[corbmonster]

So, all the local Home Depot had for veneer edging was white birch, and red oak. I'm working with sanded pine plywood for a book shelf. Is this going to work well when I stain them? Will they end up looking very different? Should I return the edging and order pine edging online?

 

[mdntrdr]

Why not edge with 1/4" solid Pine? :smile:

 

[corbmonster]

Oh, um I guess because I was going for cheap. And it's already 1 foot deep, plus the thickness of whatever backing I put on there. I know it sounds silly to be worried about an extra 1/2 inch (backing + trim), but I was already pushing my luck with it being 12 inch deep. And I don't have a way to cut down the trim if it is more than 3/4 inch thick too. Honestly if the edging looks a little different, I don't care. But if it really stuck out like a sore thumb I would.

 

[mdntrdr]

Birch will stain fairly close to Pine. :smile:

 

[cabinetman]

Why not edge with 1/4" solid Pine? :smile:

That's what I would do.

Birch will stain fairly close to Pine. :smile:

+1. :yes: Would match better than Red Oak.

.

 

[corbmonster]

Was talking to a friend a few days ago, he said I should test it on some scrap. So I put some of the birch edging on some scrap plywood from the project I'm working on (cut from the same board). I told him I've never stained before, but I've seen videos etc, and I got wood conditioner. He was telling me about the follys of leaving streaks, and things like that. Especially on big pieces, so I would have to work fast with applying and wiping. So I decided to use a rag for staining the scrap to see how it would look. It's sitting shiny right now, but it looks good! I think I do need to sand the pieces a little bit more from the looks of this test. He said that the stain and poly both would raise some parts of the grain and not others, but not to worry about it. He said to buff it with some 220 after the first coat, and the second coat of poly should be good. He did say hes has to put 3 coats on before. So we'll see how it goes. I'm looking forward to it. I'll post a pic when the stain dries.

 

[Rick Mosher]

Use a raking light at a low angle to find any scratches or imperfections before applying your stain and you won't have to sand it back down to get them out.

 

[corbmonster]

My first attempt to stain went ok... Even though I used conditioner, it still came out blotchy. A friend suggested I use a second coat of conditioner before staining. The rougher c side came out better I think. The A-side seems more blotchy. The bitch strip blends really well with the pine. The pics don't quite to it justice I think.

c side with birch strip

 

[corbmonster]

A side

 

[Steve Neul]

I believe the problem you are having is wood isn't sanded enough prior to finishing. Plywood is generally sanded only enough to get it out the door and the face side is generally sanded better than the other. Any plywood regardless of what grade you buy should be thoroughly sanded in order to get a nice finish on it.

 

[corbmonster]

Oh you are correct about that! That scrap of wood was not power sanded like the panels I cut for the shelves. Hand sanded a little with some 80, and 120. But not enough. And you can tell by looking at all the dark lines. Those are all small channels. But still it is splotchy, especially on the non-knotty side. And I even question the amount of prep I've done for the rest. Some of it is a little rough. But I almost don't mind. Especially on the knotty side (which is facing out, and the tops of the shelves). Don't get me wrong, I sanded the heck out of it (the shelving pieces, not the scrap) , but I question if it was enough. But the clock is ticking, and the Spring semester starts in 9 days. I'm pretty sure I can't get this finished by then. But I can get close. And the closer the better.

 

[Steve Neul]

If you like woodworking I would suggest that you get a random orbital sander. They don't cost very much and would make a profound difference in preparing your projects for finishing.

 

[corbmonster]

I did get one, and used it on the pieces for the shelves. They still aren't perfect, but good enough.

 

[cabinetman]

That plywood has a rough example for faces. I doubt you could sand it enough to get it smooth enough to stain and finish properly. You'll likely sand through the veneer before getting it flat. IMO, a sealer/conditioner won't solve the problem.

.

 

[corbmonster]

I think you are completely right cabinet man. I sanded the heck out of this stuff, and I can still see plenty of deep lines. I don't mind though. 1) this has been a great learning experience for me. 2) It's totally gonna blend in with another project I'm setting up. Making a wine / booze rack from some old pallets. So, if the book shelf comes out all rough, it will blend in well with the rustic shelf I'm going to make. 3) If I had bought cabinet grade plywood, I probably would have spent more than I wanted. And you get what you pay for. And I'm ok with that. :thumbsup: