# To Stain/Paint or not to...



## wisconsinjimmy (Sep 22, 2009)

Someone help me with this as it has been bugging me for the last year, I build Craft Show items for my Bride to sell, and I tend to not stain my items unless it is pine, on sweet woods I have been using a brushing lacquer to bring out the beauty in the wood. I have met several people who want unfinished so they can stain (eek!) the wood and I am trying to justify to stain/clear or paint. Not much profit in this work in fact I give my Bride the labor as she just loves to sit under the "ten X ten".
Jim
Cushing, Wi


----------



## lew (Feb 13, 2008)

The customer is always right- give them what they want! Make some stuff without a finish and see how it sells.


----------



## Al_PG (Jan 29, 2009)

I most often like the clear coats, being able to see the wood. Most other people (non-woodworker) I talk to like the stained / dyed stuff. I agree with lew if you're making it for someone eles the finish they want is the right one.


----------



## wisconsinjimmy (Sep 22, 2009)

What I am hearing here is to just leave the wood bare and let the customer do what they want to do with it.


----------



## pknight (Oct 4, 2009)

The unfinished Item is pretty popular around here as well, I see quite a few at the markets. My only thought/question would be regarding the pricing of it. I've seen people who knock so much off of the price that they then have trouble moving the finished items.


----------



## GaryC (Dec 31, 2008)

If you want the money for doing the finish work, do the finish work. But, like Lew said, the customer is always right.


----------



## tamboti (Oct 19, 2009)

Hi Jim I would up the price of finished items by 15% and sell unfinished at the present rate there by still making a few bucks Yes the customer is always right there fore give them what they want


----------

