I'm finishing my first major woodworking project which includes some staining and poly. I'm using only water-based products. I'm applying all products using a foam brush. This is my first time working with stain or polyurethane.
While applying the poly, the brush takes on the color of the stain and after dipping my brush back in the paint pot enough times, there are streaks left behind in the remaining poly that are the color of the stain. However, everything on the workpiece itself looks good (other than my novice skills resulting in uneven coating, which is to be expected).
Is this normal? Does it indicate that the stain did not fully take or dry or something? Is there something I need to do differently to ensure this finish goes on well and actually seals, or are we going to get some stain on our pants every time we sit down on this benchtop?
The wood is poplar and this is the process I followed:
- sand wood to 220 grit
- wipe down workpiece with a clean damp cloth, wait 5 minutes, apply pre-stain conditioner with brush, immediately wipe off excess
- wipe down workpiece with a clean damp cloth, wait 5 minutes, apply stain liberally with brush, immediately wipe off excess
- sand workpiece with 320 grit, wipe down workpiece with a clean damp cloth, wait 5 minutes, apply stain liberally with brush, immediately wipe off excess
- sand workpiece with 320 grit, wipe down workpiece with a clean damp cloth, wait 5 minutes, apply poly with brush
- sand workpiece with 320 grit, wipe down workpiece with a clean damp cloth, wait 5 minutes, apply poly with brush
The amount of stain color that ended up on the brush and in the paint pot was much more after the first coat of poly than after the second coat.
I waited at least 24 hours after each coat before moving on to the next coat / step. The only factor that I can think of that would slow drying is that this is in my basement where it is about 63F and 40% humidity.
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