This is the second time I’ve tried this product. Had I written a review after the first time, I wouldn’t have recommended it. This time, I can and I do. I can only assume that the first time that one or more things happened that made the product not work for me. I may have chosen the wrong color (and it’s hard to know which color to choose because they aren’t true to color); or I was too hesitant while applying the product (because it was an expensive table and I was afraid to ruin it); or I simply didn’t shake the applicator enough to mix the inside color well enough to get a true color. But, this time I did all three of these things and it worked!

About two years ago I suffered wood damage to an end table in my living room. My husband had over-watered a hanging plant that I had which was hanging over a dark oak table that matched my cocktail table. The water sat on the wood for a while until I noticed it. It had removed the surface stain on the wood down to the almost bare wood. It was a spot about three inches square and had some finish in spots but not in most spots. I went to the hardware store looking for something to touch up the table so the light, bare, wood didn’t show. There were many products to choose from but I didn’t want to stain the whole top of the table so I chose the Wood Stain Marker that was closest to the color of my table. It was the Pickled Oak color because I was afraid the Red Oak would be too red and the Golden Oak color too yellow. I came home, followed the directions given on the back of the container’s wrapping and it didn’t work. It was way too light, it was very watery and it didn’t cover anything. I was afraid to apply it too thickly because it was a different color than the table and looked as thought it would never blend. I covered up the spot with a table decoration (my son’s bronzed baby shoe) and it sat covered until last week.

Last week we began a house update. One of the things we did was have new carpeting laid in the living and dining rooms. We had to empty all surfaces and move all of the furniture out of the rooms. I kept looking at that spot on the table and decided to give it another try to make it look presentable. Back to the hardware store and once again, the product that looked to be the best for the job was the Minwax Wood Finish Stain Marker. I bought a darker color this time, Early American (although that’s not the kind of furniture I have and worried about the name). There are some dark streaks of color in the composite color of the wood table so I took a chance on this color.

Once again, I read all of the directions. I was, by this time, not afraid of ruining the table and I applied it liberally over the area. Even with all of the extra shaking of the applicator, it applies very liquidy and somewhat runny. But, the color seemed to be okay and it was actually coloring the wood. Once I applied it, I let it set. I took my finger and smoothed any area that seemed thicker than the rest (and it is never really thick. Then I left it overnight. The next day, when I touched it, it felt somewhat sticky. I left it alone and the following day I took some furniture polish and lightly polished the area. The stain (although still feeling a bit sticky) didn’t come off on the cloth and I pressed a bit more. It does leave the spot feeling a bit rough but it looks great. It worked!

About the Product

My Directions: Shake the marker well. It looks like a long narrow permanent marker and is about that size as well. When you remove the black top, the applicator is the tip of the marker and is white. It turns color if you press down on the tip and that is the stain. Hold the marker in a rather upright position and press down on the area you are coloring. When finished, replace the cap and store the pen laying down on its side so it doesn’t harden and so it can be used again.

There are several warnings on the direction’s label. (From the Package) Contains mineral spirits. May cause eye, nose and throat irritation. Avoid contact with eyes. Use only with adequate ventilation. Do not breathe vapors. Skin irritant. Avoid contact with skin. Combustible. Do not use or store near heat, sparks, flame or other source of ignition. When using, do not smoke. Close container after each use. This product contains chemicals known to the State of California (what about the rest of us?) to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm.

While the warnings sound dire, the truth is that because you are applying such a small amount in most cases, they sound a bit more frightening than they probably are. I am quite sensitive to anything to do with the lungs and I never even noticed fumes. A bit of a paint smell but I was personally not effected and the smell was only while applying the stain, not while it was drying. But, if you follow the directions and the warnings you’ll be safe. They have a website address of: www.minwax.com and from that site they provide contact information.

I’ve named some of the colors available above (Golden Oak, Red Oak, Pickled Oak) and some of the others are Early American, Dark Walnut, Provincial, Red Mahogany and Cherry.

And finally, if you have a piece of furniture that needs some scratches or smaller surface repairs and stain, I recommend that you try this easy and inexpensive fix-up. The marker only cost $3.97 at ACO hardware and it is worth a try to see if it will work for you. It worked for me!


Recommended: Yes