Always start on the bottom side of the wood, that way you can get a test run in first! The stain can be applied with an applicator, a clean rag or a sponge brush. In my case, a sponge brush worked great. By the way, make sure your work area is locked down tight with no drafts or falling debris ... unless you want your stain to be mixed and textured like a cheap '80s-splattered painting. | 
When using an oil-based stain it can be left on for up to15 minutes; the longer it sits, the darker the wood gets. For my initial run I left the stain on for about 10 minutes. After that I wiped the excess stain clean. | 
After letting it dry overnight I laid down one of the stainless strips on the bed to get an idea of how things will look. Let's just say it's a good thing I started on the bottom first, because although the wood was pretty dark I wanted it darker |