It took over two weeks of sanding, peeling wallpaper, scraping chemicals off on repeat to get it to a point that "These ones took a few tries to get all of the details tied in and the design perfect but they were well worth the work! Amy Lynch, Bob Vila, 11 Ways to Make the Most of Your Towns Curbside Cleanup Day, All You Need to Know About Painting Appliances, Believe It or Not: 9 Incredible Faux Finishes You Can Do Yourself, Beyond the Brush: 7 Other Tools You Need to Refinish Furniture, 8 Ways to Age, Distress, Gild, and Add Shine to Your Next Project, 5 Easy Steps to a Successful Paint Makeover, How Preservationists Are Cooling 7 Historic Landmarks. - Weathered Edge Furniture, LLC. Stocked alongside its classic counterparts at almost any hardware store, gel stain is rather similar in formula to most pigment-based traditional stains. Weve laid out its biggest benefits and best uses as well as the drawbacks to help you decide. Classic, timeless table stained with General Finishes Antique Walnut Gel Stain. Putting It to the Test Having earned its user-friendly reputation, gel stain is quite the attractive option for whatever wooden DIY project youve got lined up, promising a rich color without sacrificing the unique character of its grain. Final coat of GFs HPTC in flat. Bags by Burly Bags." P.S. Each day for 30 days, I'll pop into your inbox with a thrifty before and after! - Upcycling by Amy, "Java Gel vs sanded! This is General Finishes Gel Stain Java, Prairie Wheat, and New Pine." Apply General Finishes Gel Stain in Candlelite. What many do-it-your-selfersparticularly beginnersdont realize is that a happy medium called gel stain exists, and it requires even less preparation. Painted in General Finishes Queenstown Gray and stained in General Finishes Antique Walnut and Java Gel Stains." A thickening agent added in the manufacturing process, however, gives it the easy application and concentration of color. - Walter Wood Works. B Brothers Bags customer service is on point." "As you can see in the 'before' photo this piece had MULTIPLE layers of paint and had cracked over the whole piece. Work included sanding everything down to bare wood, resecured original joints on frame and drawer, replaced lock and latch, new stain - General Finishes Georgian Cherry Gel Stain, new handles, GF Arm-R-Seal topcoat for protection." After that a good cleaning. We stained it in General Finishes Antique Walnut Gel Stain for the base and Java Gel Stain for the top. Originally discussed staining the entire piece but after painstakingly removing the top layer of veneer on the top of the dresser that was pretty severely damaged, we realized the wood underneath was not pretty and no matter how much sanding I did, it did not look good stained so we pivoted and decided to paint the frame and stain the drawers. Sand with 220 sanding pad, vacuum. Lucky you! Being an older gal with good bones, this solid oak antique dresser has traded in her orange tones for an updated look while maintaining a soft vintage style. - First State Vintage. 5 round white oak dining table stained with General Finishes Brown Mahogany Gel Stain and finished with Arm-R-Seal satin. This piece is absolutely stunning. With a little help from my friends General Finishes White Gel Stain & Mixol Green #8 we crushed the customers expectations and matched the theme of their backyard oasis. - Boards By Brent, Beautiful wood grain on this Krug dining room table. Mixol and General Finishes New Pine, American Oak and Antique Walnut Gel Stain. It doesnt require you to sand the wood all the way down to its raw state for best adhesion the way you would with a typical stain. Sand with 220 sanding pad, vacuum. This table is a treasured family heirloom of Christina and her family. Colonial Maple, Black, Nutmeg, Antique Walnut, Robin's Nest, 101 W Main St, Springfield, NE. Youll see for yourself how gel stain combines the uniformity of paint and the depth options of stainall in one small can. In fact, just a little light sanding will do the trick, and then youre ready to begin the application process with a lint-free cloth. Originally belonging to her great great grandma! Sand with 150, vacuum and then 220, vacuum. ", "We could paint a white primer coat on our boards.. but why cover up all that beauty. Looking for color and depth without covering up all the grain and character that make wood uniquely attractive? This belonged to his grandfather, and he inherited it when he passed. Love General Finishes White Gel Stain!!!" - PhilsBoards, "Custom set made from 3/4 Baltic Birch frames, 3/4 birch tops and led lights. The top was stained in a custom mix of General Finishes Antique Walnut and Java Gel Stains." Painted in General Finishes Lamp Black and stained "Its beyond GORGEOUS. It looks like a brand new piece and he's thrilled!" - BooYah-Boards, "After a good sanding, I painted the dresser in General Finishes Queenstown Gray Milk Paint. Sand with 320 orbital and 220 sanding pad where needed, vacuum. Painted in General Finishes Gulf Stream Blue with General finishes Antique Walnut Gel Stain and Gel Topcoat." By coating the surface rather than seeping into the wood grain, a gel stain creates a professional-looking finish on even these most stubborn wood surfaces. Another perk, still, is gel stains ease of use in vertical projects. Still has the original bluebirds and warranty. I also switched out the hardware for a more elegant look. Thank you @cam.carrico for having me create this beautiful set for you guys! - Ray's Refurbishing, "When you and your family are all about maximizing your summer fun you get a set of boards that has a little bit of lake life and a little rzr action.

