I've got my hands on some reclaimed long leaf pine lumber that's between 40 to 120 years old, and it's got this beautiful amber color. The only problem is that some boards are still pretty sappy and resinous, which is making me worry about staining. I'm looking to use this wood for closet shelves and plan to apply Rubio Monocoat's "Almond" color, maybe with Shellac after that. Is there anything special I need to do to those extra sappy pieces to ensure the resin doesn't interfere with the stain? Should I consider using a solvent on those sappy areas? Any tips would really help, thanks!
2 Answers
Staining pine can be tricky, especially with all that sap. You might want to skip staining entirely on the sap-heavy sections; the results can come out pretty uneven. If you still want to apply a finish, maybe consider just using a sealer like Shellac without trying to stain beneath it.
I agree that staining can be challenging on sappy wood. If you want to proceed, try cleaning the sap areas with a solvent like mineral spirits before applying any stain. This might help the wood absorb the color better. Just avoid heavy staining, as the sap can still cause issues.