How to Refinish Dark Spots on Wood
Dark spots on wood are a common problem. These spots are typically caused by water that was not promptly removed. Other causes of dark spots on wood are pet urine and caked-on debris. If the causative nature of the spot is not quickly corrected, further problems could develop with the wood that include warping, mold and mildew growth, and even possibly rotting. Once the cause is corrected, it is fairly easy to refinish dark spots on wood.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Determine the cause of the dark spots on the wood. Spots caused by water and by pet urine need two different corrective actions because of the acidic nature of the urine.
-
2
Use lightly abrasive sandpaper to gently sand the area to remove the stain and clear coat. Feather the sanding into the surrounding wood to blend the repair job.
-
-
3
Dampen a rag in a half bleach and half water solution, and lay over the area for approximately 30 minutes for water-caused spots. After 30 minutes, wipe the area and allow to dry. For urine-caused spots, lay a rag moistened with hydrogen peroxide solution over the area. Check every 10 minutes until the spot is lifted; then clean the area and allow to dry.
-
4
Stain and clear coat the area where the dark spot was. You may need to take a sample of the wood and stain color to your local hardware store to properly match the stain color to the other wood.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
For really bad dark spots, or ones where the wood is already warping, you may need to replace that section of wood.
When using wood stains and clear coats, make sure adequate ventilation is available when applying it. The fumes from these products can be hazardous.
