Hello friends and welcome to another Quick Tip Tuesday! Today’s tip isn’t super quick, but I know you’ll find it SUPER HELPFUL! Today I’m answering some of your questions on staining wood furniture. I’m also throwing in a few of my own concerns that I had when I first started out!
With the popularity of painted and stained restyled furniture, these 10 tips are going to take the ‘intimidating’ out of staining… and start you on your way to creating some beautiful pieces!
1. SHOULD I USE OIL STAIN OR WATER BASED STAIN?
Either or works beautifully and I still use both. Just like paints though, I believe more and more furniture painters/artists are making the switch to water based products. The benefits of water based stain is similar to water based paints. No harsh fumes or odors. Easy clean up. Faster dry time. And a TON of colors and shades to choose from.
2. STAIN OR PAINT FIRST?
I’m going to give one of these do-as-I-say-not-as-I-do answers. Stain before paint is usually the norm! Why? Because if you mess up, you can easily paint over stain, but it’s not as easy to stain over paint… often sanding/stripping is required.
Personally, I’m the opposite. I usually paint first and then stain. I have a pretty steady hand and often don’t bother covering up the finished surface before starting the next…. I must like living on the edge 😉 … but I’m sure it will bite me in the you-know-what one of these days.
Whichever you decide to do first, it’s important to wait until the surface is THOROUGHLY dry before masking off and covering up the finished area. You don’t want to mar a perfectly stained top by covering it up too soon.
3. WHY DO I HAVE BUBBLES IN MY STAIN?
This could be two reasons; first, for oil or water based stains, pigments settle to the bottom of the can so mixing is required before use. It’s super important not to shake the can when mixing because it will cause bubbles or froth. Then when you dip your brush and start staining, bubbles can disrupt an even application. It’s better to stir gently yet thoroughly before using so no additional air gets added to your stain. The second reason could be in the application. Sometimes using a foam brush can lead to bubbles when applying the stain.
4. DO I APPLY STAIN WITH A BRUSH OR RAG?
I prefer using a rag or shop cloth for Gel Stains, and a natural bristle brush for traditional ‘watery-type’ stains. I find more watery stains tend to sink into the wood nicely on their own, where as gel stains benefit from being rubbing into the wood. Having said this, it’s all personal preference so I’d encourage you to try both and see what works for you.
5. WHY SHOULD I TEST?
If you want an exact shade/color, it’s a good idea to test your stain in an inconspicuous area of your furniture {or scrap piece of identical wood if you have one}. Why? The final color will always vary slightly from what you see on the can depending on what type of wood is being stained. For instance, a walnut stain will look somewhat different on walnut wood then it will on pine. Make sure you LIKE what you see before diving in to your entire project.
6. DO I NEED WOOD CONDITIONER?
Maybe, maybe not. This depends on the type of wood and the final look you desire. Let’s start with the wood. Pine is notoriously known for blotchy stain finishes. With pine, the knots and varying softer areas accept the stain differently which can leave a blotchy stain job. Pine will definitely benefit from a wood conditioner to provide a more even toned stain. Now let’s talk ‘look’. When restyling primitive looking furniture, I want them to look well loved. Because a perfectly stained top isn’t needed for these pieces, I often skip the wood conditioner and let the outcome surprise me. If you’re okay with slight variations, wood conditioner is not needed.
7. DO I WIPE THE STAIN OFF – OR LET IT SINK IN?
Okay funny story. When I first started working with stains, I brushed my stain onto a table top and waited for it to ‘naturally’ sink in. Hours later, I wondered why it wasn’t dry? You can even see the over application of stain in the pic below. Here’s the thing, once you apply your stain, it needs to be wiped off in the direction of the grain. This applies to all types of stain! Stain is meant to be absorbed by the wood, it’s not meant to sit on top of the wood. For a lighter effect, you can wipe off right after applying it. For a darker effect, you can leave the stain on for a short period of time (read label – it should help you determine the time) and then wipe.
8. DO I NEED TO TOPCOAT STAIN?
Whether you use oil or water based stains, these stains add gorgeous color but they DO NOT provide any protection. {Note – Unless you buy a brand that specifies topcoat and stain in one.} A sealant or topcoat is a MUST to protect the wood from spills, dirt and oils. You can protect a stained surface with wax, polyurethane (may cause yellowing over time), polycrylic, shellac or varnish. Just be sure your topcoat is compatible with your stain. Note ~ A water based finish can be added on an oil based stain if sufficient dry time has been allowed. I would wait a good few days.
9. MY STAIN IS NOT AS DARK AS I WANT IT?
If your first coat of stain is not the rich dark color you envisioned – wait until fully dry and then re-stain! I find a good few coats of stain is often required to achieve the look I’m after.
10. CAN I MIX STAIN COLORS?
I’ve mixed stains to get a desired look. I haven’t tried mixing directly in the can yet (but you definitely can!) It’s probably a good idea to use the same brand and be sure to write down your recipe in case you need more! What I usually do is apply two different stains directly on my furniture. I start by applying a the lighter stain first. Let dry. And then apply my darker stain. I’ve used a warm oak under a java to warm it up. I’ve also used lighter stains, not liked the look – and then stained over with a darker stain. Both are easy enough to do so long as you’re working with the same type of stain ie. water based with water based or oil with oil.
