What are the light streaks in the oak furniture I am staining?

Question

I am staining oak furniture using gel stain. I have long, fairly straight, lighter-colored streaks that go against the grain. It doesn't seem right to either myself or my husband, and I am wondering if it is a sanding issue. I posed this question yesterday, but I'm not sure I explained it very well, so today I have included a link to some pictures.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/28875692@N05/

I am sanding using one of those hand sanding tools where you clamp the sandpaper on (and yes, I am sanding with the grain). The furniture store we bought if from recommended hand sanding. My husband thinks I should be using a power sander. If you think this is a sanding issue, please advise! If not, what is it?!!

Answer 1

ok, this is different than yesterday, picture helps a lot. this is flat-sawn oak, not quartersawn. if this was a sanding problem, those would have to be rather significant ridges. but even so they would stain the same. you can put a flat, straight board or stick(winding stick) along the length of the oak and see if there are ridges. a rotary palm sander with 400grit run the full length of the cabinet would help.

I suspect more the Gel Stain. i have never had much luck with it, and don't use it. because it can be used on fiberglass, fiberboard, and others it tends to 'sit' on top of the wood rather than penetrate. if you are sticking with it, try Pre-Stain Conditioner from Minwax(recommended for gel stain) on the raw wood on other cabinets. it's not much good on already stained wood. i would switch to a true oil based stain on oak. maybe try it on a scrap, back side of a filler and see if it makes a difference.

Hope that helps.

Answer 2

By looking at the pictures I can see what you mean!

I really think that sanding will not get rid of the problem , the tree that was cut to make this furniture was not the best tree , and no amount of sanding will take care of the problem . Do the best that you can with it and enjoy the furniture for what it is , nobody is perfect not even trees!

Answer 3

From the looks of it, I think it's a sanding problem...

I would take the photo to the furniture store and ask them what your next step should be to remedy this.

Answer 4

It's hard to say exactly, not knowing what or how you did, but what you are working on is plywood.   The quality of plywood these days (from Asia) is terrible.   Unless I get more information, I'm going to venture that it is an issue with the manufacture of the plywood and perhaps some of the glue bleeding through the extremely thin veneer there.  Or veneer made extremely thin by over-sanding..   Most veneer does not need much sanding as it is done as part of the manufacturing process.  Starting with anything coarser than 150 grit is going backwards unless you have some transit damage to clean up.

Answer 5

There is NO sanding problem.  What you see is the grain and fiber of oak wood. Oak is a type of wood that benefits from using a pre-stain conditioner to ensure fairly equal absorption of gel/stain.  Any type of liquid finisher will be drawn into the wood through cappilary action, the microscopic holes that exist in the fiber of the wood.  Also, if you look closely, not only are there light streaks, but there are also dark streaks (at least it appears so in the photo).  

I would try sanding down a bit to remove the majority of gel color.  Then apply a pre-stain conditioner (as long as you have not sealed the wood yet, the conditioner should also absorb.  Follow directions on the conditioner.  Then re-apply the gel.  You could leave it on longer, or remove the gel and apply another coat once the previous has dried.  It will make for a darker color, but I think the sploches may disappear or at least fade to where they aren't so noticeable.

good luck

Answer 6

I don't think you sanded evenly.  Those hand sanders can make it harder to sand evenly.  You may need to strip the furniture, sand it by hand to try and even it out, and restain.  You may have over sanded.

Answer 7

This won't help directly, but you might get more and better answers asking at http://www.woodmagazine.com . Go to the forums, specifically the finishing forum (you'll have to register). Be sure to include the link to the picture.

I'm inclined to think this may be the result of using the wrong kind of stain. Based on what I've read over there, a gel stain may not be the best type for a porous wood like oak.

Oh, and the guys over there will want to know what you're trying to achieve with the finish: what kind of look and feel, "in the wood" vs. "on the wood", degree of gloss, do you want the grain filled, what is the piece, how will you use it, etc.

Answer 8

You're working on plywood.  With some of the lower grade plywood, you'll see those lines where the veneer (the layer that you are sanding on) is unevenly glued.  Be careful to not sand through the veneer.