In three days, I turned this stora, Were getting closer! And if you want to entirely avoid wood finishing disasters in the future, be sure to check out theNo-Fail Finishing Formulas, containing 4 easy recipes for finishing any sort of wood project! So, safety first: if you use this technique, be absolutely sure your wood stain has completely dried first, so that you dont end up with a dangerous chemical reaction. Gel stains are more intended to sit on top of wood and therefore can be treated more like paint. Ive been there so many times. Also, make sure you firmly establish your goal before your project. A heavy coat wont dry, so light coats are the way to go here. But, if you are working with an orbital sander and flat surface, sanding your piece to bare wood is easier than you think! In this case, a traditional stain might be better suited for you. If you're not sure which one you prefer, ask an associate at your local home store for a small sample of each, then test them on your piece in an inconspicuous area. So, if your project has a very nice existing stain and finish, and you are interested in changing the tone or darkening the stain, a gel stain might be your best bet! Depending on the size of your project, you may need several packs of steel wool. This should only be attempted if you have a good orbital sander; hand sanding would require a significant amount of time. Grab a pencil, and squiggle a light line on your wood. These shutters were to, Building the hood vent was a little bit of a puzzl, You know It only took five years to finish. The other involves gel stains and will only require light sanding at most a. Dont approach your staining project thinking that it will turn out the same as a previous one. Required fields are marked *. Otherwise, lightly sand the surface of the wood, then apply a thick coat of stain with a cloth or foam brush. When you're working with harsh chemicals, protect your hands, skin, eyes, and airways with proper safety gear. Believe me, this will give you the best finish you could ask for. There are two types of products available for coloring already-finished wood: Gel Stain, and Poly-Stain Combo Products. A topcoat will help protect the wood from UV damage, scuffs, scratches, and even spills. Sanding is also a good choice if you don't want to work with chemicals. Once you completely stain a wood piece, it will involve a bit of effort to lighten it again. Sam Hubbard is a Professional Carpenter and the Owner of Hubbard Carpentry and Remodeling. Pigment toner can also be used, but it will cause the color to become muddy. Test the bleach in an inconspicuous spot of your piece before you start, so you know exactly what will happen when you bleach the wood. Then wipe down with water. Check out my FREE 9-step design guide to help you design your space like a pro! Don't try to stain over polyurethane, wax, varnish, or shellac. Stripping that existing color away and offering you a new blank base to work with. To learn how to strip or sand your piece, read on! To learn how to strip or sand your piece, read on! Thanks for supporting the brands that support this blog of mine! Just like with hair, it is easier to darken light or bleached hair than it is to lighten dark hair. I sa, After finishing my kitchen renovation, this Wall s, Anyone else still have lilacs in bloom? At minimum, youll know what youre getting before you apply the stain and finish to you piece. Yes, it is possible to stain over paint. Switch to a new piece of steel wool when the stain starts to build up. The tricky thing about adding a sliding barn door is that you have to have wall space at least on one side of your doorway. Gel stain is actually a type of stain that works well on unfinished soft woods, but also doubles as a stain that can tint finished wood. Traditional stains penetrate the surface of the wood, allowing the natural grain and patterns of the wood to show through, while still changing its color. Best of luck on your adventures. Using fine sandpaper for a light sanding pass to remove scuffs and provide a little more adhesion for the stain is advised. Using gel stain to cover the existing stain will involve a slight amount of sanding, and then applying the coat of gel stain on top of the existing stain. This is also why it is important to make test stains for your projects. Don't sand through the existing finish or you'll end up with a splotchy appearance. You saved me a lot of work, thanks. Those are the most straightforward options, but you have a few other choices as well, so keep reading! In fact, consider going for a two-toned piece, where youve painted all the difficult-to-sand areas, and sanded down the flat tabletop. How to make a built-in bookcase with unfinished cabinets, How and Why You Should Use Toile Wallpaper in Your Home. But is still popular, Read More Is Repose Gray by Sherwin Williams In or Out?Continue, I knew when we bought this rustic house three years ago that I had to find somewhere to add a sliding barn door! You can usually find dust masks wherever home improvement supplies are sold. !if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[728,90],'thefarmhouselife_com-box-3','ezslot_12',127,'0','0'])};if(typeof __ez_fad_position!