Do I Have to Sand Before I Gel-Stain?

Sanding

• Sanding smooths wood and removes any imperfections such as scratches or nicks that would otherwise pool with stain and end up making the finished surface looking uneven and splotchy. Begin the entire process by sanding with coarse-grit sandpaper to smooth out the wood. Then use fine-grit sandpaper to soften the wood.

How to Sand

• Sanding properly in essential to achieving a professional-looking result. Always sand with the grain rather than against it, as sanding against the grain will scratch the wood and can actually pull up the wood grain. Use sanding blocks to sand flat pieces of wood and sandpaper for detailed or curved pieces of wood.

Using Electric Sanding

• Electric sanders can speed up the sanding process; use an electric sander if you are sanding paneling, floors or other large pieces. Don't use electric sanders for detailed areas as they can easily blur intricate details and ruin the piece.

Cleaning Sawdust

• In order to prepare the wood to be stained you need to remove all of the sawdust residue from the wood. If you don't, the sawdust will mix with the gel stain and will be visible when the wood eventually dries. The sawdust can also drag through the gel stain and cause it to look streaky. Prevent this by cleaning the sawdust from the wood and vacuuming sawdust from the workspace. Sawdust in the workspace will inevitably get into the gel stain.