Sticky Stain

[Todd Carpenter]

I have to admit, this is a first for me... I'm just using plain old MinWax Red Mahogany stain on a piece I'm refinishing, and after 2 days, my stain is still sticky. Usually I wipe off excess, but becuase the woods were different colors, I left it a bit heavier in some areas (I usually don't do this), but where I left it heavier, it's still sticky. It's in the garage and it's been close to 90 and high humidity, so I put the dehumidifier and a fan in the garage and it's better, but still not dry. Should I just wipe the sticky parts down with mineral spirits and just tone those spots or will it dry eventually? That's what I get for trying to take short cuts...

Thanks for any advice...
Todd

[Matt Tawes]

Minwax especially mahoganny has a lot of red pigment in it anyway so leaving extra on is part of the problem and the other you guessed is the humidity. I think that it will dry to a degree but all that pigment sitting on top will just stay kinda muddy for a long time.
I'd wipe it down with mineral spirits and try to even out the color. Same thing happens when you try to do more than 2 coats stain, what does not soak in sits on top and stays sticky.
You could always tone your topcoat with transtint.

Futur ref. to even out color its best to seal up the surface some with thinned shellac or other sander sealer, pre-stain conditoner etc. so the wood absorbs at near the same rate all around then apply your stain.

Good luck Todd and welcome to the forum.

[glenn bradley]

Good advice from Matt on evening out colors via sealers. I have left a "flood" of stain go too long before. The vehicle gasses off like it is supposed to but too much material is left in the wrong amount or some such weird science I imagine. I rubbed it all down with thinner (really scrubbed with a cloth) and applied new coats. All was well.

[Todd Carpenter]

That's what I thought - thanks for the input guys!