How to Stain Furniture

Refinishing furniture isn't a particularly difficult DIY project. It takes patience, time, a few materials, and a bit of money. But if you follow our instructions, you'll see big rewards.

Check out our furniture staining tips and decide if it's a job for you.

• What You'll Need for Staining Furniture

  • Three days for working
    • On day one, you'll sand, clean, and prepare the piece
    • On day two, you'll stain the piece
    • On day three, you'll apply the finish coat of urethane or wax
  • Sandpaper or a foam sanding block
  • Foam brushes
  • Lots of lint-free rags
  • A canvas or plastic drop cloth or tarp
  • Newspapers
  • A small paint tray or flat pan
  • Finishing layer such as polyurethane or wax
  • A can of stain in the color of your choice.

• Select Your Stain
  There are many types of stain and finishing products at a home center store. Speak with the expert on the floor, tell him what your project is, and ask for recommendations. Don't settle for a stain/varnish all-in-one finish. Since these finishes are brushed on and not wiped off (as you do with stain alone), you will not have any ability to lighten or add color to your piece.

  Check out the colors of stain available and test the stain on a sample board or piece of wood. Ask the salesman if you should use a pre-stain sealer seal the grain of wood for a more even finish. Ask for application recommendations for your particular project.

• Choose Your Stain Applicator
  We recommend a foam brush to apply the stain. The good quality ones (you can get cheap ones, but we don't recommend them) will hold the stain well, can be squeezed out to "lay off" excess stain, and the foam can squeeze into corners and cracks.

• Select Your Finishing Coat
  For the most durable finish, apply one or two coats of water-based polyurethane after the stain has dried completely. You can select a high-gloss, satin, eggshell, or matte finish depending on what you like. Remember that a high-gloss finish will accentuate any imperfections in the wood surface. When you see the finish in the can, it will look milky. Never fear, it will dry clear. If you're applying more than one coat, sand lightly between coats. If your piece is going to get some serious wear, apply another coat on those areas.

  You can also add a final coat to wood with wax, oil, and shellac. Ask the pro at the store what would work best for your piece.

Go on to Page 2 for step-by-step instructions for staining wood furniture.

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