New furniture can be expensive, and hunting for nicely finished antique furniture can be time-consuming. Fortunately, staining and finishing wood furniture is inexpensive. Just about anyone can do it, and with a little practice, you'll end up with some unique pieces. Stain is either oil- or water-based, although some hybrid products are now available. Water-based stains are nontoxic and clean up easily with water, but they may have a tendency to cause streaking. Oil-based stains, available in liquid or gel form, are more user-friendly. They produce stronger fumes, however, and are harder to clean up. Materials:
Sandpaper (coarse-, medium- and fine-grit)
Tack cloth
Furniture to be stained
Rubber gloves
Wood stain
Wood conditioner
Mineral spirits
- Prepare the wood by sanding it (figure A) with coarse sandpaper (lower numbers indicate a coarser grit). Then sand with a medium- or finer-grit sandpaper (higher numbers indicate a finer grit).
- Sand until the wood is smooth and even to the touch. Sand with, not against, the grain of the wood.
- Between sandings, use a tack cloth to remove dust.
- Clean the wood with mineral spirits, applied with a rag or a sponge. This helps bring out color variation in the wood.
- Apply wood conditioner (figure B). This will help a soft wood absorb stain more evenly.
- Use a rag, a soft sponge or a brush to apply the stain (figure C). Move with the grain, not against it. The longer you leave the stain on, the darker the finish.
- After the stain is dry, apply a finish to protect the wood and stain. Several finishing options are available, depending on the desired results. Because of its durability, polyurethane is probably the most commonly used finish today. Tung oil is also popular.
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