Your concerns are not calculating correctly in my head, and sounds like there's more information needed. What stain are you using? How long are you allowing it to sit before you wipe it off? How does applying stain more times lift the existing color?
1) I am using Minwax Premium Oil Wood Finish Stain in the shade Mocha 280, and conditioned with Minwax pre-stain wood conditioner.
2) For the first application, I waited 15 minutes to wipe it off, then about 8 minutes to wipe off the second coat. On the side panels, when I applied a 3rd coat, I waited 5 minutes before wiping the stain off.
3) I don't know. Like I said, I'm new to this, and the stain lifting the previous coats was a result that came up when I Googled if I could apply stains more than 2 or 3 times. It said it could "redissolve" the previous layers.🤷🏼
Gotcha! I see where you're at now. So the two outer panels didn't absorb the stain like the center panel did. Could be different wood types, or the old sealant/new conditioner working against you. The coats of stain will need to dry before applying another coat. If that's still not working, you may be able use a gel stain to help you get a better match/blend between the three. I would leave sanding/stripping as the last resort. This is a very frustrating situation, so take your time!
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u/BuzzCutThroat Jul 07 '21
Your concerns are not calculating correctly in my head, and sounds like there's more information needed. What stain are you using? How long are you allowing it to sit before you wipe it off? How does applying stain more times lift the existing color?