Gel Stain. A week or so ago I shared another great product for updating old wood. I have used and love that one too. I have to say, gel stain is probably my favorite, though. However, they really have different uses and purposes, in my opinion. Or how and when I decide to use them, anyway. That one is a stain and poly in one type of product, and you can find out all about that method of updating old wood, here. >>> “How To Restain Wood Without Stripping”. So, for the first part of this post, I’ll go over tips of use, best practices, topcoats, and just basically how to use gel stain, e. Stain-free visualization of proteins in your gel or blot in less than 5 min with stain-free enabled imaging systems (Gel Doc™ EZ, Gel Doc XR+, ChemiDoc™ MP, ChemiDoc XRS+, and ChemiDoc Touch Systems). Electrophoresis run times as short as 20 min using the Mini-PROTEAN® Tetra or Criterion™ cells. Efficient protein transfers in as little as 3 min using the Trans-Blot® Turbo™ transfer system.  Applications and Uses of TGX Stain-Free FastCast Acrylamide Solutions. 1-D polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis for separation of proteins.  Watch the TGX FastCast tutorial video to see how quick and easy it is to cast gels with TGX FastCast acrylamide kits. View step-by-step instructions for casting mini gels using the Mini-PROTEAN Tetra casting module. How to use Gel Stain to refresh wood furniture without strippingFor more details on using Gel stain, read the blog post. Follow these quick painting and staining tips to turn your tired, old fence into backyard statement piece. Thanks for providing such helpful information with nice gel stain application video resources. Gel stain dries very quickly. However, they really have different uses and purposes, in my opinion. Home Design Decorating Design Thank you.

First, protect your work area with a plastic tarp or drop cloth. Remove any knobs or drawers from the piece you'll be staining. Next, use a screwdriver to easily open the container. Put on your gloves, and dip the foam brush into the stain. Wipe the stain evenly across the surface Image 1.

The first coat should be thick. Then, apply the stain to any drawers or knobs using the same method Image 2. Jalynn Baker. Wipe the stain evenly across the surface. Photo By: Jalynn Baker. Remove any excess or globs, especially from crevices, with a rag. This step is very important to ensure an even finish. The stain will retain a thick, pudding-like consistency and dry on the top of the surface.

In dry environments, let the first coat cure for 24 hours. This step is very important to ensure an even finished outcome. Unlike traditional stains, the thick product sits atop the surface being stained like paint. The gel stain will absorb slightly into unfinished wood but not into non-porous surfaces.

Ideally, according to most manufacturer's guidelines, you should wait 24 hours between each coat. Expect to have to apply coats until the finish is even or opaque. After you have reached your desired look, apply a coat of water-based polyurethane to protect the finished surface. Privacy Policy. Home Design Decorating Design How to Use Gel Stain. October 18, Pinterest Facebook Twitter Email. How to Use Gel Stain Do you have something you want to refinish but keep the wood grain visible?

How to Use Gel Stain Gel stain is an easy-to-use alternative to traditional stain. Follow our step-by-step instructions to revitalize your wood furniture with gel stain. Prep Surface. Apply Stain. Apply Additional Coats. Apply Polyurethane. How to Use Gel Stain: Apply Polyurethane After you have reached your desired look, apply a coat of water-based polyurethane to protect the finished surface. Tags: brown photos kids' rooms bedrooms.

How to Stain Furniture To give a room a cohesive feel, try staining all the furniture the same color. How to Whitewash Wood: Whitewashing and Pickling Techniques Easily brighten and add rustic charm to furniture and a variety of wood surfaces with these budget-friendly whitewashing and pickling techniques.

How to Distress Furniture What's old is chic again. Follow these step-by-instructions for achieving a distressed look on furniture. How to Stain a Wooden Deck Enhance and protect your outdoor design by learning how to stain a deck with these simple steps using deck stain. How to Refinish a Kitchen Table Give an old kitchen table new life in a weekend with these simple steps for refinishing wood furniture. How To: Gold-Leaf Accent Wall Add a dazzling accent to a wall with our decorating ideas for an easy-to-apply gold leaf.

