Question
Anyone have tips on spraying stain? Can you spray a wiping stain? I'm trying to get rid of as much blotching as possible. I have some SW BAC wiping stain, and the store rep said it is sprayable.
Forum Responses
(Finishing Forum)
From contributor M:
We stain a lot of shutter panels and also use a good number of SW products. On a few occasions we have sprayed the panels, usually just to save some time. I have noticed that when spraying stain, the grain does not show as well. We still wipe it down, but the end result does not look as good to me. I don't remember the series of stain we used when this was happening. Between the time it takes to clean up my spray gun and the effort required to wipe the stain in a timely fashion, I find that spraying does not work well for my product. I would think on cabinetry it would be much easier. Be sure you have plenty of rags on hand and somewhere to go with wet parts. And be sure you do not spray on more than you can wipe off within the recommended time. SW wiping stains do spray well, just adjust your equipment so you are moving a volume that works for your situation, and remember to strain the material.
Regarding splotching, the type of wood is the determining factor. Typically, pine, poplar, and maple will splotch more than oak, as an example. There are several techniques and products that are available to reduce the splotchiness.
1) Dye stains
2) Wiping stain over dye stain
3) Gel stain
Through practice, try to find the one or two techniques that work for you consistently. Spraying the stain on is usually the faster method. Get a cheap spray gun that is used only for staining.