Uneven Staining Issue

[Lisa Behenna Rodgers]

Looking for staining for advice – I’ve been making these rulers for 3 years now and the last 4 months have been having issues with the stain taking evenly.  I’ve never had the problem before, then all of a sudden it seems every board is coming out blotchy and striped.  I used Pine wood, so I recently read that I should treat it with a pre-stain conditioner, so I’ve started doing that.  It has helped on some, but most of them are still coming out all funky. 

Any ideas what else I can do?  Is there a chance the store I buy the wood from has changed the wood and that’s why I’m suddenly having all these problems that I never had before?  It has been winter here and I work out in my garage, so could it simply be the cold (although it’s been in the 50’s lately and I’m still having problems). 

I make these to sell and am having to waste so much wood and time because they are coming out like this and not nice and even.  I have to come up with a solution or stop selling them at this point and I’m just not sure what else to do.  Any ideas/advice would be GREATLY appreciated.

One photo shows the stripe/blotchyness and the other shows three that came out normal like they all used to..  The ones that look even weren’t treated with pre-stain conditioner at all, I just started doing that to try to fix the issue.  The splotchy ones in the photo were treated with the conditioner, but are still pretty splotchy. 

THANKS!!

[Lisa Behenna Rodgers]

Thanks for the advice.  Yes, the only change is the wood.  I buy from the same big box store and purchase about 25 boards every other week.  I sand first with 100 to get it even, then I follow up with 220 to smooth it out. Sometimes if the board looks in pretty good shape, I skip the 100 and only smooth it up with 220. Pretty much right after it's sanded I stain it (now I treat it first, but only started that two weeks ago).  In the winter I bring the stain inside for a few hours before using it to warm it up.  I will stir it longer to see if that helps.  I do use Minwax stains, so I'll check into General Finishes gel stains. 

I haven't changed anything (until I started the pre-conditioner), and suddenly almost every board I stain is coming out all striped, which is what makes me think something about the wood must have changed.  I know all wood/grain is different, but this is way beyond that difference.  The per-conditioner, while helps some, doesn't do enough to make it worth at added cost/step in my process.  I hadn't thought about sanding effecting it, so I'll test and see if maybe the 100 is causing the stain to soak deeper/be darker.  I will also give gel stains a shot!  Thanks again!

[gee-dub]

Big Box stores source from various sites so even though you haven't changed anything, they may have.  Is there a lumber yard in your area.  You would get a superior product and probably pay less as well. Do you use a topcoat of any kind?  the reason I ask is that for blotch prone materials, spraying a dye and then top coating can yield a much more consistent result.

[Lisa Behenna Rodgers]

There is a lumber yard near me I've thought about going to, I just wasn't sure how it works there.  I like to sort through for the straightest boards so they lay flat on the wall.  I often have to sort through 100 to find 25 good, straight boards.  I didn't know if a lumber yard would let me do that, or if I just take what's in a bundle.  I'll definitely check into it.  I do use a wipe on poly by Minwax in a satin finish.  I put two coats on after the stain drys, then paint my ruler marks, then one coat of poly over that.  I've not heard of spraying dye, I'll have to check into that.  Thanks!

[RichardA]

   Since you'll be going to a new store, take the time to talk to someone in charge, explain what you do, and what's been happening. Most yards will work with you if you are going to be a regular customer!

[AceHoleInOne]

You need to go through the grits. 100/120/150/180/220. Pine is soft, so beginning with 100 grit coarse paper, the scratch is put to the wood. So jumping from a 100 grit scratch to 220 is only sanding the tops off the 100 grit scratch, leaving behind the 100 scratch in the wood which has opened up the pores allowing heavy stain take-up.  

In addition, pine has that nasty hard soft grain thing going on where the sander will ride over the hard grain and digging into the soft grain causing unevenness. 

Do you like working boards with so many knots? Try to find better material. If not, I suggest you spend a few days working out the various wood conditioners until you achieve good results. 

-Ace-