='undefined'){__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-thefarmhouselife_com-box-3-0')}; Restaining could be one fun way to make that good piece of furniture into a great way or just freshen up the style in your home. Choosing some hidden spot on the piece and applying some stain there as a test run is your best bet. Before starting your staining project, you should decide whether you want to refresh the existing stain with the same color or use a darker or lighter stain. I know I was afraid of messing up the look of my wooden pieces. Level up your tech skills and stay ahead of the curve. Vinegar may be associated with stain lightening as bleaching wood is a popular method for lightening stain and having a vinegar and water solution is suggested for cleaning it up. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/e\/e0\/Stain-over-Stain-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Stain-over-Stain-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/e\/e0\/Stain-over-Stain-Step-1.jpg\/aid10106246-v4-728px-Stain-over-Stain-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"

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\n<\/p><\/div>"}. Once again, you can only go darker. One time, I even tested stains on the bottom of the rocking part of a rocking chair. There are cases where you can stain over existing finish, but it will depend on your project and the stain you use. This will be a bit of an involved project, so make sure you research to understand the tools required. Understand your goals and then you can develop the perfect plan for your unique project. If youre refinishing a furniture piece, and dont have scrap wood to test, things get a little trickier. By rubbing the darkened stain with a petroleum-based solvent and then letting it evaporate, you can lighten the wood. Finish can change the look of a stain, so its important you apply both products to confirm you like the overall look before you start on your piece. If you already sanded the wood to remove the previous stain, you don't need to sand it again. Different stain projects will require different amounts of work and products if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[580,400],'thefarmhouselife_com-box-4','ezslot_1',115,'0','0'])};if(typeof __ez_fad_position!='undefined'){__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-thefarmhouselife_com-box-4-0')}; Before committing to an extensive staining project, it is important that you test your plans on a small area first. Then your stain should be gone, and youll have a wonderfully smooth surface to work with! Bleaching your wood project accomplishes the same results as bleaching your hair might. This may be necessary for projects involving lightning stains. You could also purchase a wood stripper meant for stain. Dry the piece with a rag or towel, and then let the wood dry for a day or two before re-staining or adding a topcoat. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 163,141 times. How do you get the smoothest polyurethane finish? "I like the technical work cause I just play around with my brain to get the color that I want if I mix them. Is Repose Gray by Sherwin Williams In or Out? Note the word can here. Chemical stripper is also a good option if you are working on a large surface. If youve built your project from scratch, grab a piece of scrap wood, and apply your stain to the scrap wood. Let it sit on the project for a few minutes before diluting with water. Therefore, staining wood is preferred to help keep the beauty of the original grain intact. Especially with everything going on right now! The bleach will not penetrate the topcoat, and will have no effect on the wood. This preserves the grain but can be much more flexible and require less effort from staining projects. If your color is too red, use a green dye. Yes, it is possible to use bleach to remove wood stain. #newenglan, We went from knobs to pulls and you know what that, here are cases where you can stain over existing finish. To reduce this risk, take a piece of scrap wood from your project, and stain it with your original stain. You have a couple of options for staining over existing stains. You might not have as much space to test 15 options like you would when using scrap wood above, but you can probably still test 2-3 options and pick from there. But good news using the wrong wood stain color can be fixed! Brushing your bleach onto the prepped furniture is the next step. Copyright 2022 A Butterfly House | Bamboo on Trellis Framework by Mediavine, see the full tutorial and before pictures here, I even tested stains on the bottom of the rocking part of a rocking chair. for painting your