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

"This solid oak antique dresser is sure to make a statement in any home! Painted in General Finishes Coastal Blue with the top and two top drawers stained in Java (Gel Stain). New brushed brass hardware are the perfect compliment to this beautiful deep rich navy. Floral fabric lines all four of the easy gliding spacious drawers."     

A classic combo on GF Snow White Milk Paint and Java Gel Stain on this MCM dresser 

Comparison of Carbon Gray and Ash Gray Gel Stain vs. Graystone and Graphite Water Based Wood Stain Vs. Driftwood Milk Paint 

Done in Fusion Soap Stone and Raw Silk. The piece is maple and I had to show it off so I decided to try General Finishes White gel stain and I am now a huge fan of the color.

"Woo! She’s finally done! This desk has been a long time coming considering it’s been at least 4 months since I bought it and at least 6 weeks since I started it. She may not have landed where I had envisioned but in the end I’m happy with how she turned out.I painted this piece up in Paint Couture Paint Company Angelic and General Finishes Ash Gray Gel Stain." 

"This piece is everything a modern farmhouse decorator could ask for! Crisp Antique White, matte black hardware, subtle distressing, and a NEW stain color called Carbon Gray by General Finishes. There are some pieces that I have the hardest time parting with, and this is one!" 

"Farmhouse 3 Drawer Cedar Chest. This sweet Vintage Cavalier Cedar Chest of Drawers has been completely refinished using General Finishes new colors. The top has been stained in Ash Gray Gel Stain and the body, hand painted in Perfect Gray Milk Paint. Paired with new cast iron handles, the combination is simply irresistible." 

NEW Ash Gray Gel Stain

"A simple redo of an antique oak dresser. Simple but beautiful. I used all General Finishes products (my favorite). Antique Walnut Gel Stain on the drawer faces, Queenstown Gray Milk Paint on the exterior with Van Dyke Brown glaze. Everything is sealed with a 50/50 mix of Satin and Flat - High Performance Top Coat." 

"This gorgeous dining table is done and off to it’s “best life” General Finishes Carbon Gray top paired with an Annie Sloan Pure White Vase. Simple and elegant." 

"I’m all over the map when it comes to style. Today is MCM. My eclectic style is why General Finishes works for me. It doesn’t lock me in to a look and is so reliable. When I approached this dresser I was sure it was laminate. As I started to sand it down, gorgeous wood was revealed. I lightly applied General Finishes new color, Ash Gray Gel Stain and sealed with General Finishes High Performance Topcoat." 

"Check out this beautiful Vintage Dixie Set. Aren’t these dressers gorgeous in Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint Artissimo and General Finishes Java?" - ReFind Design by Coco Clare

"Pine coffee table sanded back to raw wood and re-stained with our General Finishes Java Gel. Such a beautiful rich stain colour!!!"    
"This table was brought to us, your average, run of the mill golden oak color, but with sanding, General Finishes Candlelite Gel Stain & Arm-R-Seal, it is gorgeous! The base is painted with GF Antique White Milk Paint & sealed with High Performance Satin. The art is a DIY frame from Hobby Lobby, given color by a mix of Fusion Mineral Paint & the NEW Summer re•design with prima®️ Floral Collection decor transfer with 2 decor waxes, Gravity & Eternal Gold, with a touch of Fusion...

"Here she is! My little flower garden. I’m a little obsessed with this piece. ☺️Redesign transfer “Floral Collection”. Prima Marketing Inc. Dixie Belle Paint Company custom mix: Drop Cloth, Sand Bar & Rebel Yellow. Drawers custom mix, Holy Guacamole, Burlap, Evergreen, Gravel Road. General Finishes Gel Satin Antique Walnut.Sealed with Dixie Belle Clear Coat Satin. Handles from D. Lawless Hardware." - Heartland Vintage Market

Mid century pieces are for sure growing on me. I love the simple lines and being able to mix wood grain with paint, my favorite thing to do! This dresser did not last long in my inventory, in fact I had a waiting list of interest. I will for sure be the hunt for more! Jill was the lucky lady who got to pick the colors that worked best in her home. She chose the beautiful color combination of General Finishes Antique Walnut Gel Stain with Coastal Blue Milk Paint, one of my favorite combos...

Classic beauty in General Finishes Java Gel Stain and Snow White Milk Paint by Boxwood & Brass.

"It has a gorgeous solid oak top stained with a blend of General Finishes Java and Antique Walnut Gel Stain. The chairs and base of the table are painted Antique White and distressed to bring out all the detail." - The Savvy Songbird

"Another before and after for the dresser I restyled. The top had seen better days and did have a few water marks and knicks in the finish. Here it is, looking fab, sanded down and stained in General Finishes Java Gel Stain. :)" - Upcycling by Amy

These cabinets were custom built to satisfy a unique need for our clients! They had a limited space, wanted to maximize their storage options, enjoyed clean, modern lines & needed a place to house their wine bar! These were custom designed & finished with Java Gel Stain for a gorgeous finish!

