How to Stain Pine Molding

As a trim and molding material, pine is nearly ideal. It's readily available, easy to work with and it takes paint well. The trouble starts when you try to achieve a more natural look. Applying stain to pine molding can be frustrating, resulting in unexpected color variations and a blotchy appearance. The trick is to pretreat the wood so that it absorbs stain at a more even rate across its entire surface. There are many different wood conditioners on the market, but mixing your own gives you greater control over the finished product.


Sand the surface of the pine molding until it is smooth. Finish it with at least a 220 grit sandpaper for best results. Remove dust with a tack rag or by blowing the molding clean with compressed air.


Pour 1 cup of a 3 pound cut of shellac into a quart container. Add three cups of denatured alcohol. Stir well. Place a lid on the container until you are ready to use the thinned shellac.


Apply a thin coat of the prepared shellac to the molding using a clean cloth. Allow the shellac to dry. Sand lightly with 320 grit sandpaper to smooth the surface, but don't remove the shellac layer. Remove dust from the surface before applying stain or another coat of shellac. Each coat of shellac will decrease the amount of stain that can penetrate the wood.


Apply stain to the molding with a clean cloth. Stir the container of stain frequently as you work to maintain consistent color. Leave the stain on for the desired amount of time, then wipe thoroughly with a clean cloth. Sand lightly between coats of stain and before applying a protective clear coat.