Polyurethane gel stain. Allow at least 6 hours between coats. The high urethane content of general finishes gel stains results in a lustrous finish that tends to fool people into assuming no sealant is required. First of all yes your gel stain furniture whether its gel stain kitchen cabinets table top or bookshelf needs to have a top coat. The ease of application and quick finish time have made this a high demand product among woodworkers.
General finishes focuses on state of the art water base finishes and waterbourne coatings and is the countrys leader in waterbased finish technology offering wood stains dye stains top coats gel stains exterior wood finishes liquid oilbase stains water based lacquers furniture paint. The beauty of gel stain comes from the thick urethane which can carry a lot of color to any surface but that color must be sealed in with. Wet or tacky gel stain can be removed easily with a rag moistened with mineral spirits. The limited number of available colors in the stain is a major downfall but a person can mix the stain and polyurethane himself to get the shade he wants.
Continue to apply and buff until entire project is coated. It can also be used over polyurethane finishes so you can change the color of your finished wood without removing the existing finish. How to use gel stain to refresh wood furniture without stripping for more details on using gel stain. Appropriate for mill work furniture cabinets garage doors windows decks and more.
Carpet may discolor if cleaned with mineral spirits. To complete the graining process wait until the first coat of minwax gel stain is completely dry 24 48 hours then apply a second coat of gel stain with a natural bristle brush in the direction of the grain pattern created. Gel polyurethane will dry to touch in 5 to 6 hours. This video demonstrates the application of a gel topcoat finish that is easy and gives excellent results.
All stains need a top coat. If stain dries it will be very hard to clean off any surface clothes or carpet. I know it looks like gel stain doesnt need a finish coat but it does. Remove excess polyurethane quickly with a clean cloth then buff lightly and briskly with another clean cloth working in the direction of the grain until the surface is smooth with a slight wet look.
Staining with the gel stains over existing finishes 4 different ways 1. Apply gel stain staining without stripping. And be sure to check out my general finishes gel stain tutorial to see my before and after photos of the gel stain kitchen cabinets. Included is a tip for storage of finish that has been opened and techniques to eliminate.
Apply on wipe off method. Clean up gel stain spills with mineral spirits immediately while wet.