"Vic Baron" wrote in message
. ..
I've almost finished construction of a liquor cabinet for myself g.
About
6' x 36" x 16 - constructed of both oak ply and solid oak. I plan on using
a
dark mahogany gel stain on the piece.

Never used gel stain before and a few questions come to mind -

1.)Do I need a shellac sealer coat( or ANY sealer coat) on oak?

2) Instructions say to do a small area at a time - will this not produce
lap
marks where the edges meet?

BTW, I bought it at Rockler - I believe the brand is General Poly Gel
stain.


I have been using gel stains since about 1989.
Do you need a sealer coat. Sealer coat on the wood before applying the
stain? Absolutely not on Oak. Although many gel stains have a
sealer/varnish in the stain, I advise you to varnish with the product of
choice be it shellac or a water or oil based product.

Small areas tend to be easier to work with but you can apply and immediately
wipe/buff away the excess. Typically lap marks can be removed by simply
applying more stain in that area and wiping. Take care of that immediately
for best results although I have been able to go back the next day and get
good results when I over looked a problem area.

Beware of gel stains that have been sitting on the shelf too long. The
consistency of the stain should be close to that of Vaseline. Thicker gel
stains will dry out too quickly and wiping the excess away will be more
difficult. I advise you to check the stain before leaving the store. Stir
if necessary.