Materials you'll need:

• Plenty of clean cloths
• Turpentine or stain reducer
• Wood stain
• Clear finish

Stains are an attractive way of colouring timber to enhance the grain and give quite ordinary timbers a good-looking appearance. Stains are always applied by hand direct to the wood, and never over grain filler. If the timber requires filling, the stain should be applied first then the grain can be filled (see finishing).

Some of the wood stains available are coloured stains, which penetrate the timber fairly slowly, making them suitable for unevenly porous timbers such as Radiata Pine, two of the timbers frequently used for the furniture known as "whitewood". While many coloured stains can also be used on external timber surfaces, they are mainly intended for furniture and inside woodwork. For outside use, there is a range of exterior wood finishes which are better suited to exposed conditions. Another type of stain for interior use is a dye type. Most stains are applied in a similar way, and should always be tested first on a piece of scrap timber the same as the timber you are using.

Thinning - if the colour needs to be lightened the stain can be thinned. Some stains can be thinned with mineral turpentine, others only with specially designed reducers so check the directions on the product you are using.

NOTE - there are two basic types of stains - spirit base or oil base. If using a spirit base stain you will find it dries very quickly. Apply with a soft cloth pad or brush and wipe off excess immediately, otherwise a patchy job will result.

The following are the steps to take if using an oil base stain.

How to apply oil based wood stain:

1. Repair any surface dents etc with wood filler and lightly sand smooth all over.

2. Apply the stain very freely to one complete surface at a time, using a cloth pad. Do not spread the stain too thinly or it may become streaky.

3. When the surface is completely stained and is still quite wet, wipe lightly along the grain with a clean, soft cloth to even out- the stain and remove any excess.

4. Coloured stains may be left on for about 5 minutes before wiping. If a darker colour is desired, leave the stain on a little longer although it takes practice to decide just how long you can leave it to achieve a certain shade. Initially, following the 'manufacturer's suggested times is recommended.

5. Allow at least 4 hours before filling the grain or clear finishing. Some stains can simply be added to the clear finish so you can stain and finish in one application.