staining plywood?

Question

I built a bed for my 4-year old. My wife wanted to paint it, so I just built it out of plywood. Now she wants to stain it instead. Will it look stupid to stain the edges, ie the plies?

LOL, when I said "she wants to stain it", I suppose I should have written "she wants ME to stain it".... :-)

Answer 1

You can buy a roll of veneer that sticks on the edges . when you are staining the sides just stain the veneer and it will look like the sides.They make it in a wood grain so you can pick the closest one to the wood you are using.
Hope this helps.
Good luck

Answer 2

Finishing Plywood Edges

Answer 3

Plywood edges, because of the edge grain and holes/gaps which you might be filling in, will accept stain very unevenly. You may not like the resulting finish. One way around this is to apply a wood veneer over the plywood edge. Here is an example - http://www.acehardwareoutlet.com/(qym3bwqsdemabqesxggvc3yk)/ProductDetails.aspx?SKU=5005178&Source=froogle . Choose a wood veneer that matches your plywood. There is adhesive on the back of the veneer strip so apply it just like tape. Use a razor blade to carefully trim to your plywood thickness. Then stain. Since this is real wood, it will take stain very evenly and look nice. I know your 4-year old will love it! I hope your wife likes it! Hmmm...you say "Now she wants to stain it ". Give her some latex gloves so her fingers don't turn BROWN! Have fun! :-)

Answer 4

If you don't want to use a veneer as recommend. I would suggest if it is possible to use a router and a round over bit and round over all the visible plywood edges. Any voids fill with stain-able wood filler then sand all edges smooth. Note you will want to sand the edges 2 grits finer than what you use on the flat surfaces. Before you stain the plywood if you used pine plywood you will want to use a pre- stain conditioner. I use Minwax wood conditioner for oil base as your stain is oil based. I do this all the time with plywood instead of applying veneer when making tops.

Answer 5

I'd paint it. Plywood isn't very pretty and it's made with adhesives and chemicals I wouldn't want on my skin. It can also give you splinters and is absorbent so will absorb anything you spill on it and that will make it even less attractive. Several layers of paint will seal all that stuff away from your body. You could also paint a "rug" as elaborate or simple as you wanted to make it look decorative. Be sure to clean it well and let it dry to prepare it for painting. You could also fill in any low areas or knots with fixall before painting. I ripped out my carpets years ago and for a time lived on painted plywood floors. With all my animals they were blessedly easy to clean after dealing with dirt-trap carpet...

Answer 6

Without knowing the thickness of the Ply...3/4, 1/2, Why not just buy unfinished flat/beveled edged molding, and attach it to edges, then stain everything alike.

Not only will it help aesthetically, but won't be any more odd looking than much else you might try.

Steven Wolf

I guess for a piece of furniture, I would have chosen Birch Veneer Ply.

Answer 7

The best fastest way is to apply a solid wood moulding to the edges of the plwood then stain it.
P.S. It's easier to sand the moulding before you attach it!

Answer 8

yes... it will look bad.
the only thing to do, to finish the job properly is to buy some small timber and fix over the edges where the ply's are exposed. stain to match colour of ply then varnish.