What I Use Instead of Wood Conditioner

Why should you use a wood conditioner? Let’s look at what it does, how to apply it, the drawbacks, and I’ll share the natural methods I use instead.

Wood Conditioner

Have you ever stained wood, and it ended up looking splotchy or blotchy? Almost like someone spilled bleach on it? 

The bad news is your wood project looks unattractive and unprofessional. The good news is, it’s not your fault. Some woods just don’t take stain very well. 

Let’s look at which woods are difficult to stain, how to use a store-bought wood conditioner to make wood stain evenly, and what I use instead of a pre-stain conditioner for my wood projects.

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Why Does Wood Get Blotchy?

Have you ever stained wood, and it ended up looking splotchy or blotchy? Almost like someone spilled bleach on it? 

The bad news is your wood project looks unattractive and unprofessional. The good news is, it’s not your fault.

Porous woods just don’t take stain very well. Think of a porous wood like a sponge. But not just any sponge. A sponge that has areas with different densities. 

Now let’s apply some stain to the surface of our sponge. The stain will soak into the areas of the sponge that are less dense. The stain will stay closer to the surface in the areas where the sponge is denser.

The same thing happens when we apply stain to woods that are porous. What we end up with is an ugly piece of splotchy, blotchy wood.

Both softwoods and hardwoods can be porous. Porous softwoods include pine, fir, alder, and birch. Porous hardwoods include maple.

Is there anything we can do to make porous woods stain evenly?

Yes. We can apply a wood conditioner.

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What Does a Wood Conditioner Do?

A wood conditioner or pre-stain conditioner helps wood to stain more evenly. It works by preventing the stain from soaking too deeply into the wood.

There are some drawbacks to using a wood conditioner. First, in my experience, store-bought wood conditioners produce a lighter stain color.

Sometimes they don’t always work. In other words, the wood may still end up with a splotchy, blotchy look.

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Types of Wood Conditioner

Store-bought wood conditioners are available in oil-based and water-based. 

The rule of thumb is to match the pre-stain conditioner to the type of stain we plan to use for our project. 

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Oil-Based Wood Conditioner

We should use an oil-based conditioner if we plan to use an oil-based stain.

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Water-Based Wood Conditioner

We should use a water-based conditioner if we plan to use a water-based stain.

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When Should You Use a Wood Conditioner?

We should use a wood conditioner any time we plan to stain interior projects made with porous woods like pine, fir, alder, birch, and maple

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Is Wood Conditioner Necessary for Pine?

Yes. Pine is a porous wood and prone to blotching. It’s necessary to condition pine in order for it to stain evenly.

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How to Apply Wood Conditioner

• Start by smoothing the wood with sandpaper
• Apply the wood conditioner with a brush or clean rag
• Allow the conditioner to soak into the wood for 5-15 minutes and wipe off the excess
• A second coat of wood conditioner might be needed for some difficult to stain woods 
• It’s important to apply the stain within 15 minutes to two hours (follow directions for your specific conditioner)
• The wood conditioner may lose effectiveness if the stain is not applied during this time
• The conditioner will cause the stain color to be lighter than anticipated
• A second coat of stain may be needed

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Do You Sand After Applying Wood Conditioner?

Oil-based wood conditioners do not need to be sanded. Just apply, allow it to soak in, and remove any excess with a clean rag.

Water-based products, like water-based wood conditioners, raise the grain of the wood. This means the surface of the wood is no longer smooth. 

Water-based wood conditioners need to be sanded to smooth the wood.

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Do You Let Wood Conditioner Dry Before Staining?

No. The stain should be applied within 15 minutes to two hours after applying the conditioner. The wood conditioner may lose effectiveness if the stain is not applied during this time.

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What I Use Instead of a Wood Conditioner

Store-bought wood conditioners help prevent wood from getting blotchy when a stain is applied.

But store-bought pre-stain conditioners have some drawbacks. 

• They cause the stain color to be lighter.
• They need to be applied in a certain window of time.
• They can lose effectiveness if they are not applied during that window.

I prefer to use natural alternatives to store-bought wood conditioners. And you can make a few of them with stuff you have in your kitchen.

I prefer to condition my hard-to-stain wood projects with a tea stain, coffee stain, or a homemade black walnut stain.

But here’s the thing. I don’t know the exact science behind why they work, but I do know they work. 

It could be that these natural conditioners help to fill the pores of the porous woods. 

Or it could be because of the way they react with the tannins in the wood.

Wood contains tannic acid. Tannic acid contributes to the color of the wood. Typically lighter woods have less tannic acid and darker woods have more tannic acid.

Tea and coffee also contain tannins. The tannins in tea and coffee react with the tannins in the wood. 

In my experience, this reaction:

• Evens out the tone of the wood
• Helps to reduce blotchiness
• Gives the wood a uniform, warm color
• Works well with oil-based stains

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Tea Stain

• Made with water and black tea
• My favorite method to pre-condition wood projects

Related: How to Make a Tea Stain

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Black Walnut Stain

• Made with water and black walnuts or black walnut hull powder
• Can be used to pre-condition wood or as a stain

Related: How to Make a DIY Black Walnut Stain 

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Coffee Stain

• Made with water and coffee
• Can be used to pre-condition wood or as a stain
• Gives wood a warm, caramel tone

Related: How to Stain Wood With Coffee

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Final Thoughts

Wood stained without a wood conditioner can end up looking splotchy or blotchy. Store-bought pre-stain conditioners help wood to accept stain more evenly, but they have some drawbacks.

They cause the color of the stain to be lighter. They need to be applied in a certain window of time. And they can lose effectiveness if they are not applied during that window.

I prefer to use natural alternatives to store-bought wood conditioners. And you can make them with stuff you have in your kitchen.

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