Prep It

Clean surface and scuff up if glossy.

• Pour 1-part denatured alcohol (or rubbing alcohol) and 1-part water into a spray bottle or bowl.  Wipe surface down with mixture.

Prime It

Apply Retique It® Stainable Liquid Wood

• Apply one coat of Retique It® Light Wood as your base coat.
• Make your final strokes long and even. (Stay consistent with the direction you want the grain)
• Clean your brush while you give the project 2 hours to dry completely.  If you are limited on time, then use a blow dryer (Dry time may take as little as 15 minutes with the use of a blow dryer on high heat)
• Apply a second coat of light wood.
• Clean your brush while you give the project another 2 hours to dry completely (Consider using a blow dryer again)
• Move your hand over the surface. If any bumps or specks are detected, then lightly sand them smooth.

Stain It

Apply Retique It® Gel Stain or another brand
of "non-penetrating" wood stain.

With Retique It® Water-based Gel Stain

• Put on protective gloves (Optional)
• Thoroughly stir your stain.
• Get out your yellow sponge applicator to wipe on your Retique It® water-based gel stain. (Make sure you wet your sponge with clean water and squeeze out just prior to staining as this will prevent streaks)
• If you're staining a very large surface (like a dining room tabletop), then keep a bowl of water on hand to dip and lightly squeeze excess out.  Always remember to generously dip your sponge into the stain.  Never overwork your stain or allow your sponge to get dry.  Using a dry sponge to apply Retique It® waterbased gel stain may cause streaking.
• Wipe on your stain in long even strokes going in the direction of your grain.
• Allow stain to dry. If you want a darker shade, apply more layers, allowing each layer to fully dry. (Pulling the stain off is optional, not usually necessary)
• Allow the last layer of stain to dry for at least an hour. (Using a blow dryer on high heat may shorten your dry time to under 10 minutes for each layer of stain)



To Get a Darker Finish



Each time you layer another coat of Retique It® Waterbased Gel Stain, the finish will become darker and richer.

You can just stick with one coat, or layer up to 4 coats of the same color stain that comes in your kit. Another option is to layer different colors of Retique It® Gel Stain to give you a completely custom color finish.

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