Ask The Experts

the contracter im working for used sandeply (4 by 8 sheets)and i used ml campells amazing stain and there krystal finish and the wood is flaking off and is blimishing bad. what is a goos solution for this thanks darryl

If by "flaking" you mean the thin face layer is separating from the cross directional ply (cross band) under it, you are experiencing a delamination that is not related to the finish. This product is imported by any number of companies and is commonly sold in retail lumber yards and big box stores. You should contact the store where you bought it if it is indeed delaminating. As far as the finish, like any wood, sande requires proper surface preparation prior to application of stain and sealer. It should be sanded smoothly before the stain and sealer are applied, and between coats until the top coat is applied. To avoid excessive penetration in some areas, it may be necessary to pre-treat the surface with a glue size or a wash coat of sealer. Either of these penetrate into the surface where they dry to close the loose grain. Subsequent light sanding allows stain to penetrate, but not so much that it leaves the area blotchy. Thanks for your question!

Our stairway and foyer in our home is mainly fruitwood color. WE would like to use minwax gel stain on the stairs but cannot find fruitwood stain in the gel. What stain color do you recommend to use?

Linda Permut

Find a distributor in your area for Old Masters Oil Based Gel Stains. They have fruitwood.

http://www.oldmastrs.com/products/gelstns.html