Table of Contents
Below are six essential steps that address how to refinish wood furniture and how to strip finished wood: Step 1: Clean the Piece. Step 2: Assess the Furniture’s Current State. Step 3: Remove Old Finish. Step 4: Apply a Coat of Sealant. Step 5: Stain or Paint the Wood. Step 6: Apply a Coat of Finish.
How do you refinish wood that has already been stained?
If the object you’re hoping to stain has been sealed with a topcoat, you won’t be able to restain it, but you can go over it with a coating or a colored stain blend. As an alternative, you could color the wood with an oil-based paint, but the opacity of the oil-based paints can hide the grains.
Do you have to remove old stain before restaining furniture?
You don’t need to remove all of the old stain to apply darker stain. But you do need to remove all of the lacquer, varnish or anything that will prevent new stain from absorbing into the wood. Your sanding block will initially glide over the old lacquer before it begins to cut into it and remove it.
Can you stain over already stained furniture?
Staining over stain is easy and works beautifully if your applying a dark stain over a lighter stain on raw wood. 2. You can mix 2 or more stains together to make DIY custom stains.
Can you stain over old stain without sanding?
You can stain over stained wood without sanding off the old finish.
Is it better to sand or strip furniture?
Stripping is Faster and Often Safer. Stripping a finish is faster than sanding to remove it. But more importantly, sanding cuts through stain and patina (the color changes in wood caused by light and oxidation), and it does so unevenly. Jan 3, 2018.
What grit sandpaper should I use to remove stain?
Stain is notoriously hard to remove from wood. Some types dye its surface, while others carry pigment deep into the pores. The only real solution is to remove the top layer of wood by sanding, and light-duty sandpaper just won’t cut it. The best all-purpose sandpaper for removing stain is 100-grit.
What is a good stain remover?
Best Overall: OxiClean MaxForce Laundry Stain Remover Spray, 12 Fl. Best Gel: SHOUT Advanced Stain Remover for Clothes with Scrubber Brush. Best Wipes: SC Johnson Shout Instant Stain Remover Wipes. Best With Enzymes: Biokleen Bac-Out Enzyme Stain Remover.
What happens if you stain over stain?
If one section dries and is then overlapped, you are effectively applying a second coat to that overlapped area, and this will lead to blotchy finish. If the stain pools during application, you are applying too much at once; cut back.
How do you restore furniture for beginners?
How to refinish furniture Clean the furniture thoroughly. If it’s an older piece of furniture, there’s a good chance it’s built up some dust, dirt, and grime. Strip the wood. Sand it down. Seal the wood. Apply your paint or stain. Finish your piece.
How do you strip and refinish wood furniture?
How to Strip & Refinish Wood Furniture Step 1: Choose a Work Area. Work in a well-ventilated area such as your open garage or on an outdoor deck or patio. Step 2: Strip Away Old Finish. Step 3: Sand It. Step 4: Apply Sanding Sealer. Step 5: Stain It. Step 6: Apply Sealant.
How can I change the color of stained wood?
If you try to apply a light color of stain over the top of an existing dark finish, you won’t notice much difference. To completely alter the color of the finish, strip down the existing stain using a petroleum-based solvent. Once you’ve lightened the wood, you may add a lighter color of stain.
Can you sand stained wood and Restain?
Minwax® PolyShades® is an easy way to change the color of your currently stained or polyurethane finished wood. Simply give it a light sanding with fine-grit sandpaper, remove sanding dust, and brush on a coat of PolyShades® (see step-by-step instructions provided in this Guide).
Can you stain over varnished wood without sanding?
Stain over varnished wood without sanding is not recommended. Because staining should do after sanding the wood surface thoroughly. Otherwise, the stain will not penetrate inside the porous structure of the wood.
What kind of paint do you use on stained wood?
What kind of paint do you use to paint over stained wood? Always use spray paint, water-based latex paint, or oil-based paint.
Can you stain over stain and polyurethane?
Yes, you can stain on top of a polyurethane coat, but only with a gel stain. Gel stain forms a film over the polyurethane finish, unlike standard wood stains that work by soaking into the wood pores.
Do you have to sand before restaining?
You need a smooth surface with no blemishes because stain will highlight scratches and dings in the wood. Always sand down to clean wood (if you have enough meat left of the wood) before applying any stain. Too rough and the wood will be very dark almost to the point of being black.
Will vinegar remove wood stain?
A-If a stain is fairly fresh, it can sometimes be removed by sponging with household ammonia diluted with water, about half and half. Pour vinegar on the stain and brush it with a stiff brush. Let the vinegar work for several minutes, then rinse off and let the wood dry.
Can you remove dark stain from wood?
To reach them, you must strip the stained area of finish by using furniture stripper, oxalic acid crystals, or a two-step wood bleach or liquid laundry bleach. Let the liquid dry until it looks powdery and then rinse the area thoroughly with clear water. Repeat if the dark stain hasn’t disappeared.
How does vinegar remove varnish from wood?
Pour the 4 cups of hot water that you brought to a boil into a bucket. Add ¾ cup of baking soda, ½ cup of ammonia and 1 tbsp. of white vinegar. Stir the contents with a wooden spoon.
Can you sand stain off?
Sand out the stain If you’re applying a new stain, it should mask any residual color. Once you’ve finished machine sanding, we recommend you sand by hand with the grain of the wood using the same grit sandpaper you were using in the machine. This will erase any machine marks.
How do you remove stains from wood naturally?
Make a homemade paste with equal parts water and baking soda. Rub the stain in circular motions until it disappears. Wipe up the baking soda when you’re done.
