Hey, guys. Just found this site today, hoping to get some tips/suggestions for a DIYer.

I am refinishing my red oak stairs. The previous owners did not stain the floors, just a clear coat which I assume is oil base polyurethane. I sanded off the old finish down to bare wood using 60, 80, and 100 grit sandpaper. The stair came out really good.

I stained it using Minwax Golden Oak oil based stain. We thought the color did not come out dark enough, so I did another coat of stain the following day. We love the color now. Is 2 coats of stain a bad idea?

I'm letting the stair (only did 1) dry for a few days and I want to put the polyurethane on it. I want to use a water based poly. We do not want anything that yellows.

My question is, do I need to put any type sealer down before I do the polyurethane? What water based poly do you recommend? I bought a bottle of Pro Finisher water based poly, but I am reading a lot of negative reviews on it.

Thanks!
Dave

Oil based stains make a good seal for water-based finish. After you let the stain harden, two coats will take a much longer time to cure than one coat, you will be ready to coat with water-based finish. I recommend a two part finish for chemical resistance and durability, at least three coats. I like to buff the stain with steel wool replacement since steel wool may rust from the water in the finish.

Thanks, Pete. Do I need to buff or sand the stain before I apply the water based poly? I was under the impression I had to lightly sand the poly after the first coat over the stain.

It is not imperative to buff the stein before applying a water-based finish. Some finish manufacturers say to buff after the second coat of finish. Follow the directions on the finish bottle.
You should find a number to call for any questions.