How to stain furniture?
DIY Furniture Repair
Before you actually start staining, there is one more element to consider: the washcoat. When you stain wood using a liquid stain, some woods may need to be preconditioned with a washcoat. (Staining with gel stains will not require this step.)
A washcoat partially seals the wood to control stain penetration. You might want to washcoat wood for any number of reasons:
• Resin-rich woods like pine or cherry may absorb stain unevenly, resulting in a blotchy appearance. A washcoat will give you a more even appearance.
• If a piece has a lot of end grain exposed where the stain will penetrate deeply, causing these areas to get too dark, a washcoat will limit that stain penetration.
• You might want to keep the color lighter, fine-tune a color, or match a color to another one by reducing stain penetration.
• You might want to play down the impact of a wood's grain or figure. Because it's hard to know how wood will take a stain until you apply it, try to test it on an inconspicuous area of furniture first to find out whether you need to precondition the wood before staining.
Applying a washcoat
Washcoating can be done several ways. You can apply a pre-mixed wood conditioner, available in hardware stores and home centers. Oil-stain manufacturers offer these products for just this purpose, and they are easy to use by simply following label directions.
Some professionals mix their own washcoat solution by adding two cups of boiled linseed oil to a gallon of mineral spirits. The solution is then liberally applied to the wood, making sure that all areas, especially porous ones, are saturated. Allow the solution to soak into the wood by letting it sit a few minutes before wiping it off, and then proceed with staining.
Another way to washcoat wood is to apply a coat of thinned shellac. Thin the shellac to about a 1/2-pound-cut mixture, and use a brush or rag to apply the shellac to the wood. Before it can dry, wipe off the excess with a clean rag. You may have to do one section of the piece at a time to be able to wipe the shellac off before it dries. After the shellac dries, scuff-sand the surface with very fine stearated sandpaper (280-grit), and then tack the surface to get rid of dust before proceeding with the staining process.
Stain furniture with pigmented stain
Tools and materials:
• Latex gloves
• Paintbrush
• Stain
• Respirator
• Cotton rags
These steps to stain furniture are general and subject to label instructions for the particular stain you are using.
1) Mix the stain
Stir stain thoroughly until the color pigment is distributed throughout the solvent. It's a good idea to wear protective gloves and a respirator, especially if you're working in less than ideal ventilation conditions.
2) Brush on the stain
Using a natural-bristle brush, flood the wood surface with stain, and let it penetrate into the wood for the prescribed amount of time. If necessary, stain one section at a time.
3) Wipe excess stain
Using a clean rag, wipe off the excess stain, wiping with the grain when possible. To allow the stain to add more color to the wood, use a lighter wiping action, smoothing out the color pigment on the wood surface with a soft rag. To keep the stain from affecting the wood color as much, use a heavy wiping action to remove more of the stain pigment from the wood's surface.
Stain furniture with dye stain
If you're using a water-based dye stain, wet the raw wood with water first to raise the grain. After the wood dries, light-sand the surface using 280- to 320-grit sandpaper to smooth the surface and begin the staining procedure.
If you're using alcohol- or oil-based stain, begin as follows. Using a brush or rag, flood the wood surface with stain, making sure the stain penetrates all areas well. Wipe off any excess stain with a clean rag.
To darken the color of the wood even more, you can mix a darker color of dye stain and apply it over the first stain. With dye stain, restaining the wood can be done right after the first application. To remove dye stain from wood, use bleach.
Stain furniture with gel stain
Because of gel stain's consistency, you apply it using a rag instead of a brush. It's a good idea to wear protective gloves. Apply the gel stain to cover the wood surface completely, and then wipe off any excess. Gel stains add color more slowly and evenly than other types, so you don't have to worry about lap marks and other inconsistencies. Read label directions for specific instructions.
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Source: B.Hingley
