How to Stain Wood Like a PRO - 4 Simple Steps!
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- čas přidán 7. 06. 2024
- Get a professional wood finish on your next woodworking project using simple staining techniques! I not only show you what to use and how to apply the products, buy why it’s important and what results you can expect if you don’t.
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Below are my Amazon Affiliate links to the products I use. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This costs you nothing extra, but helps me keep the lights on!
Products I use:
Minwax Wood Stain: amzn.to/3DwmxPj
Minwax Pre-Stain Conditioner: amzn.to/3BmZEev
General Finishes Arm-R-Seal: amzn.to/3BLv2op
High Quality Foam Brushes: amzn.to/3RSBoYT
Lint Free Rags for Stain: amzn.to/3qHxRAH
3M Half Face Respirator: amzn.to/3RJmNih
Particulate Filters: amzn.to/3QPD97M
Dewalt Random Orbital Sander: amzn.to/3LmkejF
Soft Block Flexible Sanding Block: amzn.to/3eTyCE0 - Jak na to + styl
A few sharp eared viewers have pointed out my error at the 2:00 mark. The sanding progression should be 100-120-150-180. Sorry for any confusion! 😅
I learned SO MUCH from your video! I’m finishing an old desk. My husband sanded the heck out of it, although he didn’t use your sanding progression technique, and these weird oil-like stains keep magically appearing after I stain the top. They actually get worse as the stain dries. It’s so frustrating! I’ve started over three times, but I cannot get rid of the magical mystery stains. Do you, or anyone reading this, have any advice so I can finally finish this project?
@@CallMe_Blondie If it is some kind of oil soaked into the wood, that can be difficult to work with. You can try sanding down again (sorry I know, more sanding) then use some acetone to try removing the oil. Apply the pre stain conditioner and follow the steps in the video. Hope that helps!
@@CallMe_Blondie One technique that may help remove some of the oil and reduce how much you need to sand is the same as you'd use to remove spilled candle wax from carpet or a tablecloth: lay brown craft paper or an old paper grocery sack over the wax/oil stain and apply a warm iron on the LOWEST setting over top of the paper. The low heat will melt the wax (or in the case of oil, cause it to expand and become more fluid), and the craft paper (which is highly absorbent) will draw the wax/oil up out of the wood/fabric. It's VERY important to use the lowest setting possible on the iron, so you don't ignite the wax/oil or burn the wood, and be sure to lift and move the paper as it gets saturated. When the paper stops showing signs of absorbing anything, you'll know you've drawn off as much of the oil/wax as this technique can remove. From there, sand and prep as shown in the video.
Thanks for clearing that up! I actually stopped the video and went back, like did he say 220 to 150 to 180?? I thought there might be something to it that I didn't know. haha
Thank you for showing this. Brought up happy memories of my step Dad and I doing wood working. Could almost taste the wood dust in my coffee.
Big fan of the side-by-side comparisons between sanded/undsanded, conditioned/not, and oil/water poly topcoats. Really makes it clear the benefits of each approach.
Great, glad it helped!
Okay..I’m going to rewatch
Very neat addition I agree
I would like to add alcohol based finish to this comparison.
I have NEVER been told about the oily rags! I am so glad you talked about that. Thanks!
It's a shame more people don't know about the risk of throwing them in it the trash!
What burnt King tut of Egypt
Put to bed in wet linseed oil rags and he smouldered away for days .
Great Video. And here is why
Clear, Concise Information
No LOUD, annoying Background music
Clear verbal instruction with corresponding Video Demo (No yammering on and on about what you had for breakfast or other irrelevant info)
My mom was a DIY queen. I grew up in a family that sanded, stained, painted and repaired anything they got their hands on. My mom even made all her own drapes, curtains and re upholstered her 2nd hand furniture. Having said that, I learned something new about PRETREATING wood prior to staining. Good Tip.
Glad you liked the video! Thanks for watching!
@@biscuittreewoodworks Have you done a gel stain comparison video?
A DIY'er Before "DIY" was a 'thing'
😊 😅😅
I 100% agree with you. Clear no fluff and no annoying music over powering the instructions. Bravo!!!!!
love the tip on scribbling on the surface wood to help with sanding a must for newbees
It really helps a lot and saves time on sanding!
