We just stained some baseboards (Maple), and it's my understanding that the
conditioner (I assume that is what you mean by prestain) is used for softer
wood to open the pores (at least that is what the can said). It's pretty
easy to do--just use a sponge or rag to apply, and wait 5-15 minutes to
apply the stain.

Regarding the stain, we used a stain/polyurethane all-in-one we purchased at
HD.
"peter" wrote in message
news:UQJke.91$Pm3.15@trnddc08...
What is the function of pre-stain? What happens if I don't use it?

What is the pro/cons of oil based versus water based stain?

Are there products that combine pre-stain, stain, and a clear coat
(polyurethane) in one? It seems a lot of hassle just to stain about 20
feet of moldings.