Staining Pine Hutch

Email question:

I'm staining an unfinished pine hutch. I can't remember if I fill the tiny nail holes before or afterapplying stain. Thanks!

Email reply:

Hi Dawn

Apply a little bit of wood filler to a scrap piece of wood and let it dry.  Apply a little stain to it and if the stain soaks into the filler apply the filler before staining.  If it doesn't soak in mix a little stain with the filler to match the rest of the surface and apply it after you stain.

It's much easier to use a filler that you can fill before staining, because it's a lot easier to sand the bare wood and bare filler than it is to sand filler down smooth on a stained surface without sanding the stain off of the wood too.

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