My customer asked for spruce, so I mixed General Finishes Emerald and Coastal Blue until I got the desired color. Gel stains offers a great option for DIYers who cant quite decide between staining and painting, since it offers something in between. Wipe down with 50/50 denatured alcohol & water to pop the grain. And for the body she wanted white so I used "Another twist on the US Flag. We then added in new door panels and and created the new shelves and top. The original hardware was refinished to give it that classic Saga series walnut/gold look. We decided to remove all of the veneer on both shelves since it was VERY damaged. Expert advice from Bob Vila, the most trusted name in home improvement, home remodeling, home repair, and DIY. Coat of dewaxed shellac. Pre-installed cabinets will suffer fewer drips, drops, and messes when youre working with the peanut-buttery consistency of gel stain, as opposed to the thin liquid youd be dealing with otherwise. Colors are hand stained in General Finishes Java and Georgian Cherry Gel Stain. General Finishes Antique Walnut and Java Gel Stain, Varathane cherrywood acrylic paint used for orange and blue." - PhilsBoards, "After LOTS of sanding and several rounds of chemicals we got down to a clean slate. "We just love when we get rare vintage pieces into the shop. Of course, no stain is perfect. When youre ready to get started, pick up with Step 1 of this helpful tutorial for staining wood. - Love doing these challenging designs taken from pictures! It was stripped down before being restored with General Finishes Antique Walnut Gel Stain. All I can say is WOW!! Much like other stains, it typically needs anywhere from 8 to 24 hours to dry between coatsof which you might need several, depending on the level of opacity you want to achieve. She got a fresh stain and paint job and is ready to be re-homed. - Boards By Brent, "Gorgeous curved desk! So excited to be joining the #seasonalsimplicity s, I found two dough bowls at a yard sale for only a, I gave this $12 cutie pie cabinet a much lighter f, A little subtle potty humorIve got your next, I am still amazed at how a simple paint job can to, I sure do have a thing for ugly ducklings! Im a proud Elite Dixie Belle and Redesign Transfer retailer, selling both locally and in my Etsy shop! On the frame sides it reads "The United States of America" and "One Nation under God". - Mathews Woodworks, "Chose General Finishes Tuscan Red because its a beautiful shade of red with its old world charm and deep rustic tones. Hannah has been undergoing her makeover and is now ready for her big reveal. Alternatively, you can use a natural bristle paintbrush if you want a more textured, painterly finish; just be sure to choose a size relative to the project youre working on (three-inch-wide for a broad surface, but smaller for chair legs) and paint with the grain to mimic its general pattern. Custom stain with General Finishes New Pine Gel Stain and #mixolusa #9 blue & a splash of #1 black, Georgian Cherry and Black Gel Stain. And she is HEAVY! "Talk about HANDSOME!!! When it comes to application, gel stainrequires less preparation in advance than regular stains and paints. - PhilsBoards, "Fresh out of the shop is this stunning and unique Mid Century Modern dresser set. Also the panel on the right door was completely cracked almost all the way up the door. Always refer to the instructions given by your stains manufacturer, and be sure to take humidity and temperature levels into account since extreme heat, cold, or moisture can lengthen the time it takes any stain (or paint, for that matter) to dry. Frame was made of solid mahogany wood and inside lined with 3/4 aromatic red cedar. General Finishes Brown Mahogany Gel Stain for the main background. The rest of the stripes are Georgian Cherry. This time with my boys last name making up a stripe using General Finishes Java Gel Stain. To make sure it kept that gorgeous finish for years to come, we then gave it multiple coats of General Finishes High Performance Top Coat." - Upcycling by Amy, "The Dodger Championship Trophy. - Vintage Painted Pieces, "Add a modern touch to your office with this contemporary desk refinished in Lamp Black Milk Paint and Antique Walnut Gel Stain by General Finishes." There is an eagle and stars emblem on the end and "1776" on the leg brace." If youre weighing your options for what to do with the bare-wood build or a recently stripped wooden table, consider this finish. Confessions of a Serial DIYer is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. - ReFabulous Finds by Christina, "The Bordered Padres Set. Coat of GFs High Performance Topcoat in gloss.

