Stain Wood Beams, Trim & Wood Ceilings
Note: Below is a quick synopsis. For detailed product information and application guides go to our product pages and application guides on our website.
Preparation for sealing your interior wood begins with removing any construction dirt or dust with an air compressor or hand brush with vacuum. Sanding with 100 grit sand paper can be used on the wood to remove any construction marks and mill glaze. Finish prep by removing the sanding dust with a brush with vacuum or an air compressor and dust rag. It is important for the wood surface to be free of all dirt, dust, spores, and airborne contaminants.
Option 1 – Penetrating Log & Siding Smooth Formula
If you want to highlight the grain and natural color of the interior wood trim in your home or building, we recommend 1-2 coats of our penetrating clear stain. It will seal and slightly darken the wood, enhancing the texture and grain, and result in a sealed surface with natural matte finish with one coat, or a very slight sheen finish with two coats. It’s a bit more of a rustic, natural look. This is the most affordable option and often chosen for wood ceilings and beams. Should you wish to deepen or enhance the wood color more, consider applying one coat of Clear first to act as a sanding sealer to prevent blotchiness, and then top it with a coat of one of our Micro-Tint, Transparent, or Semi-Transparent colors. Always test liquid samples to determine color appropriateness, as changing the color on interior wood is not easy!
Option 2 – Crystal Urethane
As always, the wood must be clean and pristine, with no dirt, dust, or airborne contaminants present. When clean, you can apply Timber Pro Crystal Urethane, a super durable, hard film urethane that comes in gloss, semi-gloss, or satin (most popular). Crystal Urethane does not yellow, nor does it deepen the color of the wood. The wood stays its light original color, and the urethane provides a satiny, easy-to-wipe surface. This is popular for wood elements such as log posts, window sills and window trim, wood baseboards, doors, and mantels. These surfaces are more touchable and you would find them easier to clean by damp wiping. The more coats you apply, the more durable the hard urethane film. The first coat of Crystal Urethane on bare wood will soak in, so it will take another one or two coats over that to build a nice deep film. Some surfaces require more coats than others, such as window sills etc or hand railings.
Option 3 – Log & Siding Smooth Formula and Crystal Urethane
For a true, nearly “fine furniture looking finish” you could opt to apply first a single coat of either the clear, Micro-Tint or Transparent tone Log & Siding Smooth Formula to deepen and highlight the color of the wood. Note: some wood species (fir and spruce for example) absorb colored transparent stains unevenly resulting in blotchiness. Consider applying the first coat in clear to act as a sanding sealer, and if you want to enhance the color then do a second coat of Micro-Tint color stain or transparent stain over it. Once the penetrating stain coat/s have dried thoroughly you could then apply 2 to 3 coats of our Timber Pro Crystal Urethane over the top resulting in a beautiful, wipe-able fine furniture like finish.
