Replies

1. 
   peter28 | May 16, 2008 03:23pm | #1

   One way is to stain it a deep dark color. A gel stain would work better in this instance than something like a minwax stain as they will produce a more opaque surface. You can always stain twice to deepen the color.

   Another option to the above is to wash coat it prior to staining. This is simply a very thin sealer that will help even out the color.

   A great product for this is SealCoat which is a pale dewaxed shellac. Using denatured alcohol to dilute it, cut it about 3 parts alcohol  to one part shellac. Lay a coat of this on with a soft lint free rag or even a paper towel folded over a couple of times. It will dry very quickly and can be followed with the stain in short order. Try a couple of combinations of this washcoat such as 5050 on a sample to see the differences in appearance. 

   The only way to determine what you want to see is to make some samples first. It might take a little while, but it is nothing compared to stripping the rail if it is not acceptable.

   Another option is paint.

   Good luck.

   Peter