$3676
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Apply for a Home Depot Consumer Card- Conditions interior wood surfaces to prep for oil based stain
- Seals soft or porous wood for a smooth, even wood stain finish
- Easy to use, high solid formula covers up to 220 sq. ft./quart
Product Details
Specifications
Questions & Answers
46Questions
Q:Can this wood conditioner be used prior to Varathane Ultimate Water-Based Polyurethane, or does it have to be the oil-based version?
by|Jan 26, 2023
1 Answer
Q:Drying time before stain application
by|Jan 14, 2023
1 Answer
Q:After this is applied how long should you weigh to put on the stain?
by|Dec 31, 2022
1 Answer
Q:I know it says interior but can it be used on exterior wood such as shutters before staining.
by|Dec 15, 2022
1 Answer
Showing 1-4 of 46
Dec 21, 2022
Must have.
This is a must have for staining soft woods like pine. It really helps to keep the stain from blotching.
by
May 25, 2022
I conditioned, stained and varathaned my custom workbench. Had several...
I conditioned, stained and varathaned my custom workbench. Had several tell me it was more of a household piece that a garage piece! Ha *came out good.
by
May 8, 2022
Glad that I started with this product
Only giving 4 stars due to lack of information available from Rustoleum on this product. However, we achieved the look we were going after. We decided to buy unfinished cabinets for the kitchen. If our stain doesn't work out, we'll still paint with oil based paints. But, we wanted to try to create a natural look using the money we spent. We definitely followed the directions. Against the grain. It was nice to see the difference of the conditioner before our eyes.
by
Apr 27, 2022
Good product, (probably 30 minutes- MAX)
Seems like an alright product? I had never used before. I wanted to stain birch to look like walnut. I was told at my local HD store that this wood conditioner opens the pores of the wood to absorb the stain, (or create an even absorption).
Was told the pictures of my project, (after this conditioner and four coats of stain), look good but I'm not happy with it.
I did sand prior, but think I left this on too long? I also think I should have gone with a gel wood stain. Hopefully the Varathane stain poly will make it look better to me.
by
Apr 23, 2022
Blotchy
I used this as directed and the aged walnut stain for my butcher block for a desk and it turned out blotchy. So disappointing
by
Response from Rust-OleumSupportApr 25, 2022
Oh no, not something we like to hear. Varathane Premium Wood Conditioner is designed to prep soft or porous woods before staining. Apply with a brush or clean, lint-free cloth. Apply the conditioner across the grain until the wood is saturated on top. Wipe the excess wood conditioner off in the direction of the wood grain, do not let the conditioner dry before wiping off the excess. Allow the conditioner to penetrate for 30 minutes before staining. Give us a call at 800-901-0411 so we can hear more about your application and try to make things right.
- Rust-Oleum Product Support 6
- Rust-Oleum Product Support 6
Mar 29, 2022
Don’t get!
I have used pre conditioner before with another brand and was very disappointed in this product. The fumes were awful and it took hours to dry! I had one area where there was no pre conditioner and when I stained it and another area that had pre conditioner, the pre conditioner was blotchy-it had the opposite effect (image shows the left side where the pre-conditioner was used). Now I have to re-sand the floors again and start again-so frustrating!
by
Response from Rust-OleumSupportMar 30, 2022
Oh no, not something we like to hear Anna. For best results using Varathane Premium Wood Conditioner, apply the conditioner across the grain until the wood is saturated on top. Wipe the excess wood conditioner off in the direction of the wood grain. Do not let the conditioner dry before wiping off the excess. Allow the conditioner to penetrate for 30 minutes before staining. Give us a call at 800-901-0411 so we can hear more about your application and try to make things right.
- Rust-Oleum Product Support 6
- Rust-Oleum Product Support 6
Mar 17, 2021
Not what I expected
I stripped and sanded an antique oak cabinet. I was under the impression that I needed to add conditioner to the piece. The conditioner has darkened the oak and I planned to add a white oak stain to the wood. Now the doors are darker than the cabinet that was just sanded. I would not recommend applying this conditioner to oak wood.
by
Response from Rust-OleumSupportMar 19, 2021
Thank you for sharing your experience using our Varathane Pre-Stain Wood Conditioner. This product is designed to even out the porosity of porous woods such as pine, maple, alder, fir, and birch, since staining these woods directly can result in a splotchy or uneven appearance. Oak does not typically require a pre-stain conditioner, however, applying this product and wiping the excess according to the label instructions should not result in any change in the color of the wood surface. - Rust-Oleum Product Support 2
Feb 3, 2021
Disappointing
I bought this just after HD stopped selling the OTHER stuff, on the recommendation of a paint aisle person who said it was just as good.
To be safe, I tested this alongside its competitor on clean, 220-sanded pieces of 1 x 6 radiata pine and cherry, with the recommended penetration times of 30 minutes for this and 15 for the other stuff.
In both tests the the Varathane side was unacceptably blotchy while other stuff eliminated virtually all blotching with half the penetration time.
I will be returning this can as defective.
by
Response from Rust-OleumSupportFeb 5, 2021
We appreciate the feedback about the Rust-Oleum Varathane Wood Conditioner, Don. Keep in mind that the excess wood conditioner does need to wiped away to avoid getting a blotchy finish. - Rust-Oleum Product Support 5
Dec 23, 2020
DO NOT BUY
This product does not work. I ran out of MinWax pre-stain conditioner and swapped some of this in. Came out just how I suspected. Luckily this is the inside of the door that no one will see. I urge anyone to avoid this product as it will cause blotching. See photos for comparison between MinWax and Varathane.
by
Response from Rust-OleumSupportDec 28, 2020
Oh no, that's not what we like to see, Adam! Please give us a call at 800-901-0411 to talk with us further about your application with Rust-Oleum Varathane Wood Conditioner. We hope you will give us a chance to try to make things right with you!
- Rust-Oleum Product Support 3
- Rust-Oleum Product Support 3
Jul 25, 2020
Use this if you want to ruin your project
after issues with three different projects now all of them preconditioned there seems to be a common theme. The wood conditioner saturates the wood to a level that it doesn't absorb as much stain as it should and resulting in a tacky residue left over when the stain dries. to test the theory I stained a fourth project without putting any conditioner on it and had no issues at all. conditioner leaves the wood exactly the way it says it's not supposed to, incredibly blotchy.
by
Response from Rust-OleumSupportJul 27, 2020
Oh no, we understand your frustration! Please keep in mind that any excess of the Rust-Oleum Varathane Wood Conditioner needs to be wiped away to ensure proper drying and absorption. - Rust-Oleum Product Support 5
Compare Similar Wood Conditioners
Top Rated |  |  | |
| Brand | Varathane | Varathane | Varathane |
| Name | 8 oz. Wood Conditioner (4-Pack) | 1 qt. Wood Conditioner (2-Pack) | 1 qt. Classic Water-Based Pre-Stain Wood Conditioner (2-Pack) |
| Price | $3592 | $3676 | $3676 |
| Ratings | (366) | (366) | (80) |
| Application Method | Brush | Brush | Brush |
| Container Size | 8 Ounce | 1 Quart | 1 Quart |
| Coverage Area (sq. ft.) | 55 sq ft | 220 sq ft | 125 sq ft |
| View Product | View Product | View Product |
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