Using Sealer Before Stain ?

[George Octon]

I always thought this was nuts, but I'm thinking about it as a solution to get an even color (stain) on a soft wood. The question is, if you sand it even very lightly and carefully, can you keep from breaking through the sealer and messing up the evenness of the stain color?

I'm thinking of using Seal Coat or standard shellac in a can, thinned a lot. The Seal Coat sands definitely harder. How much will the sealer inhibit the depth of color? I understand this will be variable.

The piece is an old tea cart with some actual mahogany and some soft wood. The color will be a shade of mahogany, hopefully tan-ish or golden-ish. Does anyone have a suggestion for a specific stain color like this. I don't want a dark red or a dark brown. Thank you.

[sheldon pettit]

I always thought this was nuts, but I'm thinking about it as a solution to get an even color (stain) on a soft wood. The question is, if you sand it even very lightly and carefully, can you keep from breaking through the sealer and messing up the evenness of the stain color?

I'm thinking of using Seal Coat or standard shellac in a can, thinned a lot. The Seal Coat sands definitely harder. How much will the sealer inhibit the depth of color? I understand this will be variable.

The piece is an old tea cart with some actual mahogany and some soft wood. The color will be a shade of mahogany, hopefully tan-ish or golden-ish. Does anyone have a suggestion for a specific stain color like this. I don't want a dark red or a dark brown. Thank you.

well George, i would like to help most others would also :) but more info is needed like what type of secondary wood is on the cart? poplar/beech/birch/maple/gum/ etc., the reason why is all of them will take stain differently, much differently than the mahogany. Here again, if the mahogany is a natural darker red instead of a light red then you will first have to match the secodary wood to the mahogany first and seal and then glaze over that with a tan/golden glaze/stain. If your secondary wood is not blotching or that part doesn't concern you, then no, it's not necessary to seal the wood at all. Careful sanding and smoothing will keep it pretty blotch free depending on what species of wood [s] it may be.