Step 1 - Prep the Surface

• Pour 1-part denatured alcohol (or rubbing alcohol) and 1-part water into a spray bottle or bowl.  Wipe surface down with mixture.

Step 2 - Paint It

• Apply one coat of Retique It® Light Wood as your base coat.
• Make your final strokes long and even. (Stay consistent with the direction you want the grain)
• Clean your brush while you give the project 2 hours to dry completely.  If you are limited on time, then use a blow dryer (Dry time may take as little as 15 minutes with the use of a blow dryer on high heat)
• Apply a second coat of light wood.
• Clean your brush while you give the project another 2 hours to dry completely (Consider using a blow dryer again)
• Move your hand over the surface, if any bumps or specs are detected, then lightly sand them smooth.

Step 3 - Stain It

With Retique It® Water-based Gel Stain

• Put on protective gloves (Optional)
• Thoroughly stir your stain.
• Get out your yellow sponge applicator to wipe on your Retique It® water-based gel stain. (Make sure you wet your sponge with clean water and squeeze out just prior to staining as this will prevent streaks)
• If you're staining a very large surface (like a dining room tabletop), then keep a bowl of water on hand to dip and lightly squeeze excess out.  Always remember to generously dip your sponge into the stain.  Never overwork your stain or allow your sponge to get dry.  Using a dry sponge to apply Retique It® waterbased gel stain may cause streaking.
• Wipe on your stain in long even strokes going in the direction of your grain.
• Allow stain to dry. If you want a darker shade apply more layers allowing each layer to fully dry. (Pulling the stain off is optional, not usually necessary)
• Allow the last layer of stain to dry for at least an hour (Using a blow dryer on high heat may shorten your dry time to under 10 minutes for each layer of stain)



To Get a Darker Finish



Each time you layer another coat of Retique It® Waterbased Gel Stain, the finish will become darker and richer.

You can just stick with one coat, or layer up to 4 coats of the same color stain that comes in your kit. Another option is to layer different colors of Retique It® Gel Stain to give you a completely custom color finish.

Love It

Wood Grain Kit Options

Paint It

Grain It ^(Optional)

For Weathered and Rustic finishes only

If you ordered a Brushed Finish Kit, then you can skip this step. A graining tool is not included in the Brushed Finish Kit.

The graining tool is used to get a pronounced grain.

NOTE: If you received 2 liquid wood shades in a kit, then the smaller container of liquid wood should be used as the graining coat.

Rustic Kits come with Dark Wood for graining.
Weathered Kits come with Bleached Wood for graining.

• Apply a thin coat of either Dark or Bleached Liquid Wood in small sections at a time about the size of a wood plank. This is so that the Liquid Wood does not have time to dry before you grain it.
• While the liquid wood is still wet, pull your graining tool in long even strokes across the entire piece.  Rolling the graining tool up or down will create the grain variation and knots. Do not stop when pulling the graining tool from one end of the surface to the other.  Try keeping one long continuous movement.  
• Wipe your graining tool off with a damp paper towel between strokes.
• If you don't like the grain, then pull the graining tool over it again. If you still don't like it, then paint more liquid wood over it and start on that stroke again.
• Wash your brush while you allow your project to dry for 2 hours or use a blow dryer to speed up your dry time.

Read more

Stain It

With Retique It® Water-based Gel Stain

• Put on protective gloves (Optional)
• Thoroughly stir your stain.
• Get out your yellow sponge applicator to wipe on your Retique It® water-based gel stain. (Make sure you wet your sponge with clean water and squeeze out just prior to staining as this will prevent streaks)
• If you're staining a very large surface (like a dining room tabletop), then keep a bowl of water on hand to dip and lightly squeeze excess out.  Always remember to generously dip your sponge into the stain.  Never overwork your stain or allow your sponge to get dry.  Using a dry sponge to apply Retique It® waterbased gel stain may cause streaking.
• Wipe on your stain in long even strokes going in the direction of your grain.
• Allow stain to dry. If you want a darker shade apply more layers allowing each layer to fully dry. (Pulling the stain off is optional, not usually necessary)
• Allow the last layer of stain to dry for at least an hour (Using a blow dryer on high heat may shorten your dry time to under 10 minutes for each layer of stain)

Read more

Show It

Watch Step-by-Step Demo