Finally, a how to video that gets to the point and doesn't have all of the unnecessary info 👍👍
Thanks! Glad you liked it!
The oily rage disposal tip was the best part. Everyone says don’t toss them in the garbage, but no one ever explains why or what to do instead. I’ve been keeping them in a metal bin full of kitty litter and now I realize that’s probably overkill. Lol. Thanks!
Glad it was helpful! It doesn’t hurt to be a little extra cautious, but those rags are harmless once they are dry, then it’s fine to throw them away!
The key is to not let them be balled/wadded/piled up while wet; lay them out flat, to dry, like in the video. Another acceptable disposal method is to place them in a sealed metal can full of water.
*rag
“Oily Rage” is funny though.
@@accuratealloys That would be an awesome garage band name!
I have a metal fire can filled with water for disposal
I am a beginner and I Love this simple, straight forward, how to video. thank you! Also, appreciated instruction of the safe handling of the stain rags. My neighbor had a garage fire last year from exactly what you described. She tossed wet stain rags in a trash can and awakened in the middle of the night to her house on fire. It was terrifying, dangerous, costly and they were displaced for close to a year while the house was repaired and rebuilt. What wasn't burned was damaged by smoke and water. PSA...insurance doesn't come close to covering the totality of the loss.
Glad you enjoyed the video! Sorry to hear about your neighbor! A lot of people don't understand there is even a danger if you don't dispose of these products properly. I hope the video can save someone from making the same mistake!
Great video! I love how you go through the details, the pluses and minuses of different products and take your time explaining the process. Thank you.
Glad you enjoyed the video!
Awesome video. I never fully understood the why and how of products and why sanding is a must, but glad you did the side by side. Also the side by side was awesome with the finishers. Thanks for the information and taking the time to share.
Thank you! I’m glad it was helpful!
Wish I’d had this video a couple years ago when I was researching how to refinish my kitchen table! There are very few people online that know what they’re doing, explain it well, and know why things are successful or not. Thank you for taking the time to share your expertise!
Thank you! I'm so glad you found it useful!
I am very thankful for this video because I had thrown wadded up rags with oil based stain on them in my trash can. Then I looked at this video and realized the error of my ways and promptly went and laid them out flat to dry. Thank you for that advice and possibly saving me from burning down my house.
So glad you saw my warning and got them out! I just heard a few weeks ago about a professional woodworker I know who had a fire in a dumpster outside his shop because his helper threw away some oily rags and didn’t know the danger!
Thanks for taking the time to demonstrate the finishes side by side. It certainly helps us all to decide on the method we would want to use without having to do the trial and error ourselves.❤
Thanks, I'm glad it's helpful!
This is exactly what I wanted to see. I loved how you show the results of the different techniques side by side. Thanks!
Glad it was helpful!
Thank you so much for this informative video. Have a big staining project coming up and this is honestly the best, most informative and, above all else, concise video I've seen. I really appreciate that you were able to convey so much useful information in just a 10 minute video as it really seems so many content creators are obsessed with running up the clock these days.
Thank you! Hope your project turns out great!
Not fully what I wanted to know. But enough to have taught me what I didn't. Thank you brother. Amazing work. I'm a welder who gets wooden work with metal framing. Post a video about that. I'm coming up. So I'm not as knowledgeable about stain like you are. But If you have a welding question. I'd love to help you. Great video
@@jaydreamer4558 Did you have a question that wasn't answered in the video? I can try my best to help! I've also done a bit of welding in the past. Mostly factory work and some rod iron fences.
What would suggest putting on ponderosa pine timbers that are outside the house.
Really like the two board comparissons. As someone who has little to no experience with this kind of thing, it really helped me understand the importance of all the steps. Thanks alot.
Glad it was helpful!
Thank you for putting together this video. I recently purchased a flintlock longrifle with an extra fancy curly maple stock and I am anguishing over how to finish it. Thank you again for the excellent tutelage on the importance of sanding and how different finishes may alter the wood's color slightly.
Glad it was helpful!
Thanks. Really helpful and informative. The pencil tip between sanding levels was good. Straightforward and calm.
Glad it was helpful!
Really fantastic guide, especially for newer people to woodworking! Really covers everything and explains why you're doing it, as well as things to watch out for. I'll echo the sentiment from others as well in saying having the side by side comparisons of the boards both with and without the steps you take is extremely useful in helping understand each part of the process. Thank you!
