Water-Based Gel Stains by Retique It (8 Ounce Stain, 10 Classic Black)

I do a lot of diy projects and this process was easy even if you’re a diy novice. The kit comes with an instruction card with QR code to watch a demo video so you’re fully prepared before starting. Follow the steps as outlined and you will be fine. The only thing i would add is that I had to recaulk because I scraped off the old gunk to have a clean surface to start my project. I caulked before adding my topcoat and would suggest doing it afterwards. Because I used a silicone based caulk (to protect against water, mold etc. especially around the faucet and sink) it doesn’t take the topcoat well. It beads up on top of the silicone, I simply just did not think about it before caulking. I would say caulk as your final step to be on the safe side. I used the pickled oak color, wanted to go for the butcher block look with my countertops. The stain has some gray undertones, I didn’t mind but something to consider for your overall look and finish. The stain and wood grain tool does add depth and gives the look and feel of real wood. My kitchen looks brand new for less than $200!

I used this to transform a fake light wood countertop into darker wood. It was my first time, so it was an adventure. The product itself works great and really does look like wood. One mistake I made (user error) was using painter tape, which ended pulling up some of the paint that was already so perfect. :( But I was able to patch up those spots, and it just made the wood look a little more rustic and reclaimed. Next time, I'll forgo any taping off, because it's water-based and I can just clean up anything it touches with just a wet paper towel or Q-tip (which I ended still needing to do anyway). I did also buy a top coat for a little more sheen and protection. Not sure it needed it, as a top coat is built in to the product, but since I'll be placing things directly on top of it and moving stuff around, I wanted it to be a little more protected.

I have used this on so many different DIY projects and it always turns out looking great. I love that. The finish looks like real wood, even without using the word grain rubber piece. It is a little pricey, but it is definitely worth the price. easy to apply, not such a strong smell. i've used it inside and outside and the smell doesn't bother me. would recommend sanding before using cause I did put this over a painted cabinet and it has peeled some but very minimal.

Oh my goodness … YES!I wanted a wood mantel when we moved into our builder grade new build. So when I say everything was white, everything was white.It was so easy to do, and the instructions were simple to follow. The brush they supply was perfect and so nice to have.When I applied the last step which was the stain gel, even the small imperfect sweeps of my brush just added to the uniqueness of the project and made it more wood like.There is no smell associated with this type of paint, stain treatment so I was able to do it with my kids playing close by and without opening windows.I would highly recommend this for anyone looking to get a wood finish. It is so much easier and more cost effective than refinishing something with actual wood.I did choose to do without the graining tool to get a more brush finish.We will definitely be utilizing this again for our wood accents

As someone who frequently paints and stains, most of the product isn’t worth the money. The primer is decent and will leave some good wood grain. The stain however is very hard to work with. It dries too fast to work with for faux wood. It just looks streaky, not like wood. If you need a darker color, so more then one coat of stain, definitely do not buy. The layers get tacky looking and even more streaky. I’d recommend buying the primer only and using a real stain.

I was not convinced this would work but it did! The finished project is perfect!

Loved everything except the brush! We wanted to give our builder-grade mantel a little more charm, and overall we were really happy with the results. On my first attempt, the brush that came with the kit didn’t spread the stain very far, and I wasn’t loving how it looked. I ended up repainting everything with the primer and bought a firmer stain brush from Home Depot instead. That made a huge difference! It was much easier to create the long, even strokes recommended in the directions. I’m a little bummed that I wasted product on the first attempt, but overall I really liked both the primer and stain.

Love this, redid my desk and it looks like real wood!