To Stain or To Paint...that was the question

Now comes the big decision...to paint or stain. We decided to buy wood so that we would have options.  Off to the store I went not even thinking that the rail had to have a special notch cut in the bottom to rest on the chair rail.  Do you know how hard that is to find?  VERY!  Finally I found it, the only way we could get it was in a pack which contained both the top and bottom rail for the wainscoting.  It was much cheaper than I expected so I didn't mind have a leftover piece (I'm sure i'll find a project for that...maybe a picture frame?)   

I loved the look of the pine wood...smelled good too!

As you already know we did decide to stain the wood.  Our thought was that if we didn't like it we could still paint it.  So we pulled out the can of stain that matches all the other wood in the house.

Minwax English Chestnut

We used cheese cloth to wipe on and wipe off the stain.  

Once it was dry we experimented with a new product (at least new to us), spray polyerethane by Minwax.  It is quick drying.  When something says quick drying i'm often skeptical but this really was!  We sprayed a few layers but it so easy and quick!  We will definitely use this product again!

Here is the finished chair rail...don't you love it!  There's something so beautiful about stained wood!

  Ever stain and get some on your hands?  Did you know Goo Gone removes it? Gotta love Goo Gone!  

To see the chair rail in its new home visit here.