Gel Stain

Gel Stain from General Finishes is home of the popular Java Gel Stain featured across the nation's social media for upcycling furniture and cabinets. Gel wood stains are heavy-bodied and do not penetrate as deeply into the wood as liquid oil-based wipe-on stains do, providing the deepest, richest colors of any oil-based stain available.

https://generalfinishes.com/wood-finishes-retail/oil-based-wood-stains-sealers/gel-stains

Antique farmhouse buffet was made over in Dixie Bell Sand Bar and the top was refinished in General Finishes American Oak gel stain. We love the calming color combo!!

Java and sealed with Arm R Seal satin. Scuffed sanded the veneer top. Stain applied with a foam brush and wiped it back and I did get some lines… so my final coat was a thin amount of the gel with a roller (more of a paint method) and it turned out beautiful. Some areas did pick up slight texture from the roller, but nothing offensive or anything that I would try to fix.

"This ash coffee table had been well loved and in serious need of restoration. The base was a bit wobbly so using The Gorilla Glue Company wood glue, I applied to the affected area. I clamped the base and removed the excess glue with a blue shop cloth. After letting the glue dry overnight, prepared to paint by cleaning the base and taping to avoid paint getting all over the underside. I painted using my trusty Annie Sloan’s Athenian Black and sealing with her clear wax. The top was sanded...

Top sanded down and applied Ash Gray Gel Stain. And for the body, gorgeous Seagull Gray Milk Paint. The top also got several coats of High Performance Topcoat to help it’s durability.

I stained the top with General Finishes Ash Grey and painted the body with House and Canvas Rich Navy. Topcoated with Varathane polyacrylic in Satin. The paint was so easy to apply and I may have found a trick for applying topcoat! Was also my first time trying General Finishes and will be getting more stains soon. The handles were Franklin Brass adjusta pull handles.

"This chevron pattern came out fire. Matching dining table, bench and coffee table. Stain: Antique Walnut Gel Stain by General Finishes." - Hermanos Woodworks    

Our client wanted to give her table an updated look with a gray farmhouse style and we are so excited with how it turned out. We truly love helping people love their furniture again! 

"A Deilcraft dining table is such an amazing find! With the top a gorgeous walnut veneer and the skirt and legs ash, this table and it’s two leaf extensions exude mid century modern goodness. I started by sanding the top using my DEWALT 5” random orbit sander. I don’t mention nearly enough that I use the corded type but I should! Have constant power running to this tool helps with consistent results. I find it more powerful and I never need to worry about a battery running out. It’s...

"How cute is this farmhouse mini? I created it by using a end table, and two barstools that i cut down to size. I sanded and stained the top with...

"How cool is this old desk! It was in pretty rough shape when we got it but it cleaned up beautifully! They took the main structure of the desk and added a new bottom, the side shelves, and a new top! Such a great idea and is going to look great in its new space! We refinished this piece in General Finishes Alabaster Milk Paint and Java Gel Stain. Gorgeous!!" - Duke Interiors and Restoration    
"We updated this gorgeous pine table by stripping it down and staining it a much more modern black. (GF Black Gel Stain) - Our Taylor Made Home    
"This vintage MCM set was used for generations by one family. It’s curves and frame make it one of the more unique pieces I’ve refinished. I always start by seeing if I can remove the handles and base of a piece. It makes sanding so much easier when you can create flat surfaces. For the curved surfaces, my SurfPrep Sanding makes my life so much easier. With their foam sanding pads, I don’t have to worry about damaging those curved edges. I also make sure to label the back of the handles when...