Thanks! I really appreciate that feedback!
THANK YOU for the tip with the pencil!!! Simple and brilliant!
Glad you found it helpful!
something with stains has changed in the last several years. Staining on Oak was never a challenge before. Now its extra steps and costs to get an even finish. Thanks Greenies.
Lots of changes as technology evolves. Some things for the better, some not so much!
Nicely done! Thorough and clearly communicated information right here.
Much appreciated!
Concisely & effectively hits important points made throughout CZcams woodworking videos...thank you much.
Thanks for watching!
Thankyou. I used to get some lessons from my great grandpa on how to whittle and carve. This helped me revise what i was taught since I can no longer cross reference with him since he passed. I appreciate it.
Glad I could help!
I have over 30 years experience in the hardwood flooring trade. While I am not wild about Minwax products, your info is spot on. Well done! Pine is probably the most difficult woods to work with stain wise. It tends to be blotchy no matter what. A pre-stain or at least a water pop is essential in making it look good. If your doing a piece of furniture where time is not a constraint, you can get away with an oil base finish. Do not apply one if the air is humid though. It will fish eye and screw up all your work! For flooring, use a waterbase finish. That way when the homeowner decides to walk across it the next morning, it's all good. With an oil, it won't be ready for traffic of any kind yet.
Thanks for sharing tips from your experience!
@jamesbach2021 Whose products do you like for staining and also for poly on pine floors? Thx!
I use Bona Drifast stains. They work very well. I used to use their Traffic finish but switched to Arboritec Avenue about ten years ago and never looked back. They are both expensive, but when the phone rings, it's a happy customer. Ha. I live on referrals.@@nohandle196
Thank you for this great video, with side-by-side comparisons of the results when you do or don't do specific processes. E.g. sanded vs. unsanded boards; use of pre-stain conditioner vs. not using it; oil-based vs. water based finishing top coat.
Glad it’s helpful!
So glad i found this video. You explained it in layman terms and the comparisons made it the process understandable.
Awesome! Glad it was helpful!
I'm still kind of a beginner but I have done much research and I consider myself more of the beginner because of the jobs I've done but as far as my research and my practice, I'm comfortable with where I am. I'm sending my guitars paint job off and going straight to the bare wood and getting a dark nice even stain on that and replacing the hardware with upgraded hardware and a whole thing, big job especially because this is my baby I'm messing with. I've seen so many videos got so many websites and taken somebody notes and I'm just watching this video just to kill time while I'm doing some yard work and you summed up every single thing all my research has showed me. Everything that I've learned from so many different videos and you put it all together in one. So simple so straightforward and I'm happy for all I've learned but a little upset I haven't seen your video till just now. Great great job, you're doing the world some good with this one. Thanks for the video
Thank you! I really appreciate that!
Great knowledge and teaching skills. I was so impressed with your safety tip about the damp rags and preventing combustion I hit the like button a few seconds before your suggestion to do so. Also subbed. Looking forward to future content.
Thank you! If you head over to the Community tab on my channel I do polls and ask for feedback for upcoming videos. If there’s something you’d like to see that’s the best place to let me know!
I am so glad that you took the time to compare results with every strategy! The extra effort is appreciated
Glad it was helpful!
Thanks for this information especially about the heat dispersal of the finished rags. Didn't know, but now I do. Thanks again.
Glad you learned something from the video!
This was SUPER helpful! Clear, concise, & full of helpful info & reasons why. Thank you for explaining the WHY oily rags about oily rags. Thank you!
I’ve subscribed & will look up more of your videos.
Thank you!
I have watch a few of your videos - well done. Lots of information and you don't digress. Subscribed!
Thanks! I try asking myself three questions when making content; is it informative, entertaining, and relevant. If it’s not at least 2 of the 3, I cut it.
Best video ever. I’ve instructed on lots of topics for twenty years. You hit big time on the one area 99% miss. You remark on every secret that is only acquired by years of experience that are where the knowledge to become an expert comes from. It’s usually not realized by people or mentioned for a variety of reasons.
Well done dude.
Wow, thanks!
So far the best video I`ve seen on the matter. I'm just starting with woodworking. Thank you!
