditioner to keep your wooden. Minwax Pre-Stain Wood Conditioner prepares bare wood for staining. When is it necessary.