I have been asked on several occasions why and when I should use wood conditioner. Wood conditioner is used to prepare soft wood to be stained. Soft wood generally accepts the stain that is applied to it in a fairly disorganized manner, dark in some areas then light in other areas. Wood conditioner, when applied correctly, makes the stain thinner and more even throughout the whole piece of wood being stained. How do you use this?…Wood conditioner is applied like a stain, with a rag or small sponge. Before applying, make sure you have all prep work finished, such as sanding, filling, securing, etc. Use tack cloth to clean up any little sawdust or other matter that may be left behind on the wood after you are finished with the prep work. Apply the conditioner to the wood within two hours of staining your wood (each product is different, check the instructions on the can). Wipe up the excess conditioner. If the conditioner dries up very quickly, you may need to apply another coat. **Remember if you pretested your wood without the conditioner, the stain will very likely be darker on the unconditioned wood.** Here are some examples of trim with conditioner and without conditioner. The wood is the same, but the stain is definitely uneven on the trim that does not have the conditioner.

Wood Trim Without Conditioner

Wood Trim With Conditioner

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