Dark stain can add a lot of character to furniture.
Many people own furniture that would look more appealing in a darker shade, but hesitate to restain it because it sounds like a difficult task. It's not. It's much easier to change the look of wood furniture by staining it darker than it is to lighten the color. While there are a few steps involved in staining furniture a darker shade or color, the reward of having a gleaming piece of dark wood furniture is well worth the time and effort.
Instructions
1. Remove any hardware from your furniture, such as pulls or decorative knobs. Work outside or place a drop cloth or newspapers under the furniture to protect the floor and anything else around from stain.
2. Sand the surface of the furniture. Sand through the entire base stain coat if you want to start with bare wood, or sand more lightly to remove the finish coat atop the old stain and open up the wood grain so it will readily accept the new stain. Use a palm sander or just fold a piece of sandpaper to sand those hard-to-reach areas, such as the narrow supports on chair backs. Apply constant, steady pressure, sanding in the direction of the grain. Sand outside or ventilate your work area well by opening doors and windows and using a fan to circulate fresh air into the area.
3. Wipe the furniture down with a clean cloth to remove any dust or debris. If any areas of the furniture need further sanding, take care of them now.
4. Apply the darker stain to the furniture. Brush it on with a fine-bristle paint brush, evenly covering the surface of the furniture, or wipe the stain on with a clean rag. Rags work particularly well in hard-to-reach places like the grooves of a spindle. Let the stain soak in, then wipe the excess off lightly with a clean, dry rag. Let the stain dry for 12 hours or according to the manufacturer's directions, then check whether the stain coat is even. If not, lightly sand, wipe, and apply another coat of stain
Tips Warnings
Wiping a damp, wet cloth over the sanded wood will open the grain more and allow it to accept more and darker stain.
Wear gloves and a respirator when working with stain and work in a well-ventilated area.
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