"I love to paint furniture but sometimes the job calls for completely stripping and refinishing. It takes a lot of hard work but it turned out even better than I could have hoped for! Stained with General Finishes Gel Stain in Antique Walnut (the light parts being wiped back with mineral spirits to accentuate the lighter wood) and sealed with GF Arm-R-Seal. The first two coats were gloss for clarity and the last coat was satin to tone it down to a gentle glow. I don’t normally include a...

"This antique pew is absolutely breathtaking! Refinished using General Finishes Java Gel Stain with a High Performance Flat Finish; the perfect finish for this character filled piece. Talk about the perfect entryway bench!" - ReFind Design by Coco Clare

"This antique chest of drawers was once built-into an old home. It was salvaged from the home, but unfortunately, was missing proper sides and had no top other than a piece of plywood. Not to mention the finish was old, worn, and rough. It came to us in hopes to give it a fresh new life. With a new white oak quarter sawn top and sides we were ready to refinish this amazing piece. We used General Finishes Java Gel Stain and a High Performance Satin Finish. Wow, now she’s just a show-stopper...

"The top and drawers were completely sanded down and refinished using Nutmeg Gel Stain by General Finishes and sealed with High Performance Topcoat in Semi Gloss. The body was painted in their Lamp Black Milk Paint and sealed with High Performance Topcoat in Satin. The hardware is original and the drawers are in great condition inside." - Eight Hundred Furniture, LLC.

We did a bathroom remodel for our very tiny master bathroom. We needed a small vanity.  We had my husbands parents old microwave cart just sitting in the garage and realized it was the perfect size but hated the yellow oak.  I decided to give the General Finish Gel stain a try.  It was my first time ever using it and I couldn’t believe how easy it was!  I sanded the top down to the raw wood but wasn’t able to get the legs completely sanded down so I was concerned it would be splotchy.  It...

This unique oval desk with the burlwood top begged for the burlwood desktop to be the star of the show, and man o man, is it ever! To play up it's stunning beauty, I chose to downplay this uniquely-shaped desk's "body" with a 50/50 blend of General Finishes Bone White Chalk Paint and General Finishes Antique White Milk Paint...a perfect blend, in my humble opinion. The body is finished off in three coats of General Finishes High Performance Top Coat in Satin. But the real stunner of this...

These simple pieces are the best to get because with a little help from some great products, the possiblities are endless!  This pieces starts out boring, but after some TLC she shines! I sanded the frame of this piece, filled any imperfections, primed, sprayed with GF Black Enduro in satin and sealed with Clear Enduro in flat.  The drawers and legs were completely sanded bare.  Then I applied GF Wood Conditioner, GF Nutmeg gel stain, waited 24 hours and taped off the diamond design with...

This vintage secretary desk was in rough shape when we rescued her.  She was brought back to life with a major cleaning, sanding, and more cleaning and more sanding. She boasts a combination finish using General Finishes Milk Paint in Persian Blue, and General Finishes Gel Stain in Gray.  She is sealed up for protection using General Finishes HPTC in Satin.  New Hardware graces her exterior drawers, and a fresh glass panel has been inlaid to her cabinet door. Interior panels and shelves have...

How could you cover up that beautiful wood grain?  Their were some pieces of trim that were missing from the doors.  So, after careful reconstruction the doors and frame received two coats of General Finishes Milk Paint in Driftwood followed by Van Dyke Brown Glaze and High Performance Top Coat in Satin.  The wood grain drawer fronts and top surface were sanded down and stained with General Finishes Antique Walnut Gel Stain followed by GF Arm-R- Seal.

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Gorgeous chair makeover with General Finishes Java and Antique Walnut Gel Stain by Sewphisticated Upholstery.   "I'm excited to share the photos of the recent transformation this channel back underwent during my 3-day upholstery workshop in Lodi, CA. Lots of little details were added after the workshop and I'm loving the end result. I used Barrow Industries Freya and Flatbread fabrics that make this everyday channel back truly a one-of-a-kind piece.   I will say I came away from...

This Faux wood finish was created by a base coat of Seagull Gray milk paint, dry brushed on Antique Walnut Gel Stain, then a white and brown glaze! I literally made this finish up by getting out all my products out, giving them a good stare for about 30 minutes, then a little trial and error. End result was a happy client! 

"This custom was swooped up out of our inventory. We updated this piece with new hardware along with a new finish. The drawers were in such great shape we just went over the existing finish with General Finishes Shaker Maple Water Based Stain and the rest painted Antique White." - Painted Pieces

"There is something about taking wood that has seen better days and making it beautiful again that I find so satisfying. This buffet top had some deep scratches and water stains before I stripped and sanded it. Now look at it!! Using General Finishes Gel Stain in Antique Walnut looks amazing on this piece." - ReLoved Rubble

Stained shims really added some much needed texture to this boring flat front dresser.  A mixture of General Finishes Queenstown and Lamp Black with High performance flat topcoat. Shims stained in Antique walnut.

