1. Find your best match: in a discreet area, sand off a small amount (approx. 0.5” x 0.5”) of coating down to the bare wood. Select 3-4 of the closest Stain Touch Up colors and apply 1 stroke to the bare wood area. Choose the color that matches your surface.
* Two or more Stain Touch Ups can be mixed together for a more exact match. Remove the inner plug and pour a small amount of each stain onto a plate or disposable container. Slowly add the darker color to the lighter color, testing along the way, applying the new stain color to the exposed wood with enclosed clean touch up brush, until you have found the perfect match.
2. Clean surface with mild detergent to remove oils, grease or dust. Scrape off edges or raised areas. Remove any loose paint, stain or wood and gently sand the area starting with 80-grit, followed by 120-grit, then 240-grit. Always sand in the direction of the grain, and sand in straight lines. Vacuum and/or wipe away dust with enclosed tack cloth after each sanding.
3. Open wood filler and puncture tip with cap. Slowly fill cracks or grooves with wood filler, slightly overfilling above the surface. Scrape excess wood filler from surface. Allow to dry to 1 hour or until visibly dry to touch (various based on size of groove).
4. Sand with 80-grit sandpaper, followed by 120-grit, then 240-grit. Wipe sanding dust with tack cloth.
5. Shake bottle for at least 10 seconds to thoroughly mix up the stain.
6. Apply stain over defect only, attempting to minimize overlap with existing coating. If overlap occurs, gently wipe excess stain with a damp cloth while it’s still wet. Dry for 30 minutes. For a darker finish, apply additional coats, drying to touch in between. For a more transparent stain, mix with water.
7. Choose your clear coat: How shiny is your surface? Is there no sheen, a bit of glare or is it extremely glossy? Use our chart to find out which clear coat you should choose:
* No shine or gloss = No clear coat needed, the stain offers a matte finish
* Very little shine = Satin
* A small amount of shine = Semi-Gloss
* Very shiny (like a new car) = High-Gloss
* You can also test all 3 clear coats over your discreet area, allowing to dry for about 10 minutes, to determine your best match.
8. Once you find your match, apply Clear Coat Touch Up over the stain in long smooth strokes, trying to eliminate visible brush strokes. Allow to dry overnight before exposing surface to normal wear.
NOTE: To refinish your “test” area, sand down the coating to the bare wood, then follow the rest of the instructions by applying a stain and clear coat over the bare area to blend it with the surrounding surface.
