HELP! Pine unit stain gone wrong!

[ED65]

I have to say, for something like this I can't think of a single situation where there'd be a benefit in wet-sanding the primer with 1000 grit!

Alice, when you paint you can get away with much coarser sanding scratches than when using a clear finish where you see through to the wood's surface. Even the sanding for varnish only needs to go up to somewhere around 180 or 220 in most cases, and when painting you can get away with final sanding to 120 or 150 without any problem.

And no, you don't need to sand between coats of primer and paint, or between coats of paint. You can sand if you need to remove any drips or runs, if there's a slight roughness for whatever reason (sometimes the grain stands up after the primer is applied, if dust has settled in the drying paint) but other than those things as long as you don't wait to long between coats you shouldn't need to sand again after finishing starts on something like this.

 

[Matt@]

was thinking the same also 1000g gives minimal key for a subsequent finish. That said I dont do painted finishes so am happy to learn different....

 

[Alice21]

Thank you for the clarity. So no need to sand between priming coats and no need to sand between coats of paint unless necessessary.

I'm in the process of putting the first coat of primer on..it's a bit patchy/streaky no matter how careful I am with the brush. Is that OK? I've done a bit of Googling and it says it's OK as it's just a base before the colour. It doesn't look the best which worried me at first. I think I'll put two coats of primer on, the tin says it's one coat but I think I'll feel better with two coats to ensure I get an even finish as my paint is quite a light cream.

(Id upload photos of my progress but it's such a potch due to the size of the photos)

 

[Matt@]

re. painting I do know that 1) use the best brush possible (some paints recommend synthetic bristles I think) 2) primer nearly always looks awful when first brushed on!

I would personally whats called de nib between any coat ie a relatively cursory sand with something like 120g paper just to remove prickly bits and ensure surface is smooth to the touch then dust off all surfaces.

If Can says one coat of primer thats what I'd do and use additonial coats of undercoat or top coat.

good luck!

 

[Alice21]

I'm using a synthetic bristle brush (a new one). I'm also using all water based products.
I've noticed such a difference in priming the bare pine inside the doors compared to the previously varnish/stained/sanded wood. The primer goes on much more uniform on bare wood...shame the rest doesn't look like that :-/
I'm going to persevere today though and get the whole unit primed even if it unsightly!

 

[Alice21]

Quick question...once unit has been painted should I use a clear top coat to seal and protect? Reading up on it I think it's something I'd need however all sites keep referring to Minwax Ploycrylic which I cannot find here in UK. I think a Polycrylic is what I need rather than a Polyurethane..can anyone suggest a clear satin water based top coat?

I actually have a tin of clear "Trade Interior Varnish" from Screwfix in shed, reading the Q&A on their website it seems to be suitable but I'd like to check first that there isn't a good top coat out there...thank you!

 

[Harbo]

On the primed wood use the same make (to be safe) of suitable undercoat and topcoat (gloss or eggshell) whatever you prefer. No need to varnish over it.
Read the instructions on the tins.

Rod

 

[Matt@]

like Harbo says you need to follow the instructions on the tin and stick to a tried and tested method. Googling, mixing and matching different products and assuming somethings going to work has great potential to end in tears! .....dont fall at the final hurdle

 

[Alice21]

I've followed all the instructions hence why I'm using all water based products. My primer and paint are both water based.
As the unit will be not just ornamental and hold books, DVD's etc I was wondering if I need a clear top coat to stop the painted areas getting chipped and the stained top from getting scratched. When I've researched if a top sealer coat over paint is necessary all help sites seem to say yes. I just don't know what top coat to use. I used Ronseal Primer..should I just check my local store to see if Ronseal do a water based Sealer/Top Coat?

 

[oakmitre]

No - just keep it simple.

Just to make you feel better, the whole process of staining this cupboard was never going to work the way you though it was.

Even if the wood was completely bare before you stained, softwood like pine tends to stain in an uneven way and may have disappointed

The coloured varnish used by the carpenter hides this fact to some extent, because it stains the wood but also leaves a transparent coating in the same colour making contrast less noticeable.
Once you sanded this off, you were left with three problems. 1. the original softwood staining unevenness. 2. Some residue from the varnish soaked into wood 3. Uneven sanding, which happens when sanding a difficult object with internal corners etc.

The point of painting is to abandon the staining plan and cover everything up --- because staining it simply wont work unless you are very skilled.

You just need to prime it, (I would vacuum out the alchove to remove dust beforehand, then wipe with a damp rag) check for obvious unevenness in the primer once dry, and lightly sand / touch up.

Then just paint it - white / off white is a good neutral colour.

Once painted, remember that paint touch dries first - then it slowly hardens. In the case of water based Acrylic Poly paint ( there are name variants etc ) this takes around a week from experience.

If you put a book on this surface after 2-3 days, the surface will still be pressure sensitive and the book may slightly fuse to it leaving a mark.

The clear coat is pointless for this application - it will prevent you from touching up and knocks, stains, scratches and if water based is not that different in hardness from the paint underneath.
It may also cause an unpleasant and very obvious sheen if you have a small lamp nearby in the evening.

 

[Alice21]

Thank you for your reply

I primed it all yesterday, this morning I've just lightly sanded any rough areas with very fine sandpaper. I've also wiped it down to remove any dust etc. I'm now going to try the first coat of wood paint (colour is cream to match walls). Hope it goes on ok!