Plastic and Paint Makeovers Add color to your outdoor space by transforming ordinary plastic furniture and pots. Here's how. You can absolutely use gel stain on raw, unfinished wood too, however. What kind of prep is needed for gel stain?? First things first, clean and dry the surface you are going to apply gel stain very well before beginning. However, there are some things to consider and keep in mind.

Shiny, well intact finishes will not play very nicely with gel stain or any stain, for that matter. If you have a very shiny surface, this stain is going to sit right on top and not really do very much good. If you have a shiny finish, you will need to lightly sand it with about a or so grit, sandpaper or sanding block.

If you are applying to natural, unfinished wood, the prep would be the same as any traditional stain application. In this case, you can either use a wood conditioner beforehand or simply apply the stain.

You can apply it with a natural bristle brush, foam brush or cotton rag this last one being my favorite way. If you are applying it in layers, and not wiping away, you will want to apply it similarly to how you would apply a poly product. Apply sparingly. Be sure to pull the stain away from the edges where it will pool, etc.

The best way to get a feel for this type of stain and application is to practice applying it on a scrap piece of wood before you begin your project. If you will be applying more than one coat in this manner, be sure to wait 3 days before applying a second, or subsequent coat. If you are using it to darken, or simply refresh a finish, then use a cotton rag to apply and then wipe away some of the excesses.

Apply liberally, gently wipe away the excess. If you want more color, apply more coats with the same process, waiting about 24 hours in between. This is my favorite way to use a gel stain. You can mix the different colors to come up with a color that is a better fit for your project than what is available. What kind of top coat can I use with gel stain?

I like to use High Performance Top Coat water-based over this stain. However, since one is water-based and the other is oil-based, you must wait at least 3 days to apply the water-based poly. If the stained finish is still tacky, wait another day or so to apply the poly. You can also use oil-based poly products to seal the finish as well, such as this one and this one. It is different from traditional stain in many ways.

One of which is consistency. It is pudding-like unlike the liquid consistency of traditional stain and because of that is easier to control. Which translates to easier to use. How they began and what this product did for them. Another blue favorite! And a 2 step dry brushing effect. I made this paper towel roll holder out of a pipe and a wood medallion.

Gel stain for the win, for sure. And as an example of just how dark Java Gel can be on natural wood. Dining room shelves we made and used this stain on. Another raw wood use BUT with a mixed stain which came out a very nice color. I actually removed the old finish on this one with Citristrip so easy, this stuff! Turned out great! This is another one that I used Citristrip on first. This was an oak-y orange color, believe it or not!!

Gel stain to the rescue. Another one that was a totally different color before I began. One of my absolute favorites from last year.

This one got all kinds of gel stain love. This beauty…. A true labor of love! Hi Nancy! I just read back on the sweet writing desk makeover and loved the explanations of all the repairs. I found a beautiful old chest that was going to be thrown out of a building that is being renovated and could not let it be destroyed. However, it is Godzilla size and needs new feet and some Bondo magic.

This piece is solid wood with dove-tail drawers! I have not played with Bondo but read about how fast it sets up. What is your recommendation for repairing the chips and details on a piece? The little desk was a lot of work and it turned out to be a real jewel. Thanks for providing such helpful information with nice pictures. Hi Cecilia!

OH yes, that one was in much need of love! And oh wow, the one you found sounds like a treasure! But for me, if there are small repairs like that to be made, I use wood filler and then sand it smooth to match. Always works great! I typically paint over that but you can buy stain-able wood filler too. Maybe have a sell every 3 mos or so?

Imagine the money and following you could have locally. That may be far too much with your family duties but you could make a small fortunate and take on consignment things. A lot of work and time for sure.

Hi Helene! The blog is actually the main focus as it is quite time consuming! So, I just sell whatever I create either myself on CL or through a consignment shop here and there. Thank you soooo much for this post! I ordered a can of General Finishes gel stain a while back but have been rather intimidated to use it. I really want to try it to darken some orangey wood pieces in my home to darken the color, and also on an antique treadle sewing machine cabinet that just needs a refresh.

I plan to experiment on something small I have around or pick up something inexpensive at the thrift store before I tackle something important. Hi Vicki! You are so welcome!! I am thrilled this is helpful and inspiring to you. The gel stain will work great on those pieces you have! Trying out a new product and getting a feel for it and how it reacts on a small piece before tackling a large project is really the way to go!

Good luck and have fun!!

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