Should I stain these cabinets with General Finishes Java gel stain?!
M L
7 years ago
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smm5525
7 years agoRelated Discussions
Help...! - General Finishes Gel Stain Kitchen Cabinets Gone Bad!
Comments (18)Ok- here is what I have, and what I've done.. 1- On a bathroom vanity that was standard oak. I used GF Georgia Cherry 4 coats 24+ hours dry time between each coat. Appling with sponge/foam brush- waiting just a few minutes then wiping.. then 3 ( 4-6 hour between coats)of GF high performance top coat.. I love love love them!!! (pic included) 2) mast bath vanity. the Mr. decided he wanted the java on first and then go back to our Georgia Cherry. No problems at all with the java coat - or the first coat of GA cherry on 1/2 the vanity.. Then the spots started showing up - and areas that looked like I wiped off too much.. After reading all the above comments. I now think it is because I didn't let the areas dry that I touched up... will sand a little and retouch...See More?? about general finishes gel stain
Comments (9)I would not use the minwax gel stain (sorry dbfirewife) to do this job. The General Finish brand works wonderfully. Have you seen Celticmoon's detailed instructions? You can find them over on Kitchen forum under Sticky or under New to Kitchens thread. I have also found that the Old Masters brand works great too. Not exactly sure what would happen with the filler, but will you be putting in new hardware? Would the old hole be covered by the new hardware (ie, a handle that spans across the place where the hole for the old knob was?) If so, I'm sure it will do a very good job so you don't even notice the old hole. My biggest piece of advice is--you must let it dry completely between coats. Absolutely no "almost dry" . And depending on the look you are going for, you can just use the gel stain as a paint, and you don't have to wipe it off, just let it dry. The first coat or two will not be what you are looking for, don't despair, keep going....See MoreCan I thin General Finishes oil-based Gel Stain?
Comments (5)General makes a poly gel varnish that would do what is suggested above. It would not necessarily make it easier to apply, though, since the viscosity will remain the same; it would just weaken the color; become more transparent. That gel stain sets very rapidly is a known issue. On doors, you want to begin with the panels, finish them to your satisfaction, then wipe down any overage onto the stiles and rails before staining them, and then keep any excess stain off the previously-done panels, because fresh stain will re-dissolve the bits you did earlier, and it is very hard to blend it back in. Casey...See MoreJava Gel Staining Kitchen Cabinets!
Comments (20)Before and After: I used GF mahogany on my kitchen cabinets and I like the results. I like the color which is like a rich caramel sauce. I did use the cloth application method. But the trick is to do lots of very thin coats. For preparing, I first cleaned with water and soap, then just LIGHTLY sanded with a sanding sponge, and then cleaned again with water and soap. Make sure that it is dry when you apply the stain. Apply with cloth, and "clean" it right after with a clean cloth. It is almost like shining shoes. I think I did 4 or 5 coats like this, separated at least 12 hours. Just be patient. It is better to put too little and do more coats than put too much and end up with an uneven coat. Then I applied two coats with clear GF poly. I did this 4 years ago and they are holding well....See Morejuddgirl2
7 years agolast modified: 7 years agosmm5525
7 years agoM L
7 years agosmm5525
7 years agocpartist
7 years agonosoccermom
7 years agolast modified: 7 years ago
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