Dave wrote:

I am building a computer desk out of red oak boards, 1/4", and 3/4" red oak
plywood. I am thinking about staining it with golden oak stain. Should I
stain it first and then apply a sanding sealer, or the other way a round? I
plan on using Varithane stain and poly with a lite sanding in between each
coating of poly. I was thinking about putting on 4 coats of poly. I have no
knowledge about how to do a good job of finishing and would appreciate your
advice. Thanks.



Get Bob Flexner's book on finishing

You MUST stain before sealing or the stain won't "take"! Carefully sand
the sealer so as not to sand away any of the stain. If you use a dye
instead of stain, you can get away with sanding through the sealer a
little bit, because dye sinks into the wood better.

Try thinning the poly and wipe it on for better results than brushing.
Make sure the temp and humidity is in the range listed on the can.
lightly sand (220-320) between coats.

Dave