Robert

Hi Robert, I’m surprised to hear the term gloss wood stain, as most stains are simply a pigment to color the wood. By adding the word gloss, you\’re suggesting the addition of a polyurethane – which is exactly what they suggested you didn’t use. There are gloss wood stains, such as the Polyshades product by Minwax.  If you want a gloss look but want to avoid polyurethane, I’d use a wood stain and a sealer like shellac, which is not as waterproof as polyurethane but does protect against marks and light moisture.