Has anyone used Minwax Polyshades (stain and poly combined, one simple brush on step)?
We're staining baseboard, door frames and 2 doors soon in our basement. Just wondered if it this all-in-one product was worth it. Or if it's better to stain and poly, the old fashioned way. We don't want to paint the trim/wood since the rest of our house is stained woodwork and doors.
Thanks in advance for replies!!!
Mary
Quick furniture stain/poly question!
Moderator: S2k Moderators
-
GalvestonDuck
- Category 5
- Posts: 15941
- Age: 57
- Joined: Fri Oct 11, 2002 8:11 am
- Location: Galveston, oh Galveston (And yeah, it's a barrier island. Wanna make something of it?)
After my only (sort of) experience with it -- I think it looks like crap. Could be because it was on an old, weathered deck and an old chair that had been outside for a while. Of course, it was also done by an 11-year old while the adults worked with real primer and paint on the front porch and stairs.
My great-grandfather built the bed that I now own (passed down from him to my mom to me) and a secretary desk. My grandmother told me about how he used very little stain on his brush at a time, using the finest strokes possible. Baby steps, bit by bit, to give it a clean, complete finish.
So, it *might* be an okay product if used that way. But as for "painting" it on, it doesn't look great at all.
Hopefully, someone else here has more knowledge about what works best and how best to use it.
My great-grandfather built the bed that I now own (passed down from him to my mom to me) and a secretary desk. My grandmother told me about how he used very little stain on his brush at a time, using the finest strokes possible. Baby steps, bit by bit, to give it a clean, complete finish.
So, it *might* be an okay product if used that way. But as for "painting" it on, it doesn't look great at all.
Hopefully, someone else here has more knowledge about what works best and how best to use it.
0 likes
-
Miss Mary
Thanks Shawn. I am skeptical about it. I'm just not great at working with polyeurothane (sp?). I used Formby's to refinish a few pieces of furniture and their poly comes in a bottle that's more gel than liquid. You applied it with an old sock. I would just squeeze out a blob, and coat the furniture. Then I'd go back and make swipes with the sock that went with the grain. It worked very well. Maybe I should look into Formby's again? Years ago I tried putting old fashioned poly on our front door when it was stained. It was so hard to put on - you saw your brush strokes if you weren't careful. I hated working with it. In time we realized the door had to be stripped and painted. I usually prefer staining over painting wood, but in our front door case poly did nothing since it was exposed to weather.
Got off on a tangent there didn't I?
I think the Formby's was expensive but I might see if they still sell Poly in a bottle. All I know is it was one easy product to work with! We still using those oak bar stools to this day and the poly has held up well 15 years later!
Still hoping someone had luck with the Minwax polyshades.
Mary
Got off on a tangent there didn't I?
I think the Formby's was expensive but I might see if they still sell Poly in a bottle. All I know is it was one easy product to work with! We still using those oak bar stools to this day and the poly has held up well 15 years later!
Still hoping someone had luck with the Minwax polyshades.
Mary
0 likes
-
Miss Mary
-
GalvestonDuck
- Category 5
- Posts: 15941
- Age: 57
- Joined: Fri Oct 11, 2002 8:11 am
- Location: Galveston, oh Galveston (And yeah, it's a barrier island. Wanna make something of it?)
-
Miss Mary
Alright you tickle, I clobber - LOL
I was being serious Shawn!!!
Should have known that phrase would bring a chuckle. To get serious again though, I think I've answered my own questions. Minwax makes two products that I'd consider - an easy wipe on poly you apply with a cloth and a gel that comes in various shades. That goes on just as easily, but in one or two steps.
Not as worried now about this project.
Mary
I was being serious Shawn!!!
Should have known that phrase would bring a chuckle. To get serious again though, I think I've answered my own questions. Minwax makes two products that I'd consider - an easy wipe on poly you apply with a cloth and a gel that comes in various shades. That goes on just as easily, but in one or two steps.
Not as worried now about this project.
Mary
0 likes
I've used tung oil. It makes a beautiful finish, but it's labor intensive. I redid a couple desks. Stain is not necessary, the tung oil brings out the natural color beautifully. You have to apply many coats, sanding and steel-wooling between each. The oil penetrates the wood and seals it, but the surface is still wood. If you want to protect it, you have to wax it. Tung oil finishes are not waterproof. They can be ruined by by water.
On the other hand, Polyurethane also coats the wood, protecting it from water. It doesn't add much color, so stain is needed. I've used polyurethane, and it can take several coats too - especially with woods that are porous - especially oak. Oak has those little parts of the grain that are porous, so the polyurethane gets sucked into them, leaving an uneven surface. The way to seal them is to allow the polyurethane to get tacky and then re-brush it to fill the pores with thickened poly. It might be necessary to re sand again after that. The key to poly is to give enough time after each coat for it to dry sufficiently. If you recoat too soon, the new coat will just liquefy the last coat, making it one thick runny coat. For a finish coat, the way to avoid brush marks is to thin the polyurethane. It thickens on the brush quickly, and then doesn't flow into a smooth coat. Thinner is essential to get that glossy mirror-like finish.
On the other hand, Polyurethane also coats the wood, protecting it from water. It doesn't add much color, so stain is needed. I've used polyurethane, and it can take several coats too - especially with woods that are porous - especially oak. Oak has those little parts of the grain that are porous, so the polyurethane gets sucked into them, leaving an uneven surface. The way to seal them is to allow the polyurethane to get tacky and then re-brush it to fill the pores with thickened poly. It might be necessary to re sand again after that. The key to poly is to give enough time after each coat for it to dry sufficiently. If you recoat too soon, the new coat will just liquefy the last coat, making it one thick runny coat. For a finish coat, the way to avoid brush marks is to thin the polyurethane. It thickens on the brush quickly, and then doesn't flow into a smooth coat. Thinner is essential to get that glossy mirror-like finish.
0 likes
This space for rent.
-
Miss Mary
Wow Ed - you sure are the expert! Thanks so much.
We bought our stain - Minwax. And I bought wipe on Minwax poly. All the wood we're staining is pine. I love oak but the rest of our house is pine and it's less expensive anyway. We had trouble buying the same trim and baseboard at Home Depot. But at Lowe's it was all there - same width, etc. Hopefully when we're done the basement room will look like it was all done at the same time, when our house was built in 89. At least that's my goal. I know upstairs things are dinged up and we have a Golden (she's made scratches on my finished woodwork upstairs,
, oh well) but we want continuity.
Mary
We bought our stain - Minwax. And I bought wipe on Minwax poly. All the wood we're staining is pine. I love oak but the rest of our house is pine and it's less expensive anyway. We had trouble buying the same trim and baseboard at Home Depot. But at Lowe's it was all there - same width, etc. Hopefully when we're done the basement room will look like it was all done at the same time, when our house was built in 89. At least that's my goal. I know upstairs things are dinged up and we have a Golden (she's made scratches on my finished woodwork upstairs,
, oh well) but we want continuity.
Mary
0 likes
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 17 guests