How to Sand to Restain an Old Desk

Refinishing a desk can dramatically increase its aesthetic value.

Staining -- or restaining -- an old desk is a good way to breathe new life into a worn or beat-up piece of furniture. You can't just start applying the stain on willy-nilly, however. You need to first to remove the old stain from the desk, then sand down the desk so that it will accept the new coat. Only then can you actually start putting brush to wood.

Things You'll Need

• Cleaning solvent
• Rag or towel
• Fine-grit sandpaper

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Instructions

1. Remove any items from the desktop, and set them aside.

2. Clean off the desk with a cleaning solvent and a rag or towel. The desk should be as clean as possible before you start sanding so you don't have to sand through dirt or grime.

3. Sand down the desk with fine-grit sandpaper to remove any previous staining from the wood. Do not use heavy-grit sandpaper, as this may cause scratches on the wood surface.

4. Continue sanding until the old stain has been stripped away and the desk's surface is smooth.

Tips & Warnings

• Using a power sander will cut down on the work time needed to prepare the desk for staining.

References

• Ron Hazelton: How to Refinish a Kitchen Table
• Lowe's: How to Clean and Stain a Deck