Staining Birch Plywood

[upprc04]

I wasn't planning on staining when I bought the plywood.  I have birch plywood from Home Depot.  It's currently at a friends house, but I have seen some of the stained cabinets (Knievel's woody) and like the look.  My options were:

* paint: staying away from
* vinyl: saw a recent bar top and looks like turned out well (http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=101465.0 - Bartop I was talking about)
* laminate: expensive and worried about thickness with T-Molding
* stain: like the look, but not sure about how well it will turn out with birch (http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=55789.0)

My question is how difficult is it to stain birch plywood and how would I go about it?  If you don't recommend staining it, what are your opinions on the remaining choices above?  I was thinking of going toward Vinyl, but am worried it would scratch off to easily.  How thin of laminate could I get, and what are some ways to get around 3/4" T-molding covering laminate and the 3/4" thick plywood?

Thanks!

[Donkbaca]

IMHO, if you bought the birch plywood you should stain it.  otherwise why spring for the veneer?  Anyhow, I am building my cab from birch veneer plywood.  Get a pre-stain conditioner, and I would recommend going with a gel stain.  The conditioner ensures the stain goes on evenly, but it prevents the wood from soaking up a lot of stain, so you will need lots of coats if you are going for a dark stain. I am trying to stain mine a walnut shade, and I can't seem to get it dark enough, so I am going to try a gel stain instead. 

[Vigo]

Birch can be a tricky wood to stain, it can easily turn out blotchy. Donbaca's advice to use a pre-stain is important, it keeps the wood from unevenly soaking up the stain.

I really like the natural look of birch though, you can use an ultra light colored Shellac to just bring out the natural wood grain and protect it. You may end up be pleased with the look depending on the style of your cab. You're right though, how can you not drool over the stained look of a cab like Knievel's Woody.

[javeryh]

Birch can be a tricky wood to stain, it can easily turn out blotchy. Donbaca's advice to use a pre-stain is important, it keeps the wood from unevenly soaking up the stain.

This x 1,000,000,000.  Definitely use the wood conditioner/pre stain.  It isn't too tough but there is always the possibility of messing it up.  After you stain it, seal it with 4 or 5 thin coats of poly sanding in between coats.  It will come out nice!