Glue Resist Technique with White Glue

Using White Glue as a Resist for Stain

Several years ago, I wrote a post about using wood glue as a resist for stain on wood projects. I really love this technique and get a lot of questions about it. One question in particular (aside from how to remove the glue – you can’t) is how white glue works with the stain. Most folks don’t like the yellow tint of the wood glue so I tried the glue resist technique with white glue just to see how it would work. It worked pretty well!

I used two pieces of plywood with a walnut veneer – my favorite – and dark brown stain. I thoroughly sanded the plywood including the edges.

I applied low-tack adhesive to the back of my stencil to hold it in place on the plywood, then applied the white glue (<– affiliate link!) with a sponge roller. The coat of glue doesn’t have to be thick but for the best results, it should cover all negative areas of the stencil.

Once the glue was dry, I applied a coat of dark brown stain with a rag all over the plywood including the dried glue, then wiped away the excess.

When the stain was dry, I applied two coats of clear polyurethane to seal everything up.

I found that with the white glue, the design was a bit more subtle than with the wood glue but I am still really pleased with the results! The glue resist techniques are a great way to add a bit of a twist to a stained wood project. I’m not sure which technique I like better because I like them both, though white glue is a lot cheaper than wood glue which saves my wood glue for my furniture projects!

In the future, I plan on trying more techniques like this using other products just to see how they will work. Have any questions about the Glue Resist Technique using White Glue or suggestions for a future post? Leave a comment below!