How To Restain Furniture

Whether you have a damaged piece of furniture or you simply want to give your furniture a facelift, the question, "how to restain furniture," will most likely come up. Restaining is a practical way to get rid of surface scratches and make your furniture look like new. All you need is a bit of time to restain your own furniture and save money.

Although restaining can be a bit messy, it’s an ideal way to enjoy new-looking furniture, and coordinate all your furniture pieces. If you find a quality piece at a thrift store that doesn’t exactly match your other pieces of furniture, a simple coat of stain can help it fit into your existing decor. Best of all, you save money and can proudly take credit for it.

• Newspapers or painter’s plastic
• Brush
• Rags
• 400-grit Sandpaper
• Wood conditioner
• Stain

1. Protect your working area. Lay newspapers or painter’s plastic on the floor, and position the furniture piece on the protective layer.
2. Work in a well-ventilated area. If working inside your home, open your windows to keep fumes from becoming entrapped in your home. Once you finish restaining the furniture piece, place a fan facing a window and run it while the stain dries. It will draw any fumes outside.    
3. Apply paint stripper. You can brush on the stripper or use a sponge brush. Apply the paint stripper over the entire piece. Wait about 30 minutes, and proceed to scrape off the old furniture finish with a putty knife. Preferably, use a plastic putty knife to avoid damaging the wood. 
4. Clean off the old finish. Use a damp rag to remove any chemicals and particles from the surface. Wipe the entire surface. Let the wood surface dry.
5. Sand the wood surface. Use a fine-grit sandpaper to sand the entire surface. You can find sandpaper at your local hardware store or at a craft store. Sanding will smooth out the surface and get rid of any imperfections. A 400-grit sandpaper will do the job. Always follow the wood grain as you sand.
6. Wipe the surface. Use a damp cloth to remove any dust particles. If you leave any particles on the surface, imperfections will show through the stain.
7. Condition the surface. Brush on a coat of wood conditioner on the entire surface for better absorption. Let the surface dry completely.
8. Restain your furniture piece. Apply the stain in thin coats with a brush. Allow each coat to dry before applying a new one. Continue applying coats until you achieve your desired darkness and depth.