In this article we'll explain how to apply a woodstain or base coat to preapred timber ready for a top coat of varnish ensuring that your joinery not only looks good but will be as durable as possible.

This guide applies to both interior and exterior joinery such as doors and windows, decking, fencing and cladding. Please see our guide How to: Preparing new or bare wood for painting if you're unsure how best to prepare the timber before proceeding with this step.

Step 1: Apply woodstain as a basecoat

Once the timber has been prepared the first step is to apply a woodstain as a basecoat. It's important that the woodstain is applied as soon as possible after the timber has been prepared because we don't want any oil leeching out of the timber or other contaminants getting onto the newly prepared wood. Ideally, the time between preparing the wood and painting is less than a week.

A great choice for a basecoat is Sadolin Classic Woodstain which is available in over 50 colours and shades. Selecting a colour or tint can really enhance the overall finish of your project and add that extra personal touch.

Before applying your basecoat it's important to ensure the woodstain is thouroughly mixed. This can be achieved either by giving the tin a good shake or by using a stirrer to thouroughly mix up the contents of the tin. Mixing the paint in the tin will ensure any pigments that have settled will be evenly mixed and give a consistent colour on the finished wood.

Using a quality brush apply a generous coat of the woodstain. As the bare timber will be quite 'thirsty' it's important to apply a good amount of the woodstain to satisfy the wood's porosity. Once you've applied the basecoat finish by laying off in the direction of the grain.

Allow the basecoat to dry properly before proceeding to the next step. For some exterior wood such as fencing and decking a top coat may not be required. However, to achieve the most durable finish a topcoat of woodstain or varnish is recommended.

Step 2: Applying a topcoat

Once the basecoat has been applied and allowed to dry inspect the surface. Sometimes the basecoat can cause the grain to raise up slightly. In this case lightly sand down any affected areas using a P180 or P240 grit sandpaper. It's important not to sand too heavily as we don't want to remove the basecoat entirely.

As with the woodstain ensure your topcoat is thoroughly mixed in the tin before application then using a brush apply a generous coat againt the direction of the grain. Once the area has been covered lightly lay off the area in the direction of the grain.

Allow the topcoat to dry and then apply a second coat in the same manner as the first coat.

Step 3: Maintenance and summary

If applied to correctly prepared wood many paint systems can achieve 4 -5 years of service before needing a maintenance coat. The Sadolin Class/Extra system simply required cleaning and a single application of topcoat as a maintenance cycle.

If you need any help or advice in choosing a paint system for you project don't hesitate to talk to one of our friendly team in branch today!