Staining trim
Sand the trim and clean it with alcohol. Sand to remove dings, dents, and imperfections. Then sand all the trim to create a smooth surface, starting with 120-grit sandpaper. Follow with 180-grit to remove the marks left by the 120-grit, and finish with a 220-grit. Between sanding wipe up the dust with a rag dampened with denatured alcohol.
Repair anything you can not sand away. Although patches will never match the rest of the wood perfectly, damaged wood looks far worse. Fill dents and gashes with stainable putty. Even them off with a putty knife or you thumb. Let the patches dry and, if any of them shrink while drying, path again. Sand smooth and wipe with a rag dipped in a denatured alcohol.
Apply a conditioner. Soft woods, such as pine, look blotchy when stained. Prevent this by bushing on a thinned finish sold as "wood conditioner." The directions usually advise to let it dry 15 minutes to 2 hrs. Many painters will admit they have better luck if they wait about 10 minutes, and few agree to wait over 2 hours. By then the resin in the conditioner have dried out, and you can barely stain the wood. If this happens, sand the surface, and re-apply the conditioner again. Also, you can avoid the need for conditioner by using gel stains.
Brush on stain. Brush on the stain, let it soak in a bit, and then wipe it off, following the directions on the container. Old cloth are perfect fro wiping. If the color is not dark enough, then wait the recommended time and re-apply a second coat. If you are using a gel stain, apply it with a sponge. The if off using a brush instead of a rag.
Apply the varnish. Brush the varnish onto a short section of trim. Go back over it quickly and lightly to brush out imperfections. Over brushing leaves brush marks. Le the varnish dry according to the time line given. Sand it with a 220-grit sandpaper to smooth it. Once you sand, wipe down with a rag dipped in a denatured alcohol, and apply another coat of varnish. Three coats are recommended for a long lasting result.
