I bought some of this stain for some bookshelves that I built, and it has worked great. When I first opened the can, it took a good bit of stirring to get it to mix together completely (it does need to be completely mixed in order to work well). After I mixed it, I used a brush to apply it to the bookshelves. It is a little thin and watery, so it would run, especially when staining vertical pieces. Gravity would make it run down, so I needed some extra brushing to spread it evenly without run marks. The brushing did leave small air bubbles in a few places, but they seemed to pop before it dried completely, so it did not dry with a bubbly surface. It was dry to the touch without being sticky within a couple hours (we live in a dry climate, so things typically dry pretty fast). I waited a day or so before I put books on it, and that seemed plenty long enough. I did not get any sticky residue or any marks on the books after contact with the dried stain. The color came out smooth and even, and it looks quite good. The only problem spots was where the stain pooled in a small nick or crevice in the wood. Since it pooled there and stained darker, those spots are a bit more visible.

utlegospam

USA

This is definitely worth buying. My projects have been homemade violins, and the specific product is Red Chestnut 22. I wanted my white wood to glow reddish like cherry, and this was the closest to that. My instrument turned a rich red brown and the grain was accentuated beautifully, making each of my two violins I made look unique.

MoiraWhitlock

USA

I started refinishing furniture about 10 years ago. I have used a variety of staining products, but finally settled on minwax wood stain exclusively. Once you have stripped your piece of furniture, sanded and washed it thoroughly, this stain goes on very easily. You can either use a paint brush to apply it or a sponge or paper towel. You need to wipe off the excess after application though if you want a clean stain. In warm weather, it takes little time to dry (if you want to apply another coat), but have a space heater handy in the winter time, because it does take a long time to dry in cold weather without the heater. I apply two or three coats of Minwax polyurethane (oil based) after the stain is completely dry. The polyurethane coating not only protects the finish, but it makes the stain look richer and more luxurious. It comes in a variety of wood colors, but the stain will look different depending upon what type of wood you are refinishing. You cannot make pine look like mahogany, so choose your stain color carefully.

MarySkl

USA

**MINWAX Wood Stain Finish  **was a perfect choice for finishing the wood pantry shelf that my husband had built for me last week.  However, I would have done things differently had I known better at the time of staining.  My husband had the wood piece nicely screwed and fit to the wall.  I took it upon myself to surprize him before he came home by staining the cabinet.  This being my first time at staining anything, I was a little alarmed to see how runny that stain can be.  I used a very small brush and sponge to complete the job.  I had to be real careful.  This was no fault of Minwax.  We should have stained before putting on the wall.  I was elated by the end results.  It turned out beautiful as seen in photo below.  It took about 8 hours for the cabinet to dry and I was proud when my husband entered the room and seen how nice that it had turned out.  Minwax recommends using a brush, cloth or foam applicator.  They also mention mineral spirits for clean up.  In advance, I had signed up for Minwax's newsletter on the internet.  Often they will tell customers about promotions and rebates.  Minwax is an awesome stain!

dmdifalco

Fort Gratiot, MI