How to Stain Wood Furniture

Learning how to stain wood furniture isn't difficult. You don't need to be a master furniture maker to breathe new life into your furniture, which may have become lackluster and dull over the years, thanks to ordinary household dirt and body oils - mortal enemies of fine furniture in Ulhanagar furniture market.

Unfortunately, many of us resort to commercial waxes and polishes in a fruitless effort to reverse the process. These only make matters worse, creating new layers for dirt to glom onto.

The only way to restore the finish is to go back to square one and re-stain the original wood. This means stripping off the old finish and building up from there.

It's a labor intensive process, to be sure. But it can also be a labor of love, if done correctly.

First you have to remove the old stain. To do this you need to apply two-part hydrogen peroxide, which is available in the paint department of your home improvement store. Follow the directions carefully and be sure you have a space with good ventilation. Be sure you use a drop cloth to catch any spills.

Apply the mixture to the furniture. You can use a paintbrush for seams and joints and a sponge for the flat areas. After the stain has been removed, follow the directions on the package for neutralizing the bleach so it stops the bleaching process. Follow up with a vinegar wash, just to make sure.

It will take the wood about two days to dry. When it has, sand it down with extra fine grit sandpaper. Brush off any remaining dust, including any that is left in the joints and details. Remove these with a paintbrush.

Now that the wood has been returned to its original color, it's time to stain it. If the wood is cherry, mahogany, maple or a rare wood, you may want to just oil it to bring out the grain. If it's a light wood, such as beech, birch, poplar or pine, you may want to stain it. The same is true for oak, though it can also benefit from oil alone.

There are many types of stain out there - oil-based, water-based, NGR - there's no right or wrong. Each has its own virtues and challenges. If you're not sure, ask your local paint store employee what would be best for your situation.

Before you ever apply a stain, test it first. If you can, buy a short piece of the same type of wood so you can try out several different stains. This is important, since the color and finish portrayed on the packaging isn't what you'll necessarily get. There are simply too many variables in staining, including the porosity of the wood, the type of stain, the number of coats and thickness of the coats, etc.

Stain can be applied with a brush or a rag. If it's an oil stain, you'll want to let it set for about 10 to 15 minutes before wiping it off. If you're using a brush remember to go with the grain in long strokes and try not to overlap. This will cause darker streaks in the stain. If the finish isn't dark enough for you, let it dry and apply a second or even third coat. Each one will create a darker finish. Just remember that you can't go backwards. There's no way to remove a layer if you think it's too dark without stripping it all down and starting over again.

Once the furniture is stained to your liking, it's time to seal it. You want to add a final coat of shellac, sealer or varnish to keep the wood from absorbing other liquids, such as a glass of accidentally spilled wine. Again, check with the paint store employee on what to use. Some sealers don't play nice with specific types of stain. After sealing, sand the wood once more lightly and you're all set.

Staining wood furniture can be very labor intensive, but if you really want your favorite piece of furniture to stay in your favor, it's a great way to make the old look new again.