MinwaxPolyShades Wood Stain + Polyurethane Finish – Quart, Bombay Mahogany, Satin

My home was built in the 70s and has that awful walnut-stained pine trim that apparently was so popular back then but just tends to look dirty and unfinished. I priced replacing all the trim in the house (eek) and instead decided to simply paint it. Someone suggested PolyShades instead, I tried it, and was sold.Pros:It's easy to apply: You dust off the wood (or clean it if necessary and let it dry), scuff it lightly with some sandpaper, then apply the stain with a rag or brush. I let it set for a second, then (lightly) smooth off the excess. That's about it.It's beautiful when finished: I chose Bombay Mahogany, which is a very dark brown with purple highlights, so not a lot of the wood grain shows through. It's a really rich, beautiful color that goes well with the "oiled bronze" finishes that have been popular lately.Nice finish: The surface has a satin finish that's very nice and needs no further treatment.Cons (more like "just be awares")Don't stop at one coat. I don't know about the other colors in the PolyShades palette, but this color definitely needs TWO applications. With just one, the finish is very splotchy when it dries.I've tried applying it on bare wood, and bare wood with sanding sealer, and bare wood with a layer of varnish underneath. The coated wood SHOULD have smoothed out any uneven absorption of stain, making the coloring more even, but it didn't. So just be prepared to purchase enough for at least two coats on whatever you're doing.Fumes. It has a definite odor and can make you dizzy if you apply it in a small, enclosed space, so make sure you follow the safety directions and have lots of good ventilation.Not as durable as old-fashioned stain+varnish: This IS a surface treatment, i.e., when you apply it on a previously varnished surface, it doesn't soak in. It will NOT last as long as if you'd removed the previous coatings down to bare wood and then applied it.Several years after application, it's worn away on the tops of our stair rails, and chipped off where the vacuum cleaner rubs against it. We just clean those areas and reapply, so it's good to keep a small can around.I think some of the reviewers who gave Polyshades a low rating were expecting the same level of soak-in/adhere/durability as you'd get doing this with standard Minwax stains, and it's just not going to happen--not the same product at all.Availability. I used to get this at Home Depot, but they've dropped this line. After calling around, Amazon was the only place I could find that actually had it in stock. I took the precaution of buying extra just in case because you WILL be touching it up over the years.

This poly/stain made the cheapest wood look and feel luxuriant. I have tried to do this in the past with cheap wood with much lesser results using other products. Works great if you remember to stir it occasionally as you are applying.

Exact shade needed, great price and easy to use. Always top quality.

I refinish furniture and recently undertook a big project-refinishing 6 shield-back chairs. After 3 attempts (sanding, then using a brush to apply the stain), I was still not happy. The stain (&varnish) went on unevenly, blotchy (even though I allowed it to thoroughly dry in between) and there were drips running down in numerous places (even though I was careful to put on the thinnest coat possible). At last I mixed the stained with a tongue depressor(don’t shake or else you’ll create tiny bubbles) and applied with a lint free rag. Sooo much better! I will still have to put on at least one more coat (in a few days). I agree with what someone else posted-it’s easier to use a separate stain and then varnish. Wish I had done that to begin

Love this product and have stained all my kitchen cabinets with this. Very happy with product...

Good quality, decent price.

Even for a first time staining for me… the end job looks good

Waste of money and time.After stirring the finish for 10 minutes, I started to apply the Bombay Mahogany color over an existing (lighter) Minwax, sanded finish. The Bombay Mahogany would not cover the color! I waited to re-apply- same outcome. I'll be sticking to spray finishes from now on.