How to Refinish, Stain, and Wax Furniture

Wood furniture can be refinished.

Wood furniture becomes scratched, dented, and worn over time. The good news is that wood furniture can be refinished, stained, and waxed. This will make your wood furniture look like new for less cost than purchasing new furniture.

Things You'll Need

• Mineral spirits
• Soft cloths
• Electric hand sander
• Sandpaper
• Tack cloth
• Wood stain
• Paintbrush
• Staining pads (optional)
• Polyurethane
• Furniture wax

Instructions

1. Clean the furniture with mineral spirits and a soft cloth. This will help remove dirt and grease that has accumulated on the furniture.

2. Sand the furniture with an electric hand sander. The hand sander will remove the old finish from the flat areas of the furniture. For areas that can't be reached with the hand sander, fold a piece of sandpaper in half and sand the area by hand. Start with a large grit sandpaper to remove the finish, and work up to fine grit sandpaper (150 grit) to smooth the wood. Wipe the furniture with a tack cloth to remove the dust.

3. Stain the furniture with wood stain. Apply the stain with a paintbrush or staining pads. Wipe away the extra stain with a soft cloth. Let the stain dry according to the manufacturer directions.

4. Apply polyurethane to the furniture with a paintbrush. Allow the first coat of polyurethane to dry per manufacturer directions. Once dry, lightly sand the finish to remove bubbles and bumps. Wipe with a tack cloth. Apply a second coat of polyurethane with a paintbrush. Let the finish dry.

5. Following manufacturer directions, apply furniture wax to the piece of furniture with a soft cloth.

References

• Lowe's: Refinish Wood Furniture
• Wood Finish Supply: Wax, the Perfect Protection for Furniture?