How to Stain Yellow Pine Plywood
You can enhance the appearance of plywood and protect it from the elements by finishing it with the appropriate type of stain. Yellow pine is a dense, hard wood. This quality causes it to absorb stain at varying rates across its surface. You must select a light color of stain, or you will end up with unattractive, splotchy results.
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- Pressure washer
- Broom
- Professional painter's tape
- Plastic dropcloths
- Heavy-duty fabric dropcloths
- Light colored oil-based stain
- 5-gallon bucket
- Wooden stir stick
- Roller frame
- Shed-free roller cover
- 3-inch paintbrush for oil-based stain
- Mineral spirits
Instructions
-
-
1
Clean exterior yellow pine plywood with a pressure washer. Wait a full day for the plywood to dry. Dust interior plywood with a broom.
-
2
Place plastic dropcloths beneath the yellow pine plywood. Lay fabric dropcloths over the top of the plastic to prevent stain drips from pooling. Protect any areas adjacent to the plywood with painter's tape.
-
-
3
Open the can of light-colored, oil-based stain and pour it into a 5-gallon bucket. Stir the stain for three full minutes, using a wooden stir stick.
-
4
Dip a paint roller equipped with a shed-free roller cover into the stain. Roll the roller over the plywood to coat its surface. Smooth any drips or runs with a 3-inch paintbrush specifically made for oil-based paints.
-
5
Wait two hours for the stained yellow pine plywood to dry. Add an additional coat of stain for richer results.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
If you are applying stain to a large area of plywood, stop and stir the stain every 10 minutes, or the pigments will sink to the bottom, resulting in an uneven finish.
Do not use a dark stain on yellow pine plywood, or the finish will end up splotchy.
Consult the owner's manual for proper operation of the pressure washer.