WHAT SAFETY/PROTECTION IS NEEDED?
Although this last tip is not at all exciting (so it’s an add-on to my 10), it does need to be said. Protective eye-wear, gloves, old clothes and a well ventilated area is recommended when working with any type of stain. Stain is heavy duty enough to permanently stain wood so it WILL stain everything else in it’s path. Always work safe my friends!
Before I sign off today, I just want to thank everyone for the warm response I received on Facebook last week. I forgot to do that on Friday’s post… I’ve been so distracted! You were all so generous in sharing your personal stories and support on care-giving for an elderly parent(s). Thank you! Your support and understanding mean more than you know! x
Feel free to share some of your tips and ideas on staining wood furniture …. leave a comment below. Or if you have any questions… ask away!
Catch last week’s Q-T-T here – and if YOU have any tips you’d like featured on the SI Quick-Tip-Tuesday-Series, feel free to send me an email!
Have a great day and happy staining!
Denise x
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Great job, thanks for the amazing staining tips!
10 Great Tips! I agree with testing how the color look like in a piece of wood to avoid re-coating. Thanks for sharing this tips.
Thanks, Landon!
I love the floor color, thanks for sharing… something I’m considering to change 🙂
Great advice.
Thanks
Hi Denise! I am reading all of your tips and tricks. I have started painting and i have realized watching videos and reading directions doesn’t make me a skilled artist. I have run into all kinds of situations i was not prepared for so thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and experience. I read on Facebook the other day that someone had left rags in the garage with stain on them and they started smoking. Is that possible and how do you dispose of the rags?
You ask the best question, Cheryl! 🙂 Yes, rags that have been used with combustible solvents like oil-based paints, stains, paint thinner as an example can spontaneously combust. It happened to one of my fellow furniture painters and she’s the one that told me never to leave these types of wet rags scrunched up in a ball or crumbled all together but rather lay them out flat in a safe place for them to dry 100%. Once they are 100% dry they can be disposed of in regular garbage.
Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful post. This is very informative, ..
Amazing Information. Thank you So Much!
Hi, Brittney!
I’ve been looking for the best stain for my wooden dresser. I think Minwax would be a nice option. But I’ve already read about a lot of other wood stain brands (https://woodimprove.com/best-wood-stains/) that seem to be great too: General Finishes, Rust-Oleum etc. Actually, there are so many options that I’m confused about which one to choose.
It would be nice to get advice from you. Thanks 🙂
Ok i have a can of ebony stain to dark was wondering how can i lighten it thank you
Is it necessary to apply a Top Coat before applying the stain? Videos Ive watched states the Stain will
work better.. im aware Top Coat should be added over Stain.
Thank you
Carli E.
1.9.2019
Hi Carli! 🙂 I’m not sure about applying a topcoat before stain. (if you’re referring to a poly, shellac or wax type topcoat I’ve never heard of that). BUT, if you’re referring to a wood conditioner prior to staining, YES it can make a big difference! A wood conditioner will even out the absorption of stain, especially in softer wood. I use this brand for oil-based stains and this one here works for waterbased stains. A little tip when using a waterbased stain, try wetting the wood with water and a sponge before apply the stain because it kind-of does the same thing. I created a super short video of dampening wood before staining in this post here if you’d like to take a peek. I hope this helps. 🙂
Awesome results!! Thank you for sharing!!
Thanks Denise for these great tips on staining wood furniture. I was going to ask about conditioning, but I see you have it covered in the article. I unfortunately have learned the hard way that you often need to condition most softwoods before you stain them, unless, as you said, you don’t mind the splotchy look. But I’ve had many stains turn out not the way I wanted because I didn’t condition. One of the problems was: I didn’t really know the function of wood conditioner. But I finally took the time to do some research – articles like this (https://carveyourcreation.com/what-does-wood-conditioner-do) were very helpful. Other than pine, what are some other woods that I should always condition beforehand if I want an even stain?
Thank you for your great post. Should you recommence what brand of paint use for painting wood furniture. I read many, some people said we can use chalk paint for this stuff. And also you can use some comb or rolling tool to make the any surface become wood. 🙂
Thank you for sharing the idea of waiting until the stained color of the wood dries before adding another coat just in case they are not satisfied with the look of the first coat. My brother will be buying a few furniture pieces for the school that he works for, and his supervisor wants him to stain the furniture. Since kids will be dealing with the furniture, they want to make it as dark as possible in order for other unnecessary stains to be unseen. I will suggest this.
It sure was nice that you gave some advice about staining wooden furniture, but I liked the part about waiting for the stain to dry up before reapplying in case it is not as dark as I anticipated. This got me because we intend to get a wooden cabinet for the kitchen, and since the area is pretty bright, I wanted the cabinet to be a little dark. At least now I know what to do with it once it arrives. I’ll take note of this. Thank you!
Thanks for taking the time to explain things in such great detail in a way that is easy to understand.