Custom hand built desk stained with GF Gray Gel Stain

"I feel so privileged when customers trust me with the design for their piece. This buffet had been in the family for generations so I wanted to make it special. We agreed on a color and originally were going to paint it solid black, but I decided to keep some wood elements and surprise her. To say she loved it was an understatement. I wish I had filmed her reaction! Lots of clapping, jumping and shouts of joy. It was priceless." - Amost Simple Home   General Finishes Lamp Black Milk...
"After removing layers of yellow crackle paint we uncovered the beautiful original wood grain! Our client then chose to layer General Finishes Java Gel Stain over Antique Walnut Gel Stain to give this entryway table a show-stopping new look!" - Moses Restorations    

Original vs. Antique Walnut
General Finishes Gel Stain

GF Oil Based White Gel Stain on White Oak

"It literally took me two mornings to remove the damaged veneer on the top. Don’t you love the woodgrain? General Finishes Java Gel Stain and Restore-A-Finish on the top drawer. p.s. I always clean and recondition the drawers with furniture salve or beeswax. Sometimes I line them with beautiful wallpapers. It’s all about details." - Furniture Story      

Thia is a 32x80 pantry door co structured from clear alder. Stained with a General Finishes New Pine Gel Stain, simply to take out some of the red. Then I clear coated the entire thing then worked some black antiquing glaze, also from my friends at General Finsihes over the entire door.

Farm house style dining room table, solid oak.The top was sanded down to the bare wood and stained in General Finishes Ash Gray then given a few generous coats of High Performance Topcoat. The base was painted in GF’s Seagull Gray a very subtle pale gray, almost white in appearance.
"Whew... this might have been my longest running project to date .Lori asked me to refresh her secretariat and honestly, from the picture, it didn't look in too bad of shape but if you zoom in you can see all the crackle texture on the finish that all had to be stripped off with chemicals and then sanded down. The outside was stained in a mix of General Finishes Antique Walnut and Java Gel Stains and sealed in Arm-R-Seal. The inside was painted in General Finishes Lamp Black Milk Paint and...

The tabletop is stained in...

This one is in amazing condition and deserved my favorite color - green Custom paint mix with...

"Our Vineyard stool (S-142B-Stool) isn’t too big, isn’t too small. It’s JUST right! Find the stool here: ...

These tables are from...

"This table was a HUGE undertaking. Not only is it super heavy to move around but it is ginormous!! After a full day of sanding we painted the base in Mélange Artisan Mineral Paints Jett Black and sealed it in General Finishes High Performance Topcoat.The top was a bit tricker having to custom match the stain on the existing chairs and bench they bought off line. It took several attempts and several combinations but I think we nailed it with a mix of General Finishes Carbon Gray, Antique Walnut...
When I first started refinishing, all I knew about stain is that it is watery and messy. I did research and came across a gel stain created by...

Blonde Maple stained with White Gel Stain

Custom mix of...

"8 pine chairs stripped, sanded, stained with General Finishes Java Gel Stain and finished!" - HoneyWood Restorations    
"This table was completely sanded down with the top being stained in General Finishes Antique Walnut and Java Gel Stains. The base was then painted in General Finishes Lamp Black and sealed in their High Performance Top Coat." - Upcycling by Amy    

We love drop leaf tables and this one turned out so pretty after some TLC. Refinished in a custom green paint mix and stained using General Finishes Colonial Maple

Check out one of our latest in-house finishes! This...

"Mid century dresser redesigned in General Finishes Alabaster Milk Paint and Nutmeg Gel Stain. Beautiful wood grain on top and drawers with new brushed silver handles, featuring original wing handles on sides." - Just a Touch of Paint    
"This gorgeous dresser that was completely stripped down, sanded and re-stained in General Finishes Antique Walnut Gel Stain and sealed in a satin finish." - Upcycling by Amy    
"I pulled up my big girl pants for this one guys…my client wanted to pass this 1947 Lane cedar hope chest down to her son that her husband had purchased after he got out of the military. And to increase the stress level - no paint. It was damaged almost beyond repair having sat in her garage for decades with major veneer damage, mildew, water stains and a bunch of other problems. This transformation makes me so proud. I took my Festool and was able to sand back down to bare wood on the veneer....
"This classic traditional pine farmhouse table has been delivered and ready for many meals and memories to be shared around the table. Stain: General Finishes Gel Stain Colonial Maple." - RAW to Reclaimed Woodworking LLC    

"I made this stain sample board. It has 8 different options for a client, and it's designed to give them a good idea of how the stain will look on their project. This piece of wood is cut from the same board that went towards the drawer fronts, so it should be a good representation of how the stain will take when applied to the final piece."

