Prelude Oil Base Application Guide
1. Surface Preparation
All surfaces should be clean and free
from all dirt and oils. Fill all nail holes with putty before
sanding. Sand surface using #150-#180 grade fine-grit sandpaper.
If you are finishing a piece made of closed grained hardwood,
such as Maple or Birch, use #120 grade sandpaper. The coarser
paper will open up the hard surface to more easily accept stain.
Remove all the dust by vacuuming or wiping with a lint-free cloth
or tack cloths.
2. Drying Information
Prelude Stains and Top Coats can dry
in 6-8 hours under ideal conditions (70% - 75% humidity). Cooler
temperatures or higher humidity may extend the time needed for
drying up to 12-24 hours or longer. Basements, even with a furnace,
fireplace, and dehumidifier, are the worst environments for drying.
Provide good ventilation and air movement with a fan to greatly
improve dry time. If a stain coat is dry, you should be able to
wipe your hand across the surface without feeling any tackiness.
If your top coat is dry, sanding will produce a white powder.
3. Staining
Stains can be applied using a foam brush,
bristle brush, paint pad applicator, or a lint-free cloth. Wipe
or brush on stain with your applicator. Then remove excess stain
by wiping with a clean cloth. It is important to wipe off the
stain thoroughly and consistently (in the direction of the grain)
to get an evenly stained surface. A second coat, applied after
the first one is dry, will give you a darker and deeper color.
No more than two coats are recommended. Do not sand a stain coat,
only top coats.
Note: The white colorant in White
Mist is titanium dioxide, which penetrates far less than the earth
clay pigments found in all other stain colors. White stain is
often called pickling stain as it lets much of the wood color
show through. It is not paint and will not cover like paint. Apply
White Mist as directed above. Be sure to wipe off the excess well
to prevent lifting during the application of the top coat. A second
coat will add a little more color. Let White Mist dry for 24 hours
before a second coat or top coats.
4. Applying Top
Coats
Prelude's Top Coats are made with the highest
quality pure urethane resin. They are as durable as polyurethane,
but because of their thinner viscosity, urethanes are much easier
to apply. Apply the top coat with a lint-free cloth, foam brush,
or paint pad applicator, moving with the direction of the grain.
For large surfaces, apply a liberal coat as quickly as possible,
evening out surface with long, smooth strokes. When evening out
the top coat, keep your applicator wet to provide lubrication. A
dry applicator can drag on the surface and cause skid streaks. (These
streaks may be easily removed after the surface has dried by buffing
well and recoating). Buff between top coats with '0000' steel wool
or #320 or finer grade sandpaper to produce a smooth surface. A
minimum of 3 top coats is recommended.
5. Maintenance
and Care
It's important to let your final coat cure
for a period of 14 days to reach optimum hardness. You may use you
project sooner, just treat it with special care during the curing
period. To maintain the finish use Prelude's Orange Oil, Lemon Oil,
or Creme Polish or just a damp cloth. Paste wax is not recommended,
because it builds up and yellows, thus becoming a maintenance problem.
Note To rejuvenate
an old dull finish, simply clean surface well with mineral sprits
and '0000' steel wool and apply one of Prelude's Top Coats.
