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Stain a Dresser or Cabinets
If your budget doesn't have room for new furniture or cabinets, don't worry. You can give your wood dressers and cabinets a quick makeover with a fresh coat of stain. Using a different color stain — even as simple as going one shade darker or lighter — can give your kitchen and bedrooms the new, updated look you want.
Visit your local True Value hardware store for all the products and expert advice and you need to get the job done right. Then get started with the steps below.
Step 1. Choose a Stain
Staining helps reduce the contrast between the different types of woods in different pieces of furniture. Oil-based stains penetrate into the wood without raising the grain but carry a strong odor. Instead, choose a water-based stain. They're eco-friendlier and offer easy soap-and-water cleanup.
The color or shade of stain you use affects how a room feels, especially the kitchen. To open up a room and make it feel larger, opt for a light stain. To add warmth to a larger kitchen or room and make it seem cozier, choose a darker stain.
When staining cabinets or dressers, you usually don't have to worry about inside the drawers or cabinets since these parts are rarely visible. But you may want to stain the inside of cabinet doors. Do not use deck stain on furniture.
Safety Alert!
- Before starting, select a well-ventilated work area like the garage. Ventilate with fans or open windows — or better yet, work outside if the weather permits.
Step 2. Remove Hardware, Drawers and Clean Surfaces
Remove drawers, handles, knobs, closures and other hardware using a screwdriver. If you're going to stain your cabinets with doors on, you don't have to remove the hinges. Just mask them with painter's tape. Be sure to protect floors, countertops and any other surfaces in your work area with drop cloths or plenty of newspaper.
Clean the wood with TSP (trisodium phosphate) — a heavy-duty cleaning powder. Dilute the TSP with water according to manufacturer's specifications. Use a sponge and the TSP solution to wash doors and cabinet or dresser exteriors, letting them dry completely.
Safety Alert!
- Use TSP as directed by the manufacturer. TSP can corrode metal and damage finished wood. Be sure to wear protective eyewear and rubber gloves.
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Step 3. Remove Oil Finish
Now it's time to put some muscle to it. Start sanding using a medium-low grit sandpaper to remove the old finish and to smooth out any imperfections in the wood. To remove finishes quickly from a large surface, try a belt sander. Be careful not to damage the item by sanding too deeply. Sand carefully by hand around any decorative details and curved areas on dressers.
Always sand with the grain of the wood. Any swirl marks caused by sanding will stand out when you stain.
You can also use a stain or paint stripper to remove the old finish. Depending on the kind of stripper you use, apply it with a clean cloth or paint brush, or spray it directly on to the wood. It will begin working almost immediately, removing the finish down to the bare wood in no time.
Once you've removed the old finish from the surface, use a clean rag to remove the finish from any areas you might have missed and to ensure that the wood is completely bare. Let it dry.
If you use a stain stripper to remove the old finish, it's a good idea to lightly sand the surface afterwards with a fine-grit sandpaper. This will ensure a tighter bond between the wood and the new coats of stain.
Step 4. Apply Sanding Sealer
Applying sanding sealer is similar to priming the wood. The sealer helps the wood absorb the stain evenly. It can also be applied after staining to reduce the number of finish coats necessary.
Shake the sealer container thoroughly and apply two thin coats using a small paintbrush. Don't let the sealer puddle or fill in decorative grooves. Wipe off any excess stain with a clean cloth. Let the sealer dry completely before lightly sanding with medium-grit sandpaper in the direction of the grain. Wipe the wood again with a clean cloth.
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Step 5. Start Staining
Apply stain with a cloth or medium-sized paintbrush and allow it to penetrate into the wood. Coat once for a light stain or apply additional coats for a darker color. Wipe off excess stain with a clean cloth and allow the piece to dry completely. Lightly sand between coats with fine-grit sandpaper.
Helpful Tip:
- If you are using water-based stains, you can minimize raising the grain by moistening the wood with a damp cloth and sanding. Allow the wood to dry completely and sand lightly with fine-grit sandpaper. Repeat as necessary.
Step 6. Finish It
When you're done staining and the surfaces have dried, make sure you're happy with the color of the wood. Use a small paintbrush to apply a light polyurethane sealer or clear varnish to the wood to give it an extra layer of protection and a shine that will last for years.
Congratulations! With a little work and a few coats of stain, you've got “new” kitchen cabinets or bedroom furniture, and you didn't break the bank. Visit your local True Value hardware store for the tools, products and expert advice you need to start all your home projects right.
For more projects, go to TrueValuePaint.com. >
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