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The foolproof finishing system!
Just wipe on with a clean cloth and you're ensured of professional quality results without brush marks. Stains dry to the touch in minutes. If you want a darker color, apply another coat of stain in only 6 hours. Once you're satisfied with the color, apply General Finishes's satin gel topcoat finish. Special formula repels dust between coats. No sanding needed between coats and no unpleasant smell.
Note: Coded as a flammable substance by the U.S. Department of Transportation. Can not be shipped by air or through the postal system.
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Satin
Topcoat |
Golden
Pine |
New
Pine |
Prairie
Wheat |
Colonial
Maple |
American
Oak |
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| Candlelite |
Nutmeg |
Antique
Walnut |
Brown
Mahogany |
Georgian
Cherry |
Java |
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Customer Reviews and Photos for:
General Finishes Gel Stains
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Average Rating:
4.9
(21 customer reviews)
$8.49
Add your review...
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1) Submitted by
Beaufort Craftsmen, from Haverhill, MA
on 4/21/2013
Customer Rating:
I've finished several jobs with General finishes gel stain and gel topcoat. Great and easy product to use. If you want to adjust the finish color to give it an antique look I leave it on for about 5-10 minutes before wiping to darken up pieces (bookcase). Couldn't be happier with this product.
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2) Submitted by
Don Sundquist, from Vonore, TN
on 4/10/2013
Customer Rating:
I refinished a solid walnut grandfather clock that I had built in 1972. Over the years the sun had "bleached" it so that it looked more like a honey maple. I used the GF antique walnut gel stain and was very happy with the results. After I put on the first coat of gel stain, I was skeptical. However, with additional coats the color began to develop and after four coats, the clock looked like the original. I can say that with certainty because the original color was retained under some of the hardware fittings. Now, it all looks great.
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3) Submitted by
Stacy Stathis, from Scotts Valley, CA
on 3/20/2013
Customer Rating:
My kitchen cabinets turned out great, all thanks to Rockler and their excellent products. Before, I had standard oak orangish colored kitchen cabinets. Now, I have beautiful espresso colored cabinets, exactly what I wanted I applied three coats of stain, allowing at least 24 hours of drying time between coats. This gel stain is by far the best out there. It is easy to work with and dries evenly. The company is great to do business with, too. I ordered the General Finishes gel stain, Satin Poly topcoat, and supplies online directly from Rockler and received my shipments within 4-5 days. I highly recommend Rockler and General Finishes products.
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4) Submitted by
Toni Mackain, from Pearland, TEXAS
on 8/14/2012
Customer Rating:
I am using the Java to darken my red oak stair bannisters. Wish I had known about it before I stripped one set of bannisters. Just sanded the other set and applied the gel on both stripped and sanded. So far, I can tell no difference in color. Just applied the first coat of satin sealer. It goes on easier than the gel stain! Fingers crossed, I am so far loving this product!
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5) Submitted by
Melissa Boiles, from Nacogdoches, TX
on 2/18/2012
Customer Rating:
I loved working with this stuff especially after struggling with the sticky mess Minwax gel stain made! I sanded lightly and applied it with a sock over a rubber glove in long even strokes. Let it dry as is-it will dry hard in less than a day. Put on extra coats if you want a darker look. The wood grain shines through beautifully, and the General Finishes Gel Urethane Top Coat gives it a golden durable varnished glow. A friend bought some too, but we discovered that the stain looks a little different on different kinds of hardwood. Experiment on the back of a cabinet door to get the color you want. I used straight Brown Mahogany, but her cabinets look like they'll need a mix of that and the Mocha to get the same dark reddish color. Thank you, Rockler!
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6) Submitted by
Diane, from Charlotte, NC
on 9/25/2011
Customer Rating:
I found this product after getting unsatisfactory results from Minwax stain. I applied it to bathroom cabinet doors with a sponge brush. Once I realized that I shouldn't rub the gel off, I finished my project in no time. I got exactly the look I wanted. Now, onto the next gel stain project!
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7) Submitted by
Paul, from Glasgow, KY
on 5/16/2011
Customer Rating:
Great variety of color choices. Worked great!
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8) Submitted by
Paul Didier, from Spokane, WA
on 1/18/2011
Customer Rating:
After reading all the reviews on this product I chose to purchase it for a recent project I am working on for an entertainment center. I could not be more pleased with the product. It was easy to apply, consistent in color, did not blotch and did not run as stain's can do. I will be using this product from now on for all my projects. Excellent product, love it!
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9) Submitted by
Gene, from St. Helena Island, SOUTH CAROLINA
on 1/8/2011
Customer Rating:
We purchased a new vanity for our bathroom that had the Java finish on it. Our problem was that our mirror on the wall needed a complementary frame that would match, so we purchased some trim boards and set about trying to find Java gel stain. We didn't find any locally and so we ordered online from Rockler. This stain goes on like a dream and looks beautiful and it exactly matches the finish on the vanity. Love it!
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10) Submitted by
Frank, from Warminster, PA
on 1/4/2011
Customer Rating:
I have used the General Finishes Oil, Water based and Gel Stains for three years and have never had an issue with any of them. They are easy to apply and the colors are superior in quality. The Gel stains are great to use on hard to stain woods like maple, cherry and pine. Excellent product.
