When to stain wood trim/casings/wainscot?

18 years ago

Please help settle an argument regarding when to stain the wood trim for our new bathroom: door & window casings, t&g plank-style beadboard wainscoting w/base and cap rail. Using stain grade pine (I know it's "downscale" but unless someone wants to donate the $1500 extra for oak that's what the budget can manage - and it does suit our very modest Cape), have tested stains already to find a color I'm happy with (mixture of English Chestnut and Cherry stains from Minwax). We will be doing the staining and finishing, our GC/carpenter will be installing.

The combatants:

#1, manager of the local high-end specialty lumberyard that sells _gorgeous_ moldings and skilled craftsman, instructs me to stain the trim parts on all sides before installation, then topcoat after. (Although it was immediately obvious that I couldn't afford to shop there, he was still very generous with his advice.)

#2, our GC, says that "the only way to go" is to install as raw wood and then stain and topcoat. We've had some disagreements already about his "only way to go" notions being somewhat off kilter.

#1 says that the problem with staining after installation is threefold: especially on the t&g wainscot weather-related fluctuations can reveal unstained wood, dirt/moisture (perspiration, for instance) that gets on the raw wood during installation can show up badly after staining, and staining all sides of the wood with oil-based stain offers some protection against the damp bathroom environment. He also agreed with me that it's just more convenient to do that messy job somewhere like a basement or garage than in an 80%-finished bathroom.

#2 says that the problem with staining before installation is that if your cuts aren't absolutely 100% perfect, you have to touch up the stain and anywhere you used wood filler and that looks terrible. That seems like some of what goes on the garden in springtime to me, some stain on a Q-tip is not that difficult to control, and I will be getting him some of that Stain Putty Handy Mac talks about so we won't have to worry about wood filler.

Do I need to put my foot down with GC again? I'm sure he already thinks I'm a pain, but I don't care, I'm the one footing the bill!

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Comments (4)

User
18 years ago
To each their own----but here is the 'own' I favor. Stain and finish before installation. Because any problems will show up as #1 maintained.

Cope all inside corners---a bit of care and there are no gaps to fill.

To fill any other gaps/bad spots in the trim/nail holes I use Stain Putty. It is a powder that is mixed with the actual stain used on the project---meaning the color is as close as one can get to the stained wood. The only problem I have encountered is sometimes darker stains will be a bit darker when mixed---in those few cases a slightly lighter stain---I mix natural stain to lighten----works better.

Stain Putty is available at HD and Ace Hardware stores.
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johnmari
Original Author
18 years ago
Thanks, HandyMac. I definitely did plan to get the Stain Putty in order to avoid the evil filler splotch, and will mix up a test batch beforehand to see if tinkering with the color is necessary. I do know about coping and will also most definitely make sure the carpenter does so even if I have to stand over him with a club :-) and I've already made it clear that it's to be blind nailed rather than face nailed. I am curious though, you would do ALL the finishing prior to installation, including the topcoat(s)?
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jrice
18 years ago
I agree with HandyMac. It is much easier to do the entire finish prior to the install. Perhaps the reason the GC does not want to pre-finish is that he will have to be a bit more careful when he installs to keep from damaging the trim. Rest assured this will probably happen anyway, but using your Q-tip will easily repair the damage.

Applying the finish prior to install allows for an easier, faster application and an overall better finish as far as I am concerned. Do you want to stand upright or crawl around on your hands and knees?

I have done it both ways, but now that I am older and wiser, I always finish it first.

Good luck
User
18 years ago
If the finish is anything but gloss, I do all the finishing prior to installation. Touchup is not difficult on matte or satin/etc. Gloss needs to have a final coat applied after installation---as touching up leaves finish variations.

There is a third way----cut and fit the trim, finish, and then install---allows staining the joints---but nail holes must still be filled---so the prior finish steps still apply.
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When to stain wood trim/casings/wainscot?

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When to stain wood trim/casings/wainscot?

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johnmari
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