COLOR RECIPE

  • 1 part Queenstown
  • 1 part Lamp Black

These Mexican Pine cabinets were rescued at different times, and slightly varied styles.  Once cleaned up and stained with GF Java Gel stain (the rustic part), we decided to have some fun on the front with a bit of copper patina (the chic part).  Using Modern Masters Metal Effects copper paint and patina solution, and some bubble wrap for the "hammered copper" effect, the front and side panels were completely transformed.  

 

This stunning Media Console will be the perfect focal point in your home!  Painted in a gypsy teal with hand crafted brown stained barn doors.  The barn doors slide, giving you several looks in one.  What once was a dresser has now been transformed into a modern console table.  The dresser drawers were removed on each side and open shelving was created. The top of the piece has also been stained in a dark Java stain, coordinating with the barn doors.  A wonderful, functioning, rustic piece...

"Another black and wood beauty! I absolutely love this color trend and think it suits this buffet perfectly! I had so much fun playing around with the design when deciding which parts to paint and where to show off the wood grain. I think the end result looks super sophisticated and classy. The body is hand painted in General Finishes Black Pepper Chalk Style Paint and sealed with Annie Sloan black wax. The top was stripped down to raw wood then stained in a mix of Antique Walnut and Java Gel...
"What a lovely little library table with only one problem... However do you decide where to use her? She longs to catch your keys and daily mail upon your entryway. She dreams of being an accent to a powder room, where baskets of beauty products can grace her table top. She is totally willing to be your coffee bar with plenty of space for a mug tree and Keurig. Need a little desk?... A vanity with a mirror featured above?... She is anxiously awaiting a home. This solid oak piece was...
"I get a little bit attached to every single piece I refinish. Sometimes that attachment runs deep, like this bench. I built this bench and then stained the seat in General Finishes Brown Mahogany Gel Stain and painted the rest Antique White. When it was complete I put it in my foyer just to see how it would look and I realized it will not be going anywhere! I can’t keep them all, but this one is staying in my home." - Flipping Unbelievable    
"When I started on this 102 year old Empire dresser I would never have guessed it would end up like this! This gorgeous ribbon veneer was hidden from the world under a deep opaque cherry stain for far too long.   My client had a preferred color but also understood that wood furniture can have a mind (and color) of its own, and old finishes can penetrate so deep that sometimes you aren’t left with a lot of options. I am pleased to report that my hours of stripping and sanding paid off and...
"General Finishes Black Gel Stain on bare walnut veneer = this gorgeous tone." - That FlippinFurniture Girl    
"My favorite new piece of the year! Completed in all GF products. Candlelite and Antique Walnut Gel Stain. Tribal batik pattern in Linen. Entire piece sealed with 3 coats Arm-R-Seal in semi gloss." - Wild at Heart - Fibers & Furnishings    
"So here he is all done up and ready for a fresh start. When I picked this piece up it was left out on the curb and hours away from being scooped up by our bulk trash pick up (before pictures towards the end). I saw this sad dresser sitting in the rain and looked passed all the imperfections and saw potential! Since this Mid century modern dresser is a Heywood Wakefield it’s made of all solid wood, no veneer here which is why I was able to work a miracle on the top. I used a customs mix toner...
"This beast of a chest turned out perfect! The structure and veneer of this piece was in excellent condition. We just had to refinish it. We sanded it down to bare wood and stained it using General Finishes Java Gel Stain! It’s protected with Enduro clear poly in satin. It has the perfect amount of shine, and did I mention it’s Lexington Furniture!!" - Painted Paradise, by Duke Interiors and Restoration    
"Mid century pieces just make my heart swoon! Crisp, clean and modern with a nice contrast between bright white and dark wood. General Finishes Snow White and Java Gel Stain make for a gorgeous combination. Vintage brass hardware, original to the piece, was polished back to it's former glory." - Boxwood & Brass        

Side by Side comparison of GF Gray, Black, Antique Walnut, Java and Brown Mahogany Gel Stains.

Stunning dresser makeover with General Finishes Lamp Black Milk Paint and Java Gel Stain by Eight Hundred Furniture, LLC.

"This console/sofa table was built using all Alder wood, stained in General Finishes Gray Gel Stain and then added some brackets and bolts for some industrial style detailing! 

"I know I say I’m in love with all the pieces we finish, but I am so in LOVE with this piece! The wood sanded down so beautifully!! We used General Finishes Java Gel Stain on the frame and Persian Blue Milk Paint on the inside of the cabinet. Absolutely gorgeous!" - Painted Paradise, by Duke Interiors and Restoration  
"I had fun creating a different look with this dresser. The frame is painted in General Finishes Antique White and the drawers are stained in Brown Mahogany. You may not guess but this dresser actually has a total of four drawers!" - Flipping Unbelievable