Please help with my stain!
Hello! This is my first time doing a furniture flip, so please be kind and please help me figure out how to make my stain more even! I started the whole process by using a varnish remover and then sanding with 80 -> 120 -> 220 grit. I applied layer of the conditioner (pictured above) as instructed on the canister. After letting it dry for 30 minutes, I began to apply the stain (pictured above) with the pictured brushes. I applied it to the entirety of the top of this dresser using a heavy hand and then let it sit for 5 minutes before wiping off. The problem was that the excess dried quickly on one end as I worked on the opposite side. I then tried applying a thin layer and in smaller sections the next day to maybe offset this issue, still streaky and still dried before I could wipe it off. I then saw a few videos of people using a stain pad or foam brush (which I am going to purchase next). The 3rd layer I tried flooding it and wiping the excess off but again ran into the issue of one side drying before I could finish wiping it. I feel so silly and frustrated and would really appreciate any advice. I really don’t want to sand it down again but feel like that would be the next step. I just don’t want to sand it down to run into the same issue again. All the other pieces have received only one stain layer. Help!