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Step 1: Remove all hardware from the desk and set it aside. Step 2: Lightly sand the desk to remove any rough spots or old, loose paint. Step 3: Over a drop cloth, gently stir the wood stain and apply a test sample on a small inconspicuous area with a lint-free cloth before proceeding with the entire job.
What kind of stain do you use for a desk?
Oil-based stains are the best wood stain for furniture or any large wood surface because of the slower drying time, which gives the piece a more even finish. Oil-based stains tend to penetrate deeper, leaving behind a richer color that is easy to refresh by applying another coat.
How do you stain a desk?
Dip a cotton cloth into an open can of stain. Wipe the desk liberally with the stain until it is uniformly wet. Work fast so that the stain doesn’t dry. Repeat the process on the drawers.
How do you stain an old wood desk?
Just follow these steps: Apply a generous coat of stain to the wood. Remove any excess stain with a clean cloth and wipe lightly with the grain to avoid streaking. Apply another coat of stain to the surface of the wood.
What is best way to apply stain to wood?
Stain can be applied with a bristle brush, a foam brush, or a cloth. On woods with large, open pores, such as oak, mahogany and ash, increase your pressure to work the stain into the pores. Rubbing or brushing against the direction of the grain will help fill deep pores with stain.
Should I stain my desk?
Staining is not always advisable, but it can solve a lot of problems. Before you stain any piece of furniture, take a good look at it. If it’s made of cherry, maple, mahogany, rosewood, aged pine, or any of the rare woods, the wood should probably not be stained; these woods look best in their natural color.
Can you stain wood without sanding?
If the wood has been stained but not finished, DO NOT scuff or sand. Doing so will remove the color from the edges, leaving the project looking uneven.
How long do you leave stain on wood before wiping off?
With a staining brush, work both with the grain and against it. Don’t worry about being neat; all that matters is getting a nice, even, liberal coat over the wood. Wipe the stain off immediately if you’d like a lighter tone. But for a deeper tone, leave the stain on the wood for 5 to 10 minutes before wiping it off.
How do you sand a desk before staining?
Begin sanding the entire wood surface with coarse-grit sandpaper (80 grit), then progress to medium-grit sandpaper (150 grit), and then to a fine-grit sandpaper (220 grit) before you stain. When sanding, sand the entire table with each grit before moving on to the next grit.
Do you have to sand before staining?
It all starts with sanding. 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.
Is it better to stain with a brush or rag?
Brushing is the slowest method of applying stain. So not only might you get blotching or lap marks, you’re also wasting time. It’s more efficient to wipe stain than to brush it, and you’re less likely to have color problems.
Should I use a rag or brush to stain wood?
Using a lint free rag is the best way to apply wood stain because it is great for controlling the amount of stain that is applied and for removing any excess stain. Also, the rag leaves a beautiful, even, and brush stroke free finish. It also can easily be thrown out once finished.
Do you need to seal wood after staining?
After staining wood do you have to seal it? After staining wood, you have to seal if because the wood remains a porous surface. If you’re just using a regular stain, it can provide some degree of protection compared to totally unfinished wood.
Is it better to stain or paint a desk?
Furniture pieces with mild to moderate flaws that you can sand out are great to stain—the right stain can cover the imperfections and make the item look new again. For furniture with severe flaws that you cannot easily fix by sanding, paint will better cover these issues and make the piece look new again.
Should I paint or stain my old desk?
Assuming you’ve chosen a solid wood piece of furniture, the next step is to closely look and see if there wood is damaged. If the only way to repair any cracks or chipped veneer (which is wood an can be stained), is with wood filler, then you’ll want to prime and paint that piece.
What happens if you don’t seal stained wood?
Wood is dried-out and dull if you do not apply some sort of sealer. Staining and finishing are two very different things. By applying pigments, a stain is meant to darken or dye wood, but the wood is not preserved by staining.
Does stain get darker as it dries?
The purpose of a stain is to change the color of the wood, but a stain will lighten as it dries and it will lose its wet look. A stain is like paint because you apply it in layers.
Do I need to condition wood before staining?
Treating the surface with Pre-Stain Wood Conditioner helps prevent streaks and blotches by evening out the absorption of oil-based stains. It can be applied over any wood but is especially necessary when working with soft or porous woods like pine, alder, birch, and maple.
Do I need to varnish after staining?
After staining wood do you have to seal it? Yes, when staining wood you must apply a sealer to protect the stained surface. The stain will highlight the grain in the wood but it will not protect it, meaning it is extremely susceptible to damages from liquids, foods, human touch, and other sharp objects.