Glad it was helpful!
I really needed this how to video today. I’m getting ready sand and stain our front door where the sun’s dried it out. Great & easy to follow demonstration.
Glad it was helpful!
Use a coating with a U/V protectant if it is going to be in the sun.
@@researchcapt and maybe even a tinted storm door cuzzz.......no finish stops the sun.
Great to the point video. I definitely learned something from and enjoyed watching it. Subscribed for sure
Thank you! So glad you learned something from the video, I love hearing that!
Great tip about the used rags. THANK YOU for that and the clarification about the sanding progression. I did catch that, but not knowing ANYTHING about staining wood, I didn't know it was incorrect 😆I'm so glad I found your video before starting my project. 😇
So glad you found it helpful!
this was overall the best and most educational video i’ve seen on how to properly stain wood, thank you so much!
Thanks! I’m glad you found it helpful!
I really appreciate your video. I just built a cabin play area/bunk bed for my kids, and my next step is prepping it for stain. I've never been happy with my stain results before, so I've been nervous about this part. This video is exactly what I needed. Thanks!! Wish me luck 😅
Awesome! Glad the video was helpful! Good luck with your project!
Great intro and examples. Well put together. Thx for taking the time to do this walk-thru, super helpful.
Glad it was helpful!
This was an outstanding video. Extremely helpful. Love how you demonstrated how important sanding is and compared the oil and water-based polys. Thank you!!
Thanks! Glad it was helpful!
I appreciate this simple, straightforward, how-to video. Thanks
Glad you liked it!
Fill soft grain prior to staining. Always good advice with any kind of finish, clear, opaque, paint, anything. You can use lots of things to fill that soft grain. Sanded off paint makes a great "Americana" look, perhaps a little like your US flag with EGA. Hooya Marine.
I learned to stain by first applying shellac to raw wood with 1 lb cut or even lighter. The little lac bug tincture fills those soft, porous areas on the grain. Then stain over the shellac. More than one shellac coat, sanding in between, allows you to vary the light to dark effect of the stain. Amber shellac will reduce the light to dark spread and tend to keep everything a little more in the dark tones, more blended. Several coats - shellac - very light stain - Shellac (repeat repeat repeat) with sanding in between will make the finish look deeper and allows you to "Sneak up" on the final color. Especially helpful if you're trying to match an existing work piece color. Remove shellac errors any time with alcohol. Just finish any shellac with poly or whatever you like. The shellac is not waterproof. Maybe those poor little bugs died every time it rained.
I was also taught to shellac after staining and before other finishes. "Fat over lean" was the mantra we learned (Don't use water based finishes over oil based finishes but the reverse is ok). Magical shellac doesn't suffer any of that incompatibility problem. Shellac lives just fine under/over essentially any finish.
Finally, Whiskey makes an interesting primer for shellac. It pops the grain so sand after drinking...I mean applying it. Not sure how the sugars and carbohydrates in the booze deal with things but I've whiskey primed thick epoxy table tops and seen them 30 yrs later with no finish weirdness.
Shellac is a great finish, and as you said, it will bind with pretty much anything! I've never tried using whiskey on my projects. I think I'll stick with drinking it instead! Thanks for sharing your finishing experience!
Yes that 80's!!!!
Oh the memories!
Very helpful stuff. I also appreciate the safety reminders, since it's missing in too many how-to videos.
Glad you liked it!
Great video, I’m so excited to stain stuff RIGHT this time! I stained a table top yesterday, with minimal knowledge, I was so eager to start I made some minor mistakes, it was fun but it had some flaws of course. This video was great and understandable, and will DEFINITELY help me with future projects, thank you!
Awesome! I’m glad it’s helpful!
Fun fact, instead of a conditioner just wipe it with a damp rag. It does almost exactly the same thing, but in my opinion highlights the grain better. Do let the wood dry between wetting and applying stain. That is how I stain all my floors.
Interesting, I’ll have to try it out next time.
@Biscuit Tree Woodworks yeah, it doesn't make it as evenly stained. But it helps with blotches and highlights grain. It's my preferred method. Hardwood floors get a lot of stain treatment. No one wants to pay for walnut floors, but they all want their oak to look like it.
Just watched another video on staining and someone commented on what your talking about and called it water popping. Funny thing is he talked about staining wood floors too so must be a common trade trick.
