Finishing Maple Aquarium Stand with MasterBrand Wipe Stain

[Dustin Brown]

I'm working on a stand for my aquarium that is being skinned in stile & rail panels constructed from maple 1x6's and 1/4" maple ply. I've got everything down on the construction part, but now I'm starting to get a plan together on what to use for a finish.

The stand will be in the kitchen so we want it to somewhat match the cabinets. They are diamond brand cabinets, caramel color, satin finish. I was able to get some of the stain they use and it is "MasterBrand Cabinets Air-Dry Finish - Caramel Wipe Stain".

I've been reading a lot about how maple is supposed to be a pain in the butt to stain so I'm looking for some advice on what to do to get a good result with this stain. I've done some birch ply for framing a couple windows with minwax pre-stain condition, this stain, and some minwax satin polyurethane. Also did a maple veneer on top of the wall cabinets. Got a pretty decent result on both, but still not very smooth. The stain was mostly blotch free though, but this was veneer.

My plan so far is to sand the stand down with 220grit paper and sanding pads, use the minwax pre-stain conditioner, and apply the stain with a foam brush. After 5 minutes rub the stain off in a circular motion and finish with the grain. After drying sand very lightly and clean the surface well. Then I was going to use the minwax satin polyurethane spray cans and do about 3-4 coats with a light 220 grit sanding before the final coat.

Does this sound like a plan? Anything I should do differently to get a better result? I'd really like to have a quality looking stand when I'm done. Everything else I've finished was mostly pine or veneer, never solid maple.

Thanks!

[Scott Holmes]

Dustin,

I would skip the sanding of the stain before the top coat is applied... too easy to remove the stain and then fixing the light spot can be a real challenge.

I would pick a better varnish than polyurethane varnish for a fish tank stand...Waterlox satin would be a better, more waterproof, and more durable finish than poly.

[Casey Gooding]

Scott is right, skip sanding the stain. That's just inviting more work for yourself. Also, I wouldn't sand any finer than 180. If you go finer, you end up burnishing the wood and making staining harder. Also, I would rag on the stain. It's faster than brushing and you get the same results. Waterlox would be an excellent choice. Sand lightly after two or three coats. Then you can sand between each coat, if you like.

[Dustin Brown]

Thanks for the replies!

What do you guys think about the minwax pre-stain conditioner? I've read varying reports about it's effectiveness on maple. Is there a better option other than shellac? The "wood whisperer" guy recommends something new from Charles Neil called "Pre-color Condition Blotch Control". It's supposed to work great and not prevent the stain absorption like shellac.

I was also thinking about using the General Finishes Arm-R-Seal Satin and wiping it on with about 6 coats, sanding before the last 2 coats. I don't foresee a real need for extensive waterproofing as it will be on the outside of the stand. The interior will be primed with some bullseye to seal. I'm not real sure if I want to use a finish that will take several days to apply and weeks to be ready to use, unless you guys think it would really be worth it and come out with a better finish using the Waterlox.

Thanks for the tips, this is the first time trying to make a nice piece of furniture, hopefully it turns out nice.

[Dustin Brown]

One other thing that may make a difference. Talked to my local supplier that will sell it by the foot, says it is "Hard Rock Maple".

[Scott Holmes]

I used Charles Neil's "Blotch Control" on maple. I was not thrilled with the product. I ended up using a toner to get the color I needed.