home. Now I know I don't need to strip or sand it. Bet, And. Graduating to a finer sandpaper will help keep you from scuffing the surface of the wood too much. It may sound overwhelming but Im here to help bring you inspiration that will hopefully help you make a decision. You may also want to wear a dust mask, even if you're working in a well-ventilated area. Last Updated: May 10, 2022 If you click and make a purchase, I may receive compensation (at no additional cost to you.). The stain won't cure properly. If you have yet to apply a finish to your piece, applying another, darker stain can change the shade of your project. Yes! If your idea calls for a lighter stain than you currently have, you will need to remove the darker stain first and then apply the lighter stain. As always, test your potential stain on a small and/or hidden area to make sure you know how the end result will look. Taking off any hardware will ensure they don't accidentally get coated with stain. You can do this with a 50/50 white vinegar and water mixture and apply this wherever the bleach was applied. Once the wood has been sanded and wiped clean, you can lighten the darkened stain by using a stripping solvent. You could also paint the entire piece, but you probably didnt need me to tell you that. Lightly sand the wood between coats and remove dust with a tack cloth. The closest example of this style would be rustic. If youve already finished your piece with a topcoat, then the first two solutions Ive named become a lot more difficult. Staining wood can be a great way to give new life to a piece of furniture, your kitchen cabinets, a deck, or anything else you come across. It is hard to commit to just one, and you dont want to make a bad choice and make trip after trip for another paint test. In the last coat, use a piece of cardboard instead of sandpaper for buffing. This article was co-authored by Sam Hubbard and by wikiHow staff writer, Amy Bobinger. Its just not right, whether its too dark, too light, too red, whatever. If you don't have a drop cloth or a tarp, use old, thick towels instead. Too many coats of gel stain will ultimately obscure the wood, so the most it can really accomplish is some slight tinting and evening of the finish. Note: This blog contains affiliate links. The second option is more reasonable for stain darkening projects, and color tone changes. In the last few posts I walked, Read More How to make a built-in bookcase with unfinished cabinetsContinue, With the holidays around the corner now is the time to stock up on bar cart essentials and styling! If you just need to adjust the color slightly, opt for a dye toner instead of a second coat. Have you found the perfect piece of furniture, but the color is just a little off? Wow! It works especially well if youre applying a darker stain over a lighter stain, and while working with raw wood. But, these tips and tricks helped me along the way, and I hope they can help you too! If you want to significantly darken your piece, consider Polyurethane/Stain combo products, like Minwax Polyshades. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Checkout my E-design services! Want to shop this post? % of people told us that this article helped them. Finish with a clear sealer. Here Ill share different questions you might have about stained wood, including things like is it possible to stain over old stains? If you want to darken the stain on your wood project, then removing the existing stain is not necessary! Regardless, its still really important to test your finish options before you apply them. Simply painting a piece of wood would mean that the paint sits on the top of the wood, blocking out the beautiful design that exists in the wood already. Stainnig can be pretty intimidating at first. The office reveal is tomor, Watch as this storage room turns into a beautiful, Check out my favorite wooden cabinet cleaner! Some stains come with additives that may help protect wood. destroy your way to a beautiful house. You can apply more bleach once it has fully dried if you want it lighter. However, you should be aware that the finished product wont look exactly like a painted or stained piece, it will be a unique style that combines both! Let it dry and check how light it is. I used two different gel stains on this cedar chest (see the full tutorial and before pictures here) which covered the fading and wear, as well as darkened the look of the chest: To use gel stain, sand your piece with high grit sandpaper, then apply a light coat of the gel stain with a rag. Staining over paint can add a look of wear to the piece. Obviously staining over stain can be a bit of gamble as to what color your piece will ultimately become. If your project has a rougher finish, you can expect to do some sanding, especially if you want to lighten the stain. One more bit of crucial information make sure whatever stain you use the second time is the same type of stain you used originally.