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Update: That blotchy pine stain issue cleared up for me.
Thinning the first coat with mineral spirits prevents uneven color.
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the_lily6mo ago
That "toddler finger-painted it with mud" line hits a little too close to home. I had a table once that looked so bad, I told people the stain can must have exploded. My first instinct was to just keep adding more stain, which of course made it into a sticky, dark mess. Thinning that first coat is such a simple fix, but you only learn it after creating a few really ugly pieces.
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rileygarcia6mo ago
Wait, you actually told people the stain can exploded? That's hilarious. I'm with @kim734 on the pine being a huge part of the problem, it's like it drinks stain in the weirdest spots. So thinning helped, but did you ever go back and try a conditioner on that table, or was it too far gone by then? I feel like every woodworker has that one piece they just quietly hide in a corner forever.
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rodriguez.emery6mo ago
Thinning the first coat is such a game changer, wish I knew that years ago. My first pine project was a dresser I slathered straight stain onto, and it looked like a toddler finger-painted it with mud. I had these wild dark streaks next to totally bare patches. I was so proud of it too, until my friend asked if it was supposed to be a camouflage pattern. Live and learn, usually the hard way.
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kim7346mo ago
When you had those wild dark streaks next to bare patches, was it just the stain thickness or did the pine itself play a part? Pine can be tricky because it absorbs stain unevenly, especially in areas with different grain densities. Did you try any pre-stain conditioners after that, or was thinning enough to fix the problem?
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