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Main => Woodworking => Topic started by: emb on June 06, 2011, 10:21:56 am

Title: Conditioner before staining red oak plywood
Post by: emb on June 06, 2011, 10:21:56 am

I will be staining my cab later this week and am looking to get a dark finish. Do you suggest using conditioner on red oak plywood? I heard it is almost always necessary for pine and birch as they have a tendency to leave a splotchy finish. On the other hand, it sounds like conditioner makes it tougher to get a dark finish.

Does this apply to red oak plywood? Here is a pic of the wood I am using. It looks to have a thin layer of veneer on the outsides.
(http://tapatalk.com/mu/aefd963b-e241-2a8f.jpg)

Title: Re: Conditioner before staining red oak plywood
Post by: Donkbaca on June 06, 2011, 11:41:29 am

I don't think conditioner is as necessary on oak.  If you are that concerned with a dark finish, get a gel stain, it takes a little more to get the hang of, but since the gel doesn't soak into the wood, you can layer it on and build a really dark finish. 

Best answer?  Buy some conditioner, stain a scrap piece with conditioner and without, see which you like better