I read the instructions on the can and it said to let it sit for at least 8 hours. I stained it last night and when I checked this morning it was looking great. But I just checked now and it appears that there are a bunch of small dark spots that have appeared. The only thing that I can think that would have caused it is that I left it in my hot garage all day.
Is there anyway to get rid of these? How can I prevent this in the future?
Best Answer
Staining can be a very fussy process. It's not as easy as they make it look in the commercials or on those DIY shows (if you want it to look good). Preparation is key. Any defects in the wood like knots, checks, sanding marks, etc. will only be exaggerated by the stain. You should sand to at least 220. Keep in mind that some woods, like pine, just don't take a liquid stain well at all. For those, a gel stain would be better. In general, a gel stain is a lot more forgiving for an even color appearance.