I found the secret to staining ultra-thirsty wood... pre-stain conditioner. It made ALL the difference. Thank you internet, for solving my problem.
Yesterday I did another 2 layers of white ceiling paint on the inside, applied the conditioner, then stained the outside and touched up a few spots. The stain is a little messier than it should have been, because for parts of it I was literally wiping the stain as fast as possible before it dried, while holding a toddler back with my bare foot. Pretty sure it would have made for a great "funniest home videos" clip. I managed to finish it without any cursing, mostly.
Anyway, in the light of the next day, I'm happy enough with the results. Am I actually letting go of perfectionism with this project?? YES. It's my first wood refinishing project, plus every time I look at the imperfections I'll be reminded of a certain rambunctious 2.75-year-old.
I'm also loving the creamy white on the inside. It's our leftover ceiling paint from (8 years ago??) when we moved in, so there were some chunks in it, but it was free! Aquarium enthusiasts online were fans of a matte white interior, because it reflects and amplifies the sump's light. I'll have a sump in there, just for breeding shrimp, but they and their plants will have a light.
Today's goal is to get about 3 layers of waterproofing onto the thing. If I can get it finished by tonight, then my husband will still be around in the morning to help me move the stand and tank inside. If not, then I will have to wait a whole week.
A half pint lasted me one layer on the outside and half a layer on the inside. The wood was still quite thirsty even after the pre-stain and stain! After seeing the results on the inside, I'm not entirely sure that it is meant to be used over ceiling paint. And it tore up my sponge brush, and made tons of bubbles... I have no idea why the internet would say that a sponge brush is the best for smoothing out bubbles, it sucks!! Eh, I'll just add it to the long list of mistakes I have made on the project so far. Off to the hardware store again...
Yesterday I did another 2 layers of white ceiling paint on the inside, applied the conditioner, then stained the outside and touched up a few spots. The stain is a little messier than it should have been, because for parts of it I was literally wiping the stain as fast as possible before it dried, while holding a toddler back with my bare foot. Pretty sure it would have made for a great "funniest home videos" clip. I managed to finish it without any cursing, mostly.
Anyway, in the light of the next day, I'm happy enough with the results. Am I actually letting go of perfectionism with this project?? YES. It's my first wood refinishing project, plus every time I look at the imperfections I'll be reminded of a certain rambunctious 2.75-year-old.
I'm also loving the creamy white on the inside. It's our leftover ceiling paint from (8 years ago??) when we moved in, so there were some chunks in it, but it was free! Aquarium enthusiasts online were fans of a matte white interior, because it reflects and amplifies the sump's light. I'll have a sump in there, just for breeding shrimp, but they and their plants will have a light.
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| Really amplifies the light! |
Today's goal is to get about 3 layers of waterproofing onto the thing. If I can get it finished by tonight, then my husband will still be around in the morning to help me move the stand and tank inside. If not, then I will have to wait a whole week.
A half pint lasted me one layer on the outside and half a layer on the inside. The wood was still quite thirsty even after the pre-stain and stain! After seeing the results on the inside, I'm not entirely sure that it is meant to be used over ceiling paint. And it tore up my sponge brush, and made tons of bubbles... I have no idea why the internet would say that a sponge brush is the best for smoothing out bubbles, it sucks!! Eh, I'll just add it to the long list of mistakes I have made on the project so far. Off to the hardware store again...
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