"The craftsmanship of this table was amazing for as old as it is. We’re not sure how old it is but believe it’s at least late 1800s or earlier! It was stripped and sanded to raw wood, leaving many of the original imperfections and stained using General Finishes Java Gel Stain and Enduro Poly for protection." - Painted Paradise, by Duke Interiors and Restoration    
"This table had been well-loved and through several kids, but empty-nester mama needed a fresh surface for the next chapter of life. I totally brought her back to life. The owner was shocked and delighted how it looked brand new!  I stripped the top and sanded it down then applied General Finishes Colonial Maple Gel Stain then topped with High Performance Topcoat. It’s ready for another 20 years of love!" - Soleil Furnishings    

"Beautiful Kroehler mid century dresser redesigned in General Finishes Reverent Gray Milk Paint with Antique Walnut Gel Stain drawers. Gold accents between drawers add a little bling!" - Just a Touch of Paint

"Oh what a labor of love this piece of was. Saved and restored this tall boy dresser. Completely stripped and sanded clean. For nice under glow used Cinnamon Dye Stain then once dry came over it with Georgian Cherry Gel Stain. Then top coated in Arm-R-Seal gloss. Added new antique casters and cool antique style knobs. I just love to custom color a piece." 

Box was built by my husband Jim and stained in General Finishes Colonial Maple Gel Stain. The top was screwed in so it can be easily removed to plant in it after the wedding. Bottom already had drainage holes in it too.

"After LOTS of sanding, we cleaning the set up and primed the chairs and base of the table and painted it in General Finishes Seagull Gray Milk Paint and the top of the dining table is stained in GF Antique Walnut Gel Stain. Since dining tables take so much punishment I made sure to give it plenty of coats of Arm-R-Seal to protect it for years to come." - Upcycling by Amy    
"This gorgeous bar just went home! I cleaned, sanded it and coated it with General Finishes Antique Walnut Gel Stain and topped with satin High Performance Topcoat. It’s a completely new piece and ready for another life!" - Soleil Furnishings    
"Donna’s mom has had this sewing table for a long time. While her sewing days are behind her, this piece means a great deal to her. She’s recently moved into a newer place and seeing the sewing table to desk conversion I did for my niece, asked if it was possible for this. I removed the top (screws were underneath) and used it as a guide for the new one I was making from 3/4” plywood. The edges were sanded smooth and I applied wood veneer edging. Once prepped, I applied two coats of...
"Onyx. She's a dark beauty that had a fantastic old world look, but with a blend of Maple and Oak (neither stain the same). We decided she needed something more so we took her down the bold route!   Refreshed with a dramatic Black Gel Stain by General Finishes and sealed in our favorite hand applied Arm-R-Seal in Gloss and Satin after a gentle edge distress to show off those curves!" - Restoration Reserve    
This stunning solid African Mahogany table was custom designed and built by Sakonnet Furniture Makers Inc.. Finished with GF Brown Mahogany Gel Stain and a water based varnish.    

I sanded the tops, two inside drawers, the bottom frame and legs. I used...

Loving this custom built dining table by Northern Roots Woodworking. 12’x4.5’ white oak Stain: General Finishes Java Gel Stain Topcoat: General Finishes Enduro-Var II   GF Enduro-Var II is an oil-modified, ambering, water-based topcoat. So get the look of an oil based topcoat with all the benefits of a water based product. Learn more in this video: https://generalfinishes.video/ENDURO-VAR-II-...