You may want to darken your wood furniture for a variety of reasons, such as wanting to match it with other pieces in your home or simply changing its appearance. Whatever the reason may be, here’s our guide on how to stain wood furniture darker!

With the right refinishing furniture techniques, it’s easy to give your wood furniture a darker stain and completely transform its appearance. Follow these simple steps and you’ll have beautifully dark stained wood furniture!

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See more AFTER photos below these printable instructions!

How to Stain Wood Furniture Darker

Here's our guide on how to stain wood furniture darker to completely transform its appearance into beautifully dark stained wood furniture!

Materials

Tools

Instructions

Remove the old finish by sanding lightly with 100 grit sandpaper, moving to finer grits (150 and 220) for a smoother surface. For an even safer option, use chemical stripper like Citristrip or Stripwell QCS.
Apply Minwax pre stain wood conditioner using a chip brush, wiping off excess after a few minutes, then letting it sit for 5 minutes. This helps to prevent blotching and uneven staining, as well as help with absorption and adhesion of the oil based stain.
Apply thin coats of Minwax PolyShades, a stain and topcoat in one, with a natural bristle brush following the direction of the grain, maintaining a wet edge and tipping off the surface for a smoother finish.
Let each coat dry for at least 6 hours, lightly rubbing with steel wool in between coats then remove any dust. Add more coats as desired for a darker finish.
After staining, take caution with the materials used, such as disposing of oil based products properly and handling the newly stained furniture carefully for at least a month while it fully cures.

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Staining wood furniture not only changes its appearance but also adds depth and character to the piece. You can go light or dark with staining depending on your preference, and in this guide, we’ll be focusing on creating a darker stain.

Our client came to us with the request of wanting to darken their wood furniture, specifically the tops of their tables. They were looking for a change in their home decor and we were more than happy to help!

Click here for the stain removal guide and checklist

So how do you go about staining wood furniture darker? The process is fairly simple, so keep reading for the step by step guide, including tips and tricks to help you get the best results in staining.

Supplies Used to Stain Wood Furniture Darker

Removing Old Stained Finish

To start the process of applying a darker stain, we first had to remove the old stained finish on the tops of the tables. This step is important so the new stain can stick to the wood properly and give you that rich, dark color you want.

Since we’re working with the tops, we had to protect the bottom part of the table by covering it with brown paper and painters tape. If you have pre-taped plastic, even better! We don’t want to accidentally stain the bottom of the table. For a full list of supplies you’ll need in refinishing furniture, be sure to check out this post about furniture refinishing supplies.

covering the bottom of furniture with brown paper and painters tape

Next, we moved to the actual removal of the old honey looking stain. Just be careful during this step – don’t sand too much in one spot, or you might go through the thin layer of wood veneer. If your furniture has does have veneer, use a light touch to avoid any damage and keep the stain looking even.

How to avoid sanding through veneer

The best way to avoid sanding through veneer would be to use a chemical stripper. It is a much safer option than sanding as it does not require any physical force. You just apply a stripper like Citristrip or Stripwell QCS, leave it for the recommended time, and then wipe it off. Then let the wood dry completely before sanding it lightly with 220 grit sandpaper.

If you do decide to remove the finish by sanding, start with 100 grit sandpaper to remove most of the finish, then move on to 150 grit and finally 220 grit sandpaper to smooth out the surface. Using a power sander like the Dewalt orbital sander can make this process much easier and faster. Check out our list of the best sanders for furniture to find the best sander that suits your needs and budget.

Here’s our blog post about the best wood stain removers to learn more about the pros and cons of each product. For a more detailed guide for removing wood stains, here’s how to remove wood stain!

Applying Pre Stain Wood Conditioner

To make sure we get an even and consistent stain, we applied a thin coat of Minwax pre stain conditioner. This product is specifically designed to be used before staining, helping to prevent streaking and blotching on the wood surface.

Minwax Pre Stain Conditioner

After brushing on a thin coat of pre stain conditioner with a cheap chip brush, we wiped off any excess after a couple minutes then let it sit for another 5 minutes. This gave the conditioner enough time to penetrate the grain of the wood and help with the absorption of the oil based stain we were about to apply.

Staining Wood Furniture Darker

And now for applying the actual dark stain! This is the exciting part where you can see the wood tops of these tables transform into a darker, richer color.

Minwax PolyShades

We used another product from Minwax, the PolyShades. It’s a stain and topcoat in one and comes in multiple colors, so you sure have options to choose from. The best thing about it is that you don’t need a separate topcoat, saving you time and effort.

It’s very durable on its own – again, you won’t even need a topcoat! PolyShades also levels out to a very smooth and even finish, so you can rest assured your stained wood furniture will have a professional look and feel.

However, we do recommend testing out the PolyShades first on a scrap piece of wood, especially if you’re not used to working with it. It can be tricky to apply and may result in uneven patches if not done correctly.

It is an oil based product, so it has a pretty strong smell. So make sure to work in a well ventilated area and wear a respirator for safety!

DEWALT Orbital Sander

Diablo Orbital Sanding Disc

Minwax Pre-Stain Wood Conditioner

How to Stain Wood Furniture with Minwax PolyShades

Back to the staining process – we got a nice natural bristle brush, and dipped it around an inch into the can, gently tapping off excess. We applied the dark stain in thin, even coats following the direction of the grain, and maintained a wet edge.

After staining, we tipped off the surface by holding the brush at a 45 degree angle and lightly running the bristles over the entire length of the wood. This trick helps reduce brush marks and bubbles, giving you a smoother finish.

We let the first coat dry for at least 6 hours – it could be more depending on factors like humidity, temperature, and ventilation. It could also dry longer if you applied thicker coats. After drying, we lightly rubbed the surface with fine steel wool and then removed any remaining dust.

For the second coat, we followed the same steps as before – thin coats, maintaining a wet edge, and tipping off the surface. To get our desired dark finish, it took us 3 coats. You can choose to stop at 2 coats or add more for a deeper stain color. For more tips and tricks, check out how to stain wood furniture here.

After Staining Wood Darker

But the process doesn’t end there. Minwax PolyShades doesn’t need a topcoat, so you’re able to skip this step, but the next thing to do would be to handle the materials you’ve used with caution.

Since we used oil based products, it’s important to take the necessary safety measures. For the rags and brushes, we laid them flat outside to dry completely before disposing of them. These oil based products can easily combust on their own, so it’s better to take care of them right away.

After our dark stained wood tops have dried, we removed the protective covering on the bottom of the tables. At this point, it’s important to be extra careful with the new finish for at least a month. This will allow the stain to fully cure and become more durable.

removed the protective covering and letting the dark stain cure

If you choose to use your furniture within those first 30 days, just know that the stain can still be easily scratched or ruined, so handle it with care. It may seem like a long wait, but if you want your dark stained wood furniture to last, just wait it out and be extra cautious during this time.

More Refinishing Furniture Resources

Click here for the paint removal checklist and guide

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How to Stain Wood Furniture Darker