Can epoxy be applied over wood stain?

Epoxy can be applied over many wood stain products. However, if the stain is oil-based and not fully dry, there may issues with fisheyes, cratering, and contamination. Regardless of the type of stain, a clean rag, rubbed on the stained wood, can identify whether or not the stain is dry. If the stain is dry, it will not show on the rag. Some stains can take more than a week to fully dry.

If you plan to use epoxy over a stained surface, it’s best to try coating a small test piece first. This will prevent costly mistakes on your actual project. You may also want to consider seal coating your stained wood project to avoid bubbles.