The rule for applying stain evenly is to apply a wet coat and wipe off the excess before the stain dries. With faster drying stains such as water-based stain, dye stain and lacquer stain, it’s not possible to get the stain applied fast enough on large surfaces if you use a brush to apply the stain. You should either spray the stain or wipe it on using a wet cloth.
- Wiping Stain
It’s also best to spray or wipe with slow drying oil stain because it doesn’t make sense to waste all that time brushing.
Spraying is fast and efficient, but cleaning the spray gun isn’t, especially if you have to get it clean enough to spray a clear finish on unstained wood.
So, unless you have a spray gun dedicated to staining, it’s most efficient to wipe on the stain. As long as the cloth is thoroughly wet, you can easily get the stain into inside corners, grooves and recesses. But if you are having difficulty, you can always make use of an inexpensive throwaway brush to work the stain into these areas.
