delegante Posted July 26, 2014 Report Share Posted July 26, 2014 I'm building new cabinet doors for the kitchen, also drawer fronts and the upper cabinets. I'm doing them in maple and using a general finishes oil stain, candle light. I've attached several pictures of spots that are showing up in the finish. I'm doing two coats of stain with 24 hours of dry time between coats. The spots were not there after the first coat but were after I attempted to wipe off the excess on the second coat. They disturbingly look like finger sized smudges. I'm wearing blue nitrile gloves as I wipe on and off the stain and it is possible I'm laying a finger on the board there but I'm not understanding why it isn't happening everywhere I touch and if it is possible to sand/restain. The middle panel is 1/4" mdf with maple veneer. I'm sanding the entire door to 120 grit. I also attached a pic of a door that doesn't seem to be having any problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RFAU Posted July 27, 2014 Report Share Posted July 27, 2014 I've had some success spot sanding smudges (150), applying a slightly darker stain (qtip), waiting 15-20 min. and then giving the whole surface a quick rub with the primary stain to blend. Start with the smudge on the end of the right board in pic 3 to see if the stain penetrates. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tpt life Posted July 27, 2014 Report Share Posted July 27, 2014 The regularity suggests contamination. I would be prone to starting over. I would try to use an appropriate solvent to wipe loose stain off before sanding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted July 27, 2014 Report Share Posted July 27, 2014 Have any kids around the shop? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delegante Posted July 27, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 27, 2014 A 17 year old and a 20 year old. I've stained a board and left it in the shop instead of letting it dry in case of contamination. I imagine I'll redo the doors, just frustrating to get that far and then have it go to crap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delegante Posted July 27, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 27, 2014 I'll try the darker stain technique and see if it helps. Can't get any worse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry_in_SD Posted July 27, 2014 Report Share Posted July 27, 2014 Definitely looks like contamination. Contamination prevented stain from adhering or penetrating those areas. Were there any glue drips that you wiped up? Maple is prone to blotching so a blotch control may help. One trick is to apply a wipe coat of GF gel varnish just before wiping on the gel stain. I just completed mother-in-laws kitchen in cherry and used GF gel stain as well. My finishing schedule was: 1. Sand thoroughly to 220 2. Two coats of Charles Neil blotch control, light sanding with 320 after each coat. 3. one coat of GF gel stain. 4. Three coats of GF Enduro-var with light sanding with 400 after first two coats. Sprayed the top coats but this stuff can be brushed on quite successfully. I use foam brushes. No expert in repair fixes however careful application with another coat of stain over the offending area as previously suggested could work. Fortunately you are using fell stain which is easier to control. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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