Seal Pine Before Wood Staining. Dark stains on pine can look horrible. In addition to blotchiness, the softer areas between the grain lines soak up stain like a sponge, creating an unnatural look.

Different wood densities: Wood types with a porous grain like pine, birch, or cherry naturally absorb stain unevenly. Skipping wood conditioner : Some woods require a pre-stain conditioner to ...

Consumer Reports has expert tips on how to apply wood stain to decks, ... CR’s engineers apply two coats to pine boards, then place them on the roof of our headquarters in Yonkers, N.Y.

How to choose your wood stain color. You finishing color will also depend on the layers of stain you apply, as one stain coat is more translucent than two or three.

Step 4: Allow wood to dry. Allow the stain to dry fully overnight. It’s extremely important to allow your floors to dry because like paint, the stain can easily smear and smudge when bothered.