The 120-grit sandpaper will help get rid of any imperfections in the wood left from dirt or other debris. Dampen the rag before wiping away the sawdust if desired⁠—just make sure you let the wood dry completely before treating it. Fill any holes or dents in the wood using a wood filler that matches the color of your wood before sanding, if desired. You can find wood filler at any local home improvement store or online.

The 220-grit sandpaper is a finer grit that will leave a very smooth finish. Always sand going with the direction of the grain.

The wood should be clean and dry without any other finishes on it before using a wood conditioner.

Read the instructions on the wood conditioner to see how long they recommend leaving it on the wood, following their advice to ensure the best results.

Avoid using sandpaper of a lesser grit than 220, otherwise you might scratch the wood. Remove any hardware so your piece is ready for staining.

Wear gloves to protect your hands from the stain.

Continue using long, slow strokes to even out the color of the stain as much as possible.

Don’t let the stain sit for longer than15 minutes. [11] X Expert Source Eric ShipeHome Improvement Specialist Expert Interview. 12 July 2021. It’s best to wipe your stain up sooner rather than later⁠—you can always add additional coats if it’s too light, but it’s much harder to remove stain that’s too dark. Pay careful attention to any darker or splotchy areas, wiping them up with the rag so the wood is an even color. You may need to use multiple rags.

Repeat this as many times as necessary until you get your desired shade. Make sure you let each coat of stain dry completely before applying an additional one. After you’ve waited 4 hours and feel that the stain is dry, your wood is ready for a sealant.

Protective finishing coats have a range of sheens, from matte to high gloss. Avoid shaking the can of finishing coat to prevent unwanted bubbles. After using a sealant, you can’t easily add additional layers of stain to your wood, so be sure it’s the color you want.

Feel free to test your sealant out on your test piece of wood before applying it to your project if desired.

Brushing on additional coats will add protection and shine (depending on your type of sealant) to your wood.

Most people add two coats of sealant onto their wood. Once you decide your piece of wood is finished, wait 48 hours for it to dry completely before using it.

This ensures each layer works together to create a smooth finish. Purchase wood stain and wood conditioners at your local hardware store or online.

Oil-based stains are good for softwoods, like pine and birch. Oil-based stains usually only need 1-2 coats.

Cedar, cypress, and redwood all do well with water-based stains. Water-based stains and conditioners dry very quickly. If you choose a water-based stain, a wood conditioner will be necessary because water-based stains raise the grain of the wood.

Gel stains work particularly well on vertical surfaces like doors or cabinets because they don’t run or splatter as much. Be careful when using gel stains on crevices, as the stain tends to gather in these spots and can be difficult to remove.

Testing your stain on this small piece will let you see how the stain will affect your variety of wood before you apply it to your project. You may have an easier time staining lighter woods, like pine, as opposed to darker woods, like oak. [23] X Expert Source Eric ShipeHome Improvement Specialist Expert Interview. 12 July 2021.