Do you have to put polyurethane over stain. Apply the stain to the wood liberally with a sponge or soft cloth. Just make sure you keep the windows closed when it rains. With that said you dont have to poly wood trim if you dont want. It wont penetrate like stain so you wont get the same grain patterns.
If you do a couple coats of this finish following up with a poly top is easy. Overlapping stain on previously stained areas causes uneven colors. While wood stains add color and bring out the beauty of the wood clear finishes protect the wood and enhance its beauty. Work in manageable areas.
Can you apply a clear sealer or polyurethane over a deck stain. Can i apply water based polyurethane over an oil based stain. If you really want to change the color without stripping gel stain can do it. If the stain begins to dry before you wipe it off youre tackling too much area.
This should be ok if you gave the stain 3 4 days to properly dry out. The finishes you put on with a cloth are very time consuming and add little protection. Youll want the oil based drying agent to completely vaporize from the stain before applying the water based finish. 3 reasons why i dont use polyurethane finicky finish.
Think of gel stain as a type of opaque paint. Its not a common practice but you can apply stain if its gel stain over polyurethane. Whether you choose to stain your wood project or not it is important that you protect the wood with a clear finish such as polyurethane. It can leave the grain open and the piece can collect dust in those grains and look dingy over time.
This is because the curing process for oil is polymerisation and polymerised oil is akin to resin. I have been in many of homes that had stained trim with no top coat. Immediately wipe it off with a dry cloth. This is more likely to happen using water based stain.
It is not recommended and should really be avoided if possible as it will peel and blister. Ill be sending you the url of my poly article so you can see how its done. Most clear finishes are available in gloss semi gloss and satin sheens. If the piece is strictly artistic like a carving no varnish is really necessary unless you prefer that look.
If you wait for the oil based stain to properly dry cure its no longer oily. Or possibly the stain you didnt mention if you stained the floor didnt dry before you applied the poly. A piece meant to be used like a handrail or table will need so.