
How do I prep dark stained wood for unicorn spit on top?



I have a wooden tv tray that I sanded and stained with a dark wood stain. I want to do a stencil of mermaid scales on top of the wood, with unicorn spit. Do I have to put polyurethane on top of the stained wood before I start? I am practicing the stencil before I do a dresser for my grand-daughter.
Related Discussions
Blackout curtains behind vertical blinds

I have two 6' patio doors, and I want to add blackout curtains to keep the sun/cold out. What is the best way to hang them, and what can I use to push the curtains ba... See more
How to make a balloon garland?

Does anyone know how to make a balloon garland or a balloon arch?
How do I put a wash over dark wood stained bookcase ?

Dark brown woodstained bookcase that I would like to put a turquoise wash over it so that the brown still comes thru a little...how do I accomplish this?
Can Acrylic Craft Paint be used on plastic pumpkins?

I've seen so many painted craft pumpkins on blogs and Pinterest. I'm wanting to paint some plastic pumpkins, not the same type as the foam craft pumpkins. Does a pl... See more
What can I make with this wallpaper smoothing dry rotted brush?

Okay fellow Hometalkers, here is a tough one. While working in my hubby’s work shop yesterday on an antique table that needed some sanding dust brushed off, I spie... See more
Hi Sharon
Here is some info I found for you.
http://eclecticproducts.com/unicorn-spit-gel-stain-and-glaze-in-one.html
https://allthingsnewagain.net/2017/04/07/unicorn-spit-diy-tutorial-how-to-create-a-side-by-side-technique/
http://eclecticproducts.com/unicorn-spit-gel-stain-and-glaze-in-one.html
HOW TO CREATE A BEAUTIFUL UNICORN SPIT SIDE-BY-SIDE TECHNIQUEhttps://allthingsnewagain.net/2017/04/07/unicorn-spit-diy-tutorial-how-to-create-a-side-by-side-technique/
Thank you both!
no, you add the unicorn spit first and then seal with the polyurethane. I my experience using unicorn spit adding it on top of a dark stain does not give the best colour result. Maybe do a small test piece first to see the final colour.
Yeah always Poly or seal after any painting is done and your project is complete.
Use the polyurethane to seal it once you are done. Applying it before will infact create a negative surface for stencil work
I don't think you need to seal it before you add the unicorn spit. If you have a piece of scrap wood, you might try it out first?
I would sand the top a bit before you stencil, otherwise if its too glossy the paint from stencil wont stick
Okay, I will definitely try sanding lightly and find a test piece first. You guys are great!
I would suggest priming the area to have the best colors to be viewed.
There are some nice acrylic metallics and pearl colors out there to consider too- that I have used in my mermaid paintings.
Hi Sharon, I would definitely seal the darker stain with a water based sealer. The sparkling Unicorn SPiT colors look amazing on a dark background, but you may need to build up the layers to get the deep rich colors to pop. We shared a tutorial on how to blend US on a dark background here that might give you more information - https://acraftymix.com/blog/layering-sparkling-unicorn-spit/
There are lots of Unicorn Spit posts here also that may be able to help you.
Thank you for all the help. I have resolved my question, thanks to the suggestions on this post.