@Tyler - it has become one recently. The guy I learned from figured it out himself, and I just started seeing it in the wood floor magazines a few years ago.
I've always wondered how many other floor guys were doing it. Lol
@@Tyler-789 no, water popping is something completely different than using a prestain conditioner. Now that I read the original comment again I see that’s what he is describing. A prestain conditioner evens out the stain and helps reduce blotching. Water popping is a technique used to improve the feel of the wood and prevent grain raising when the wood contacts moisture. This grain raising can make the wood feel rough or fuzzy. If you would like more information on water popping watch my cutting board video where I explain the process and why it should be done.
I haven’t done much staining on my projects yet, but the first time I ever did, I decided to use a clean and unused shop rag.
Multiple different people who approached me were amazed and assumed I was a pro woodworker who had years of experience under my belt (hardly) and a few older and experienced woodworkers thought I was daft for not using a brush!
Using a rag and gently “scrubbing” the stain on simply made much more sense to me.
Yes, I prefer using a rag over a brush for applying stain. It's less messy and you get a more even application.
I did my 1st time staining with a damp rag too & the results were beautiful. 👍🏼
Great video! Thank you!
Thanks for watching!
Thank you. Your video was straight forward and cleared up some of my confusion with the process.
Great! Glad it was helpful!
In my experience, the water based Polycrylic is not as protective as the the oil based Polyurethane.
I have 2 desk I’ve made in my house. I made one with a polyurethane finish and one I used polycrylic. 3 layers each and got excellent finishes.
both desk have been used the same way. Both used for kid’s homework/coloring and computing. The Polyurethane has had zero water marks from drinks without coaster, the Polycrylic one has (luckily the top was Aspen so it’s a super white colored top anyways so it’s not super noticeable).
Lastly the marker test. The kids have done coloring on paper on both desks and either marker bleed through or sliding off the paper has happened on both surfaces. It has stained the polycyclic and will not come out with any cleaning agent. The marker cleaned right off the polyurethane.
Just food for thought while trying to pick a finish. 😊
Great insights on long term durability! Thanks for sharing!
This comment was exactly what I needed to know thank you
Great safety tip about the wet rags. You maybe just saved someone’s business, house, or life.
Great video, too!
Thanks 👍
Very good tutorial! I worked in a custom cabinet/moulding shop for years. Learning when to use the MANY MANY different options of wood finishes is the main lesson. We had dozens of different stains, toners, lacquers, shellac…etc.
Sometimes we’d use catalyzed lacquer in an hvlp sprayer, sometimes we’d use water based rub-on varnish. A lot depended on the type of wood, what the customer was specifically looking for, or if we were matching an existing 100+ year pattern. It was extremely meticulous and educational. I miss it sometimes!
Yes, there are a lot of options for finishes and many pros/cons for them all as well! I should probably do a few more videos on some other finishes.
That sounds like an awesome job honestly .. id imagine it was rewarding, challenging, and educational.
Lots of helpful information quickly, no fussing about. Thank you
Glad is was helpful!
I liked the contrasting look of the sanded board better than the stain conditioner prepared one.
Some people like that look, it's more rustic I guess. Nothing wrong with it if that's what you prefer.
“They don’t call it stain for nothing”😂
So true!
This is exactly a comment I would post 😅
Super informative, to the point video. So impressed by the visuals. And the “quickies” about the rags and the pencil marks…awesome. So glad I ran across this info, thx!
Thanks! Glad it was helpful!
Definitely the video I was looking for. Very well explained! Thank you.
Great! Glad you liked it!
@@biscuittreewoodworks I am an expert in wood staining
Just wanted to clarify your sanding routine. 100 - 220(?)- 150 - 180..correct
Should be 100-120-150-180.
He meant 120 not 220.
Southerners sure like their grits.
@@EF-69 Lmfao
So glad you talked about rags catching fire!! I never throw mine away wet, or bunched up. I always lay them flat, like you do.
Sadly there are a lot of people that don't know the danger or think it's some kind of myth.
First time ever staining an older piece of furniture. Your instructions were easy to follow and I liked how you showed the different ways of doing things. My project is not finished but very close and I think I may have nailed it (after many attempts but hey it's called learning) So thank you very much
Awesome! Glad it was helpful!
