Can I stain on top of old stain? Yes! In fact, applying stain over stain is a fairly simple process. It works especially well if you're applying a dark stain over a lighter stain.
Sand out the stain
To sand wood previously stained you must start by using medium-grit sandpaper followed by a progression of increasingly finer sandpaper grits. This should remove most of the color left by an old stain. If you're applying a new stain, it should mask any residual color.
When preparing wood for stain, you'll need to sand its surface. Use a sanding sponge or orbital sander. Sandpaper with a lower grit number will make wood rougher, allowing more stain to absorb and creating a darker color. Start with 120-grit sandpaper for pieces that already have a finish.
Staining over stain is easy and works beautifully if you're applying a dark stain over a lighter stain on raw wood. This rule applies to oil-based stains, water-based stains, and gel stains. 2. You can mix 2 or more stains together to make DIY custom stains.
PolyShades® will work over stained wood (meaning it does not have a clear protective finish) or wood top-coated with a polyurethane-based finish. Proper surface preparation is necessary to ensure adhesion, so make sure you follow preparation tips provided in this Guide.
Can You Stain Wood Without Sanding? Good news, you can stain wood without sanding the old finish off! But you'll still have to do some prep to make the new gel stain bond properly with the old stain. Start by always cleaning the old finish with a good cleaner and degreaser, like TSP.
Make sure you sand the wood well before applying stain. Any scratches will be enhanced by stain. Sanding will also help open up the pores of the wood so that they can absorb stain better.
First—if you're looking to refinish a piece (not paint it), I recommend looking for pieces that are solid wood and do not have a layer of wood veneer on top. It's definitely possible that a piece has solid wood under wood veneer and you could sand it off and refinish.
Using sandpaper
It's also a natural and chemical-free way to remove varnish. It can however be labour-intensive: Start with 150-grit sandpaper and sand the entire surface. Then, move onto 220-grit sandpaper and repeat.
On most raw woods, start sanding in the direction of the grain using a #120-150 grit paper before staining and work up to #220 grit paper. Soft woods such as pine and alder: start with #120 and finish with no finer than #220 (for water base stains) and 180 grit for oil base stains.
Staining over varnish without sanding is possible but the surface has to be smooth and free from blemishes otherwise the result will fall short of a professional-looking finish. Sanding is a process that is very crucial to finishing.
Applying a second coat of stain to change the color is something you might try once, but the chances of success are not very good. A second coat of stain can cause other issues like peeling of the top coat(s).
After staining wood, you have to seal if because the wood remains a porous surface. If you're just using a regular stain, it can provide some degree of protection compared to totally unfinished wood. But it isn't good enough.
But good news – using the wrong wood stain color can be fixed! The easiest thing to do when you don't like your wood stain color is to grab a darker stain, and apply it on top of the initial stain job. If you don't want a darker shade, sanding down the piece and re-staining is also an option.
Most solid hardwood planks are thick enough to be refinished up to ten times. Refinishing is essential to caring for your solid hardwood and helps it last longer. However, while solid wood can take multiple refinishing over the decades, we can only refinish engineered hardwood once or twice.
Use a paper towel to remove excess wood stain immediately after applying it.
The best way to know when you're done sanding is to scribble a light pencil line across your wood before you start. Once the line is gone, move up to the next grit. Repeat up to the highest grit sandpaper, then wet your wood with mineral spirits to confirm there are no remaining marks.
Without diligent and effective preparation, your refinished product is up against obstacles like dust, wax, existing stain or irregularities in the wood surface. Fight as you will – if you don't spend a bit of time making sure the wood surface is clean, your end result isn't going to live up to expectations.
Stain can be applied with a bristle brush, a foam brush, or a cloth. On woods with large, open pores, such as oak, mahogany and ash, increase your pressure to work the stain into the pores. Rubbing or brushing against the direction of the grain will help fill deep pores with stain.
“Use a solution of 50 percent vinegar and 50 percent water on the stain. Apply liberally and then treat with laundry soap and water. “DO NOT put the garment in the dryer until you have seen that the stain is gone,” he warns.
We always recommend two coats of stain for any wood project, but you should only apply as much stain as the wood can absorb. Extremely dense hardwoods may only be able to absorb one coat of wood stain. The general rule of thumb is to apply only as much deck stain as the wood can absorb.
White vinegar is a natural way to remove stains from wood. Soak a cloth in white vinegar and wring it out to damp it. Then, use the cloth to rub the stained area until the stain has been removed. If necessary, repeat this process until the stain has been removed.