This is some really good information about timber furniture. It is good to know that it would be smart to stain first and then use paint if you mess up. That is a good thing for me to know because I have been wanting to get a wood dining table.
Denise form beginning of this year i follow your blog i am wonder that you cover hole niche article remarkably
your article always give me a lot of knowledge and its will help me on near future all the very best
Thanks so much Richrad. 🙂
Thank you for making such an easy article to read! I’m going to be staining a second hand desk and chair for the very first time. I’m going to have to sand them both down first because they have finishes. Any suggestions! Literally a first time newbie here! Any help is greatly appreciated!
This dresser is really beautiful! Thanks for sharing your tips with us!
I was wondering about spots showing up after staining. I recently stained a table and little dark spots showed up all over it. I had sanded it outside and it started to sprinkle so we rushed it inside. I let it dry a few hours, maybe not long enough? The leaf didn’t have the spots tho and it had gotten wet as well.
I’m thinking I have to resand and start over now.
Great article! Extremely helpful – I’ll use tape from now on 🙂
Nice post! It will be really helpful for future! Not much information about this in our country, that why need to search for this in google!
Best regards from our team!
Interesting, I didn’t know that there were were gel stains the worked as well. I’ve been trying to rework on a wooden table that we’ve owned for a few years. It’d just be nice to be able to update a few of our furniture pieces. I’ll have to talk to my husband about helping me out with this project.
These are some great tips, and I appreciate your advice to test out the stain on an inconspicuous part of the furniture to make sure it dries how you want it. My husband and I are going to be getting some wooden furniture, and I want to stain and paint them a certain color to match the room they’l be put in. I’ll definitely test it out on a small corner first to make sure it dries like I want it to. Thanks for the great post!
Thanks Lillian… and good luck to you and your hubby with the new furniture!
Hi Denise,
Wow this dresser is beautiful! Thanks for all the information about the stains and techniques.
I know this blog is about stain but would like to know what type of finish you used on the dresser itself, i.e. wax, polyurethane? Thanks for any suggestions.
Thanks Andrea! For this dresser I used both. The top is protected with Minwax Tung Oil and the body was sealed with Minwax Furniture Wax.
Thank you for the help. I have inherited an old desk that I am hoping to get refinished soon. I had no idea that you could mix stain colors on woods. I would love to experiment with that. I imagine that opens up a whole new variety of desired finishes.
I, too, usually paint first and then stain. I think this really helps bring out the color. Anytime I take on a new project, I like to experiment on scrap pieces of wood. This helps me get a clear picture of what the color will look like.
Hi Denise,I have this massive, old dark stained (but old and ugly now) drinks cabinet/sideboard. Curbshopped. Its in my garage and I often look at it and say – where do I start ? I’m toying with the idea of a metallic glaze over a very dark stain. Do you think this would look strange ? What type of finish do you think Ill get and should I put a protective coat on top ? I’m full of questions…. Thanks you for any help you can give me.
A metallic glaze may look striking Mary but this is loaded question because it’s all personal preference. I would suggest finding a finish/look you like on Pinterest, blogs etc, and then just give it a try! It may take 2 or 3 tries to get it right, but it’s so rewarding once you do! And yes, I always protect/topcoat. A topcoat will protect all your hard work and safeguard against dirt, grease, scratches etc.
For our custom made farm tables, we use two different shades of stain to obtain the rich , warm look preferred by our clients. The first coat is pecan and the second is English chestnut. We call it peanut:)
I like mixing to create custom stains too…it can create such rich tones… and I love your custom “Peanut” name! 🙂
Thanks so much for sharing Denise! I am about to stain my first piece, and you just answered all of my questions about the process in one post!
So glad Carrie and good luck with your project! x
Thanks for more amazing tips 🙂 The dresser is gorgeous!
Thanks Josie! 🙂
Hi Denise
I LOVE all your tips. I learned something new about staining wood darker! I need to be more patient! Thanks for sharing.
Pleasure and thanks for stopping by Debi. Off to take a peek at your site. 🙂
Thank you. I read the “just try it” comment above, maybe with your detailed instructions I finally will, finally
You go girl! 😉
Where do you find the time to post tips for us? Again, much appreciated. Funnily enough, I started stripping & refinishing exclusively with stain years ago, so stain doesn’t intimidate me. Paint, however, is the thing that gets me nervous! The more I paint & try different techniques, the better the results. I’ll never forget your initial advice to me, “Just try it”. Words to live by!
I’ve been feeling pulled in a lot of different directions lately. But I have to say, painting furniture and blogging relaxes me and takes my mind off things. I love that you left this comment because it may encourage others starting out to ‘just try it’. And ALL your paint techniques have turned out amazing Tracy! x
Awesome tips Denise.
I would also add, that if you’re looking for a very smooth, even, saturated stain finish as opposed to a more weathered one… which occasionally is what the piece calls for, do a light fine grit sanding between first and second coat (and make sure to wipe away ALL dust this causes), will give you a finish free of over saturated patches and those weird satiny spots that inexplicably appear and repel the stain sometimes.
Love Tuesday tips and hope you’re Dad is doing well 🙂
Love this thanks Chez! … and Dad is doing well. <3