Beacon staircase

[doclac]

I am new to this, starting minimadness with the  Beacon, after a couple of independent room builds.

Question: Some advise staining and varnishing the stair parts BEFORE assembly, others after assembly,per  web research.

Your thoughts appreciated!

 

[Mid-life madness]

It is entirely your call.

I tend to be messy with the glue, and the glue marks do not take stain.....staining first then gluing is the main reason it is done first.

[KathieB]

3 hours ago, doclac said:

Question: Some advise staining and varnishing the stair parts BEFORE assembly, others after assembly,per  web research.

 

2 hours ago, Mid-life madness said:

I tend to be messy with the glue, and the glue marks do not take stain.....staining first then gluing is the main reason it is done first.

My call would be to stain before assembly and varnishing after assembly for two reasons.

1) I think the gluing stained surface to stained surface would create a stronger bond than gluing varnished surface to varnished surface.

2) The varnish or polyurethane clear coat will fill in the seams where parts fit together, eliminating the paper-thin gaps and resulting in a neater looking finished surface. 

[havanaholly]

I make a lot of my own mini furniture, too; so I definitely stain first (after carefully sanding) and then glue after the stain is throughly dry.

[doclac]

Thank you to all who replied. You  are in sync: stain first, assemble second. THANK YOU all!

[havanaholly]

As Carrie says, stain and glue don't like each other.