How To Stain Furniture?
How To Stain Furniture
Thrift stores, flea markets, freebies we find on the side of the street…these are all bargains that we can turn into treasures with the simple technique of furniture staining.
How many times have you seen that cute side table, abandoned on the curb, with a sign that reads FREE, because it had watermark on the surface? Or that beautiful dresser you found, then saw the dents and scratches and were afraid to tackle the restoration?
It’s true, none of us want scratched, dented, or watermarked furniture. To be honest, we prefer things that look new, shiny, and clean. Furniture staining is the technique that can be the lifesaver for all of those “special” furniture finds! You will find that even though staining can be slightly time consuming, it is easy to do and well worth the time and effort you will put into your pieces.
Staining will take a total of three to four days, depending on how dark you would like your pieces to be. It will require a few special tools such as stripping utensils, stripping chemicals, stain, sanding paper (or optional hand sander), foam brushes, sponges, and cloths.
Before you begin refinishing your piece you will want to cover the floor of your work area with newspaper to prevent any spills from getting on your floor. Make sure your area is well ventilated, as the chemicals you will be using may be highly toxic to your body and may cause side effects such as headaches and dizziness.
Refinishing furniture can be a lengthy process. It will take time for chemicals to act, for sanding and applying stain, and especially for drying. On the first day of staining you will sand and/or strip your furniture piece of all old paint and varnish.
On the second day, you will put the first coat of stain on your piece. On the third, you can apply more stain if you are aiming for a darker color, then finally on the fourth day you can finish with a coat of polyurethane, wax, or clear varnish.
Pull out your old furniture and give it a brand new look with this easy technique. It is a fun and rewarding process that will have a dramatic effect on the way you see your old furniture.