How To Stain Furniture For Beginners
Updating your own furniture, whether thrifted or old that you’ve had around your house, and it’s scratched and just doesn’t look very good – it is such a good idea to stain it. Here’s a guide on how to stain furniture for beginners if you’ve never done it before!
Instead of getting brand new furniture, these refinishing furniture techniques will help bring your old furniture back to life! It’s a simple process that anyone can do with these simple steps outlined for you. You will save so much money doing this yourself, and it will also be awesome to be able to look at it and be like, “Yep, I did that.”
For old pieces, you might be tempted to throw them away and buy new furniture. But these vintage or antique pieces are actually built so much better than the ones you can find today brand new. So, how do you restore them?
Staining is a great way to update your pieces and bring out their natural beauty. You get to add color to the wood while still allowing the natural grain and texture to show through. And the good news is, the process is much easier than you might think!
You don’t need to be a DIY expert or have a ton of experience. In this guide, we will walk you through everything you need to know to get started. So, when you’re ready, let’s dive into how to stain furniture for beginners!
Supplies Used for Staining Furniture for Beginners
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- Chemical Stripper
- 220 Grit Sandpaper
- Vacuum
- Tack Cloth
- Oil Based or Waterbased Stain
- Wood Conditioner
- Gloves
- Lint Free Rag
- Waterbased Polyurethane
- Zibra Topcoat Brush
Remove Old Finish
Okay, first, you’re going to want to have a raw wood surface. If it has any stain on it already, or if it feels slick or shiny, you do not have a raw wood surface. If there’s a finish on it, you need to remove that.
Here is one of our blog posts on how to remove wood stain that will walk you through how to do that. You can sand or use a chemical stripper, but first, you need to get that off. Check out the best wood stain removers you can use here.
Now, if your piece is in okay condition without a ton of scratches, but it’s a little bit worn out and you just want to freshen it up, go over to this blog post on how to restain wood furniture. It covers using gel stain on top of your existing finish to quickly update your furniture.
With all that out of the way, I am now assuming that you have a raw wood surface or furniture that does not have a topcoat on it. Your piece needs to be able to accept the stain. If it’s a slick or shiny surface, your stain will not soak into the wood.
Smooth Surface by Sanding
Before you can stain your wood, you really need to have a smooth surface. You need to remove the dust, grime, or any gunk that’s on it. You can use 220 grit sandpaper to lightly sand all of the raw wood surfaces.
You can also use a power sander to help you sand faster – check out the best sanders for furniture here. Even better, if you have curves, make sure to use these foam sanding pads for any sander. That way, you don’t have to do it by hand. Get more tips on how to sand curved surfaces in this post.
However, if you really want to skip this step and are curious about the results, we show you how to stain furniture without sanding in this post!
After that, you need to remove any dust that was created or was there before sanding. You can do this with a vacuum with a hose and a brush attachment. Use the brush attachment to suck up any dust, and then go over everything with a tack cloth.
The tack cloth has wax on it that feels sticky, and this will pick up the last remaining specks of dust. If you use a damp cloth, it will raise the wood grain again, and your wood won’t feel smooth anymore. So, avoid using water with raw wood. Learn more about how to clean wood after sanding here.
Choose Furniture Stain
Now you need to choose your stain. You can use oil based or waterbased stain. Oil based stinks and really should be used outside. It also takes longer to dry, but because of that, it’s easier to work with. You won’t get streaks in your stain, it soaks in really well, and it gives a very rich stained finish.
Waterbased stain dries very quickly, so you have to work fast. It’s better for small surfaces – if you have a big, long dresser, even just staining the top can be hard for a beginner. The benefit of it is that it doesn’t have harsh smells, and it dries fast, so your project goes quicker. Just be aware of these differences.
Here’s our list of the best wood stains for refinishing furniture, for more helpful tips on choosing the right one for your project.
Choosing Stain Color
The other thing is picking your stain color. Make sure to pick one that complements the other things in the room. If you have dark wood floors, you don’t have to go with dark, but choose something that goes with that dark tone.
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Pick some elements of the highlights in that wood color. If you have gray floors, avoid anything with oak, orange, or red tones, as they won’t go well with the gray floors.
