How to Stain Wooden Furniture

Prepping the wood can be tedious and time-consuming. Staining your furniture is the fun part.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Wood Stain
• A Few Rags
• Paint Stirrers
• Portable Vacuums
• Unfinished Furniture
• Used Furniture
• Old Newspapers
• Sandpaper
• Slotted Screwdrivers

1. Place the object to be stained outside or over newspapers in a well-ventilated area.

2. Sand all surfaces with light-grit sandpaper, then sweep away any remaining sawdust with a hand vacuum, brush or rag.

3. Pry open the top of the can of stain with a flat-head screwdriver, and use a paint stirrer to mix thoroughly.

4. Dip one corner of a clean rag into the stain. Dab away excess stain on the lip of the can.

5. Apply a light coat of stain to a hidden part of the object being stained. Apply the stain evenly to avoid a mottled appearance, and use a moderate amount of pressure on the rag.

6. Check the stain's color. If the color is right, dip more of the rag into the stain, dab off the excess, and begin staining the rest of the surfaces.

7. Apply the stain lightly and in long strokes going with the grain of the wood.

8. Wait an hour or until the first coat is dry.

9. Check the color.

10. Add one or more additional coats to darken the stain.

11. Let it dry overnight.