How to Stain Wood Doors
Staining the wood doors in your home allows you to show off their wood grain. Manufacturers make wood stains in numerous shades to give homeowners an excellent chance of finding the right hues and colors for their doors. The staining process is not as forgiving as the painting process, though. It is easier to achieve a uniform look on your wood doors with paint, but you can show off the wood grain with stain if you plan ahead and take your time executing the project. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Screwdrivers
- 2 workhorses (optional)
- 100-grit sandpaper
- 150-grit sandpaper
- Cloth
- Mineral spirits
- Paintbrush (optional)
- Rags
- Pre-stain conditioner
- Stain
Instructions
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1
Remove the door from its hinges and all hardware from the door.
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2
Lay the door flat over two workhorses or flat on the floor.
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3
Sand your bare door with 100-grit sandpaper to prepare the wood to receive stain. Sand again, lightly, with a finer-grit paper such as 150. Wipe the entire area with a cloth dampened with mineral spirits to remove dust and residue from sanding.
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4
Use a paintbrush or rag to apply a pre-stain conditioner across the grain on doors made of soft wood such as pine, spruce or fir. This provides a barrier that lessens the chance the wood will absorb the stain unevenly. Use your choice of a water-based or an oil-based conditioner. Allow to dry according to manufacturer's specifications.
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5
Use a paintbrush or rag to apply a thin layer of stain with the grain on the door using smooth, even strokes. Use your choice of a water-based stain or an oil-based stain, however, repeat the choice you made for conditioners. Follow the manufacturer's specifications and your observations for the amount of time to let the stain soak in to achieve the desired color.
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Remove excess stain after the manufacturer's specified time passes, typically three minutes for water stains and 10 minutes for oil, with a clean, dry rag. Turn the rag to expose a clean side or use a new rag once it is saturated with stain.
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7
Allow the wood to dry. Lightly sand the wood and apply a second coat of stain if you want to create a darker tone.
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8
Flip the door over and repeat the process for that side and the edges of the door if you want to stain both sides.
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9
Rehang the door on its hinges and replace the hardware.
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Tips & Warnings
Use a gel stain if you are not able to remove the door from its hinges. Gel stains are thick and will give you more time to work them into the surface before they begin to streak.
Practice staining the same type of wood to improve the chances you will apply the stain evenly and produce your desired results.
Only work in well-ventilated areas. Wear specialized masks to protect your respiratory system.
Exercise care when overlapping areas of stain to avoid making the overlap areas too dark. Feather the edges and blend together while they are still wet.
References
- Photo Credit Ryan McVay/Photodisc/Getty Images
