We changed out a poorly constructed bay window with a large, flat triple-window and need to replace woodwork as well. I'm in the process of applying finish to oak boards. Hadn't done any of this type of thing for years and found more products out there than I had expected, which required new decisions. I decided to try an acrylic polyurethane with stain mixed in. That's a major change for me. The only time I've ever used acrylic poly was for shadow striping painted walls. The only time I've ever used a stain/varnish mix was to fudge my way through finishing wood that had been previously bare-painted.  This product is very simple to use. The staining step is skipped; I just apply the product, in coats, several times. I'm wiping it on versus brushing it on, just because I've always done staining and varnishing that way. I sanded first, and I sanded after the first coat. After that, the finish has felt smooth to the touch. Clean up is easy with warm, soapy water. I'm not having to deal with the strong fumes of petroleum distillates. That's nice. My only gripe is that this mixture product's stain ends up lighter than what one gets using straight stain and then varnish. I expected that, but because the product was new to me, I had no idea how light it would be by comparison. It is lighter than what's pictured on the can.

fiberartist

Appleton, WI