How to Stain Wood Furniture

Staining wood is a great idea to refurbish your old or dull wooden furniture. Staining is a do it yourself project, but needs to be done carefully and with patience. There are various types of stains and polishes available in the market, hence picking the right one is very essential. So if you have any old piece of furniture which needs to be reworked on, you can opt for the technique and give it a new look. If you are wondering how to stain wood cabinets, how to stain wood doors, how to stain wooden decks, or how to stain wood furniture, here's the answer to all your questions. Just follow the method given below and renew your furniture.

Procedure

Choosing The Stain
Before you start, choose a stain. Stains are available in a wide variety like, varnish stains, sealer stains, organic stains, penetrating stains and non-grain-raising stains. It is the best to test one on a scrap piece of wood before you use it for the project. This will help you see the effect and how it looks. Also, there are various colors available in the market which can be mixed with about 2-3 basic shades. The basic shades include maple (yellow-orange), light oak (tan), mahogany (red), and walnut (brown). Reading the manufacturer's instructions about the mixing proportions is helpful to get the desired colored effect.

Preparing The Surface
Take a coarse sandpaper, a medium grit sandpaper, mineral spirits, wood conditioner, clean rags and sponge. Wear the protective gear including the gloves. Now sand the surface with coarse sandpaper thoroughly. After you finish sanding the entire surface with this sandpaper, use the medium grit sandpaper similarly.

While you sand the surface, make sure that you do so along the grain and not against the wood grain. Sand until you have a plain surface ready to proceed. While you sand, keep a cloth handy to clean the dust formed. Once done, clean the entire surface with a rag. Take mineral spirits on rag and clean the surface thoroughly. After 20-30 minutes apply wood conditioner with a piece of sponge on the entire surface. Remember that before you move on to the main part, this step is important to create a proper base for staining. So work carefully.

Staining the Furniture
Take a rag or a brush and start applying the selected stain. Apply stain along the grain and not against it. Best to work outdoors, or in a well ventilated area. Once the entire surface is covered, leave it for drying. Remember, the longer you leave it on, the darker will be the effect.

While renovating your wooden cabinets, deck, chairs, tables, you can also consider painting it. But opting for the wood staining technique is always the best idea as it gives an ultimate look to your furniture. Staining restores the natural wood grain appearance which makes the furniture look more attractive. Staining cabinets and doors is a common practice so as to give them an elegant look. This process is definitely not a tough task with the aforementioned tips and procedure. So get started, and all the best!