Pick a couple of stain colors and test them out. Stain comes in small containers, so you can buy a few and test them on your wood. Test them on the actual type of wood you’re staining, not just a random scrap piece, because all wood takes stain differently. Find a spot on your furniture that’s not very visible and test it there.
Using Wood Conditioner
Before you stain, you may want to apply a wood conditioner to help the stain absorb evenly. Sometimes, if you just put the stain on without a wood conditioner, there will be splotches all over the wood.
Applying a wood conditioner will make the stain soak in less, so if you want a really deep color, the conditioner will make it more of a medium color. That’s okay, though – you can apply multiple coats of stain to get darker results.
To apply a wood conditioner, grab a rag or brush, apply it, let it soak for about five minutes, and then wipe off the excess with a lint free rag.
If you’re using oil based products, here’s a huge warning: do not crumple up the rags and throw them in the garbage. Lay out any residue rags or tools flat outside until they’re completely dry. Rags can combust and cause a fire if they’re wadded together, so be very careful.
How to Stain Wood Furniture
Test the stain in a small, hidden area first. You can apply it with a rag or brush – whatever you’re most comfortable with. If there are a lot of details and crevices, a brush is easier. For flat surfaces, I prefer using a rag. Here’s a more detailed guide on how to stain wood with a rag!
Wear gloves to protect your hands because the product will stain your skin. Apply it following the wood grain. For example, the legs might have grain going up and down, while the top and drawers might go side to side. Follow those lines.
If you’re using oil based stain, let it sit for a bit to soak in before wiping off the excess with a lint free rag. For waterbased stain, wipe off the excess within 30 seconds. Either way, wipe off the excess for an even finish and quicker drying.
Topcoat Stained Wood
Once it’s dry, which depends on what type of stain you used, apply a protective finish. Your wood and stain are susceptible to scratches and damage without a topcoat. So, say, you set a cup of water on it, it will soak in and ruin the surface and finish.
A topcoat protects against this. You can use furniture wax, but I don’t think it protects well and takes a long time to dry. I prefer polyurethane, especially waterbased polyurethane. We have a comparison post on wax vs polyurethane here, so you can see them side by side.
If you’re using oil based stain, you can use oil based polyurethane, but it will give a yellow tint to your wood stain. If you want to use waterbased topcoat over oil based stain, wait 48–72 hours for the stain to dry completely.
It’s easy to brush it on with a Zibra topcoat brush. Here are more best paint brushes for polyurethane. Follow the wood grain lines, apply evenly, and work quickly, especially with waterbased poly, as it dries fast. Don’t overbrush – just brush it on and move to the next section to avoid streaks.
And that’s how to stain furniture for beginners! With the right tools and a few simple techniques, you can give your pieces a beautiful stained finish. This is a skill that takes practice, so don’t be discouraged if your first attempt doesn’t turn out perfect!
How To Stain Furniture For Beginners
Here's a guide on how to stain furniture for beginners, everything you need to know to get started if you've never done it before.
Materials
Tools
Instructions
- Make sure your furniture has a raw wood surface by removing any existing finish. Use sandpaper or a chemical stripper to do so.
- Lightly sand the furniture with 220 grit sandpaper for a smooth surface, using a power sander for faster results. Remove all dust with a vacuum and a tack cloth.
- Decide between oil based and waterbased stains based on your project needs. Oil based stains work well for large pieces but have a strong smell, while waterbased stains dry faster but require quick application.
- Test stain colors on an inconspicuous area of your furniture to see how the wood takes the stain. Choose a shade that complements your room and other wood tones.
- Use a wood conditioner to make sure the stain absorbs evenly and avoid splotches. Apply it with a rag or brush, let it soak for about five minutes, and then wipe off the excess with a lint free rag.
- Test the stain on a hidden area first, then apply it with a rag or brush, following the wood grain. Wipe off excess stain after letting it soak in (for oil based) or within 30 seconds (for waterbased).
- Once the stain dries, apply a polyurethane or wax topcoat to protect the wood. If you’re using oil based stain, you can use oil based polyurethane, but it will give a yellow tint to your wood stain. If you want to use waterbased topcoat over oil based stain, wait 48–72 hours for the stain to dry completely.
- Brush the topcoat on with the grain, working quickly and evenly, especially with waterbased polyurethane.
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