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11) Submitted by
Jean L-V, from Baltimore, MD
on 11/21/2010
Customer Rating:
I am really impressed with General Finishes Gel Stain. I'm an amateur and I've never used anything but Minwax. I'm refinishing 3 very old rockers that have been in the family forever and after reading the reviews thought I would give it a try. It was so easy and fast to get an even tone with no streaks and no drippy mess. The first chair is now complete and looks like a high dollar antique. I did not know I could do such great work! LOL! When all 3 chairs ar finished I'll be looking for some new refinishing projects.
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12) Submitted by
Rick Hanson, from McMinnville, OR
on 3/15/2010
Customer Rating:
I recently purchased some end tables made out of Para wood, (Rubber tree wood. Regular oil based stain would not penetrate, after wiping off, almost no color was left on the wood, so I tried GF's Antique Walnut Gel Stain on them. It worked great, but you have to work quickly, and wipe it off before it starts to dry. Doing small areas, and keeping a wet edge worked for me. All in all, a great product, and I'm pleased.
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13) Submitted by
Di, from Audubon, PA
on 9/12/2009
Customer Rating:
First time using a gel stain, very impressed with the ease and control. The java color is a very versatile dark brown, matches walnut very well.
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14) Submitted by
Jules, from Eatontown, NJ
on 3/31/2009
Customer Rating:
Wanted this product but I couldn't wait for it to be shipped so I went to a local vendor, tried a gel stain that was supposed to be "The Java replacement" but turned out to be way too dark. I tried several ways to make it lighter but no cigar. After a week and a half, Wifey looked at me, shaking her head says,"Go online and buy the Java stain from Rockler already!" Lesson learned. The product is awesome. Easy to work with. I used 2 coats on pine and used a water based poly to complete my project. Now I'm to create more projects using this stunning colored Gel Stain.
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15) Submitted by
Tim, from Penobscot, ME.
on 3/23/2009
Customer Rating:
Used this on the drop-leaf table for camp. It was the first time I had ever used a gel stain. I am greatly impressed & very pleased,with how easy it is to use, & the color is beautiful. I had some native cherry boards sawed out from a dead tree on my property that I used for the inside camp trim. The paint stripped, old table, that the stain was used on, should now enhance nicely the camp interior.
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16) Submitted by
Matthew, from Goldsboro, NC
on 2/9/2009
Customer Rating: 
I loved the color when I first put it on, very beautiful. Then had to wipe it off as per the directions with a clean rag. Didn't have that nice shine/color after. I still love the color and the quality. Very good. I am sure if I put more than one coat on it would have been a better color. Is quite messy so wear gloves and have plenty of rags.
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17) Submitted by
Shaun, from Philadelphia, PA
on 1/18/2009
This stain is great. I had a customer who wanted their desk to match the Ikea black brown finish. 2 coats of the Java and 1 coat of Minwax ebony, and you have it.
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18) Submitted by
Carl Flansbaum, from Bellingham, WA
on 12/1/2008
Customer Rating:
I used this on a large dinnerware hutch project which involved solid walnut (with some sapwood), shop cut veneer as well as walnut plywood. I was very happy with how the gel stain evened out the color between all the wood. My only suggestion is to let it dry at least 48 hours before you apply your next coat.
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19) Submitted by
Kristopher Larson, from Lake Stevens, WA
on 3/17/2008
Customer Rating:
I found the General Gel-Stain to be a truly great product. I used it on an ottoman that I made and found the only slight difficulty being "squeezing" the stain into inside corners. I used cheese-cloth to apply it and it might be a bit easier with a foam brush. I applied it after sanding to 220, and don't see any need to apply any top coat. It's very satiny smooth. Great Stuff.
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20) Submitted by
H from PA
on 3/6/2010
Customer Rating:
This is a great product, and a secret weapon that I predict will save me so much money in remodeling our home. In my first attempt with it, I used it to transform an '80s golden oak vanity.
The stain is the consistency of pudding and extremely easy to apply - but messy (wear gloves, and have extras handy!). I used a cheap kids watercolor brush to get the stain into the corners of the paneled doors. I sanded everything very lightly before starting. I used old t-shirts cut into rags to apply it, applied it thinly, and did not wipe it off, and let it dry about 24 hours between coats.
With two coats of the Java I was able to achieve a rich, dark brown with enough of the original wood grain showing through that it did not look painted or one dimensional. Where it didn't look quite even I went back and touched up and it blended in beautifully. (FYI, when I discovered a little on the floor, it came right off with a dry Magic Eraser.)
I'd planned to put a clear coat over it but the finish from this product is so satiny that I didn't feel it was necessary. It's great stuff, and so much easier to work with than some of the tinted polyurethanes I've tried.
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21) Submitted by
Sue Hicks, from Freeland, WA
on 10/2/2007
Customer Rating:
The people at Stoneway Rockler were very helpful and suggested this product to use. My husband and son made a cradle for our first great-granddaughter out of new and used wood from a maple headboard. This product was so easy to use and it turned out wonderful. We also used the satin finish on it. It is something to be past on down from baby to baby for many years.
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