i just thought id toss up a quick how to on how to stain wood for boxes

all information contained in this how-to is provided as-is i am not responsible for your screwups

step 1, supplies

for this how to i will be using a few things

a can of natural tint watco oil

a can of redwood #502 weatherproof wood stain

some paper towels (bounty)

gloves (nitrile)

a 1 inch chip brush

and some disposable paper cups (14 oz)

and our peice of wood that i am staining is a piece of light grain birch plywood

step 2

mix the watco oil and stain together, i like to do a 1:1 mix of oil and stain, the watco oil is a penetrating oil and a varnish in one and the stain is just regular deck stain, pick out your favorite color

make sure that you mix them thoroughly as they have different densities and like to separate,

step 3

using the 1 inch chip brush and wearing the gloves apply the stain liberally to the wood making sure to watch out for drips and runs, also make sure that you get it into the corners

step 4

you should wait about 10-15 seconds after applying the mixture then using the paper towel rub the stain into the wood taking care to rub only WITH the grain NOT against it

wipe until you have an even finish over the entire surface, remember edges and cut pieces will be darker than surface areas

you will know when to change the papertowel when it starts to be less effective in wiping up the excess stain

step 5

repeat step 3 and 4 until desired tint of the wood is acheived

extra step

for a weathered and distressed look, after completing step 4, sand with 120 grit sand paper in select areas to remove some stain and then reapply, this will cause varying colors and tones giving the overall product a vintage look

Great write up man, just a suggestion, at the top you may want to add a little paragraph about the advantages of staining the wood. By showing people the positives of staining they will be more likely to follow this how to and utilize your advice.

it wont let me edit the main post, but the main benifits of staining over a box covering like carpet or suede

1. if you start with a nice wood, you will have a nice finish

2. it brings out the natural beauty if the wood

3. it can look much nicer than carpet

4. carpet absorbs sound waves lowering Db's

5. the wood will last longer and repel water

it wont let me edit the main post, but the main benifits of staining over a box covering like carpet or suede

1. if you start with a nice wood, you will have a nice finish

2. it brings out the natural beauty if the wood

3. it can look much nicer than carpet

4. carpet absorbs sound waves lowering Db's

5. the wood will last longer and repel water

Soft materials do absorb sound, but with carpet it won't be anywhere near enough to hear let alone measure. Maybe a tenth of a percent of a decibel. Lowering dBs via carpeting is pretty unrealistic.

Stained wood will still absorb water and not necessarily last long. While it does off more protection, it's hardly something to worry about in car audio unless your enclosure is continually exposed to the elements.

Nice write up!

Mdf looks nice also stained and varnished so dont rule that wood out if you decide to go that route.