Thank you for the info about disposal of rags. These mundane tips are so important.
Thank you! It’s such a simple thing but may prevent a horrible accident!
Great job, very informative. "Use this if you want this look, use that if you want that look..." Nicely done.
Thanks! Glad you liked the video!
Thank you so much , your help for a new wood worker like me is so appreciated.
Thanks! Glad it’s helpful!
Excellent tutorial. Quite a few good tips found in here. Thanks for putting this together!
Awesome! Glad it’s helpful!
I watched 4 or 5 youtube videos on staining. This is the best one by far - thank you!
Thank you!
honestly the best video i’ve come across. redoing my dining room table na have watched plenty of videos but this was the most informative.
Thank you!
Nice one dude. Made planning my future projects a bit easier. I’ve saved to my favourites so I can come back for reference. Thanks bud.
Awesome! Really glad you found it helpful!
Great video. Super simple instructions and extra details to make one successful.
Thank you!
Wow, thank you. I learned so much, and you break it down so well.
You are so welcome!
So many good tips, so clearly explained and contrasted. Many thanks
Glad it was helpful!
Great tips! I'm attempting a birthday gift for my buddy's 40th, so this was a handy guide for a newbie like me.
Good to hear! Good luck on the project!
Great video. I learned more in this video than from spending hours researching this topic. Thanks for sharing. 😊
Thanks! Glad it was helpful!
Great Video! Clear instructions! Thank you for sharing!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Excellent informative video, love it! Definitely helps me with the process of staining. Thank you!!
Thanks! Glad to hear!
Awesome! The way you explained it is great.
Glad it was helpful!
Glad i watched this before staining my project. it seems easy but its nice to know there are more steps than just applying stain. Very helpful information so thanks.
Glad it was helpful!
Learned so much! Very clear explanation!
Thanks!
Excellent guide, very well thought out and presented - Thank you, time to refresh my furniture
Glad it was helpful!
THANK YOU for getting right to the point. It's clear that you know what you're doing. This will help me greatly with my project. Saving this video. :D
Glad it was helpful!
Great tips and explantation on wood floors! Thank you.
Thanks!
Great video. Thanks for the info and showing us with the examples. Subscribed.
Thank you! Glad you found it helpful!
Great video for us new DYI'ers. Thank you
Glad it’s helpful!
great! straightforward and well explained. thanks!!
Glad you liked it!
What a great instructional video and just what I've been looking for! You just solved my problem of bleed thru on an old antique mahogany table I'm refinishing.
Thank you so much for doing this video!
I was stumped and frustrated.
Now I'm hopeful I'll be on track again.
:)
Awesome! So glad it's helpful!
Thank you for an interesting and informative film, and Minwax really makes wonderful materials for finishing wood.
Thanks for watching!
I enjoyed the delivery of this video and subscribed.
Awesome, thank you!
Very clear and informative! Thank you!
Thanks!
Great video. Thanks for the differing examples.
Glad it was helpful!
Excellent vid. Really learned a lot - even as someone who has sanded stained and Poly’d before 💪🏼💪🏼💪🏼💪🏼
Glad it was helpful!
awesome video. Thanks for the work you put into it
Thank you!
Thank you for the information about how to handle used stain rags. I had no idea they could cause a fire! Thank you so much! ❤ This is a great video for many reasons!
They really should put a larger warning on the can, too many people don't know they can start a fire by just throwing them away!
@@biscuittreewoodworks Agreed!
Excellent video. Straight. To the point. Informative with a little sprinkle of humor.
I too grew up in that 80s and wood paneling weirded my view on wood colors
Thank you!
This was the best video I’ve seen yet. I seriously feel confident now in my project
That's awesome! I'm sure your project will turn out great!
Very informative ! Thank you!
Glad it was helpful!
Finished my project in the laundry room... learning about a top coat saved so much heart ache. Great video thank you! 🏃♂️ to Lowes now😂
Glad you're learning something! Good luck with the project!
Very well constructed video and narrative. Showing comparison side by side was very good.
Thank you!
Exelent video, thank you for sharing your knowledge.
Thanks!
I love the wood grain 80s, I'm in the process of redoing my studio to mimic that era! feels Cozy
I completely understand, but I had enough of that wood paneling as a kid!