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Thread: Any "Do's and Don'ts" before staining boards with grooves and several M & T joints?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    Rockville, MD
    Posts
    1,269

    Any "Do's and Don'ts" before staining boards with grooves and several M & T joints?

    I'm doing a headboard that consists of two raised panels and the rails and stiles to support them. The joints are all mortise and tenon. I'm concerned about getting stain on the wood of the M & T joints and into the grooved areas where the edges of the raised panels will go. The concern I have is: will getting stain on the M & T joints affect the glue bond or stain into the grooves affect the free floating aspect of the raised panels? Do you people worry about that? And if you do, what and how do you go about protecting those parts from the staining process? I'm going to be using a General Finishes Gel Stain on the rails and stiles only. The raised panels are a different wood with an interesting pattern in the center of them. Their contrasting color is attractive and I don't feel need any stain.

    Any words of wisdom will be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Don M
    Real American Heros don't wear Capes, they wear Dogtags.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    N.E, Ohio
    Posts
    3,026
    You definitely do not want finish on the tenons or in the mortise, it will effect the strength of the glue joint. As for the grooves it should not have any effect that I see. Mask the tenon with blue painters taand cut some pieces of sponge and stuff them into the mortise to keep finish out.
    George

    Making sawdust regularly, occasionally a project is completed.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    Rockville, MD
    Posts
    1,269
    I thought about the painters tape, but the sponge trick is a great idea. The Creek people always have been soooo helpful to me. Thanks!!!
    Real American Heros don't wear Capes, they wear Dogtags.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    WNY
    Posts
    9,645
    I use foam backer rod to stuff into the mortises. It comes in various diameters and is pretty cheap. I don't worry about stain in the panel grooves as long as it doesn't form a big glob. But if you don't want any in there put some backer rod in them, too.

    John

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Apr 2016
    Location
    Tasmania
    Posts
    2,162
    Mask the gluing surfaces to keep the stain off it. Any other masking, the other guys have good ideas. I would just stain accurately. Cheers

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