But the good news doesnt stop therearguably, the best reason to choose gel stain is its ease of use. After a thorough cleaning, the work began with sanding, staining, paint, a beautiful decor transfer on the drawer fronts and a little hardware bling for that special touch. Generally speaking, you can use a cloth rag to wipe away wet gel stain and fine-tune the finish as you go, but it might be touch and go in tough-to-reach spots like deep cracks and extreme corners. The resulting finish achieves a compromise between a transparent stain and an opaque paint, which to some DIY enthusiasts means the best of both worlds without as much hassle. Top stained with General Finishes Nutmeg Gel Stain and sealed with Arm-R-Seal." General Finishes Java and Prairie Wheat Gel Stain are a must in any wood workers arsenal and they knocked this one out of the park." - Just a Touch of Paint 2.0, "I posted these end tables on my page as a piece I was working on and someone asked to customize them and I took them up on it!

One area in which gel stain is tied neck and neck with its traditional counterparts its drying time: although its easier to prep and apply, it doesnt dry any quicker than its thinner, oil- and varnish-based competitors. Made in the 1960s, this set has been restored to look like it did when it was first manufactured 60 years ago. This is an antique thats been in our family for almost 10 years. - Modern Vintage Refinishing, "This non-traditional American flag is on a maple deck with a tournament style inset frame. After two applications I was going to accent with dark wax but opted to use the GF Java Gel as the accent because thats what I used to stain the top and lower shelf. - Upcycling by Amy, "Here in Southern Idaho, were fortunate enough to be surrounded by agriculture. Gave it all a fresh new coat of Antique Walnut Gel Stain a few coats of High Performance Topcoat. I really love how it turned out. " ", "Not every design has to have 20 colors to produce an impact! Stained in General Finishes Antique Walnut Gel Stain and sealed with High Performance Top Coat Satin." ", "I hope your wedding guests enjoy playing on this set! For the body I chose General Finishes Lamp Black Milk Paint."

"A LOT of sanding later and a custom paint mix starting with "Sometimes pieces really put me thru my paces but when they turn out this beautiful, it is worth it! I really like working with browns, no matter which ones you choose they just go well together. The finish was restored using General Finishes Candlelite Gel Stain. Gel stain is particularly forgiving withsplotch-prone woods like birch, cherry, maple, and pine. She served well as an office chair that got occasional use before Covid (dun dun dunnnn) but with a new WFH lifestyle for my husband, he has to go with a more ergonomic choice.

If you want to see my process on how I stained this set check out my stories highlights . This original Broyhill Premier buffet from the Saga series came into the shop last week, and we knew there was no other option than to completely restore it back to its original condition. "This antique table consists of 4 leafs and 5 legs!

Read my full privacy and disclosure here. By Amy Lynch and Bob Vila | Updated Nov 18, 2019 12:12 PM.