How long should wood stain dry before polyurethane reddit

Completing a woodworking project feels great. To see all of your joints properly connected, your nails and screws recessed and filled, and your project sanded down smooth is truly a fulfilling moment.

What happens if you apply polyurethane before stain is dry

But you’re not necessarily quite done.

You still have the finishing to do.

This generally consists of staining and adding a protective polyurethane coat. Staining is the process of adding a penetrating formula of thinner, binder, and pigments to the surface of your project that can color your wood and bring out its natural grain pattern.

This process can be completed very easily as long as you allow time for your stain to properly set and dry before adding a second coat or a polyurethane.

But how long should you let your wood stain dry before moving forward?

Well, that depends on a huge number of factors. In this article, we’ll explore some of the major determinants of how fast your wood stain will dry.

Type of Wood Stain

One of the biggest factors that determine how long it takes your wood stain to try is its type.

Some stains will take much longer than others simply based on

how long should stain dry before applying varnish

how long should wood stain dry before finishing