Assembly or Stain first?

[Pakaderm]

All,

I'm building a pretty standard book: 3/4" plywood case with dados for strength, hardwood face frame glued on, pins to hold the adjustable shelves.

My question is when to apply the stain/poly. Should I fully assemble it, glue on the face frame, add drill holes for the adjustable pins before staining, or should I stain individual parts first and assemble afterward?

Thanks,
-Pakaderm

[Black wallnut]

IMHO drill shelf pin holes prior to assembly and stain last.

[glencross]

assembly or stain first

I would drill the shelf pin holes first; then apply the 3 coats of stain: then assemble: then apply poly, after a final sanding etc of course.

[Tequila]

I just finished building the second of two small (2'Hx1'W,4"D) display cabinets this weekend.

For the first, I assembled before staining
For the second, I stained before assembling.
For both, I drilled adjustment holes before staining.

It took more time to do the second, because I had to tape off the glue areas and work with more pieces. But I'm much happier with the finish on the second one. On the first piece, the inside corners are a little darker from stain getting trapped. Nothing too bad, but definitely a difference between the two.

[ejs1097]

I'm also about ready to assemble a bookcase. with 3 shelves I made them non-adjustable and thought it's going to be a PITA to apply poly with it assembled. That said the the thickness of the poly can throw off measurements and fixing a scuff wouldn't be fun. Staining is another story.

This is my first plywood project as a furniture piece. I made the mistake of buying BORG oak at $40.00 instead of my lumber yard at $80.00. That stuff is so thin I was easily sanded through a shelf underside just removing pencil marks. I had to not sand as much as I wanted to ensure it didn't happen on a good side. I'm too afraid to try to stain it now and not matching with the hardwood trim.

[paulstenlund]

I find it much easier to stain first, no corners to work the stain into and no glue spots that don't take the stain well

Paul

[bthere]

For me, stain first and final finish (poly or whatever) after assembly. Like others have said, the corners look better without that extra puddle of stain that is hard to get out and without the light spots from the glue.

[drumpriest]

According to titebond, you should assemble before staining. The stain seals the wood and prevents a proper glue bond. Having said that, I think you could stain the shelves and sides without hitting the ends of the shelves or getting any in the dado, and that would probably be fine.

[Pakaderm]

Here's what I plan on doing:

1. drill adjustment holes
2. apply stain to case and face frame and shelves but not in the dados or on the edges which will have the face frame joined
3. assemble case
4. biscuit join the face frame to the case
5. apply poly to visible surfaces/shelves
EDIT:
6. take pictures
7. post on bt3central

Thanks,
-Pakaderm

[bthere]

Here's what I plan on doing:

1. drill adjustment holes
2. apply stain to case and face frame and shelves but not in the dados or on the edges which will have the face frame joined
3. assemble case
4. biscuit join the face frame to the case
5. apply poly to visible surfaces/shelves
EDIT:
6. take pictures
7. post on bt3central

Thanks,
-Pakaderm

That is pretty much the way I go. When staining, mask the shelves to just shy of the dado depth to make sure you get the color all the way to the end of the visible part of the shelf.

[JimD]

I almost never stain, especially oak which looks great without stain, but if I did I think I would stain the inside before assembly and the outside after assembly. If you have to take a little material off to make pieces sit flush after assembly, you will also take off your stain. It seems to me the positive points for staining first apply to the interior.

I like a plunge router for shelf pin holes with a NYW jig. Another good choice is to index your workpiece with a metal adjustable shelf standard and drill on the drill press. Each shelf location on these standards is exactly 1/2 inch from the one above or below it. I installed a piece on an MDF scrap that I can then clamp to my drillpress fence.

Jim