Refinishing old wooden (pine) stairs. Sanded out all groves and dents. Used pre-stain. Applied one coat of stain. When it was fully dry didn’t like the color. Purchased same brand stain in darker shade. Did wipe excess off but left it a little heavier trying to achieve the darker tone. I used a dry natural brush to make everything seem even. 24 hours later… the stain is still tacky – Help!
Allow the stain to dry for a few days. The second coat of applied stain reactivated the first. Now everything needs some time to dry. If this doesn't work then you can wipe off the sticky stain with a solvent, like mineral spirits or even lacquer thinner, and start over. This also means resanding to get a perfect surface again.
Try waiting, usually all that is needed is time.
