So, if your project has a very nice existing stain and finish, and you are interested in changing the tone or darkening the stain, a gel stain might be your best bet!
The new stain you are applying over the old stain should be compatible. For instance, if it's an oil-based stain, apply another oil-based stain. If it's a water-based stain, apply another water-based stain. Incompatible stains can lead to poor adhesion or blotchy and uneven finish.
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. Be sure to rinse all of that cleaner off before moving on.
Fix a Poor Wood Coloring Job By Staining Over the Finish
The easiest thing to do at this point is to color over the finish you have. Once again, you can only go darker. The stains formulated to go on top of existing finishes sit on top of those finishes, and don't penetrate the wood at all.
Water-based stains need to be stripped off before you apply a new finish, while oil-based stains can be recoated after you use a deck cleaner. To test the stain: Apply a small amount of deck stripper to a small area on your deck. Let it sit for about 15 minutes, then wipe it off with a cleaning rag.
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.
If you try to apply a light color of stain over the top of an existing dark finish, you won't notice much difference. To completely alter the color of the finish, strip down the existing stain using a petroleum-based solvent. Once you've lightened the wood, you may add a lighter color of stain.
Rule #3: Only add a second layer of stain if you need it
You do not need to add a second layer. You should reserve adding a second layer only if you want a darker color for the stain. However, many times, the first layer of stain will suffice for both adequate protection and the desired color.
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.
Apply a second coat of stain after the first has dried fully. This will usually produce a slightly darker coloring with the excess wiped off. Substitute a glaze or gel stain for the liquid stain. Glazes and gel stains usually contain a higher ratio of pigment to vehicle.
Wood stain is intended to be wiped off immediately after application. If the wood stain remains on the wood, liquid solvents in the stain will evaporate, leaving sticky pigments behind that will never fully dry. To remove tacky wood stain, firmly scrub the piece with mineral spirits.
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. Start with 80 grit to remove big scratches and imperfections, then move up to 120 and finally 220 grit.
When using a water-based product over an oil-based product, such as water-based High Performance Topcoat over oil-based Gel Stain, If the oil finish was applied over raw wood, wait 24 hours between the two products. If the oil finish was applied over an existing finish, wait 72 hours between the two products.
Yes! Vanish is capable of removing old stains as well as new stains. Our Oxi Action formula also removes odours and brightens clothes at the same time.
To Cover a Semi-transparent Color: Cover the existing stain with a semi-transparent or solid stain. To Cover a Solid Color: Apply another solid finish stain. Semi-transparent stains are engineered to bind with the surface of the wood and won't bind well to a solid surface.
This stain is great for protecting the wood on your porch, deck, stairs, fence, etc. that are exposed to the weather. With just 2 coats it looks great and leaves a nice satin finish (not glossy) look to the wood.
It is important to wipe off the stain thoroughly and consistently (in the direction of the grain) to get an evenly stained surface. If a darker, or deeper color is desired, allow the first coat of stain to dry for 24 hours, then apply a second coat of stain in the same manner as the first.
You should also consider the type of wood you are staining, amount of stain you're applying, and weather conditions, like humidity, temperature, and air circulation. On average, wood stain takes about 24 to 72 hours to fully dry and cure, though you can typically add a second coat after about four hours.
If a second coat is applied, it builds the thickness and two things happen. First, the sealer or top coat cannot penetrate through the stain to grab the wood fiber. This causes the second issue, the bond now relies on the strength of the stain to bond the surface coats to the wood.
You can take it another step further and create rich and beautiful visual effects by layering stain colors in a wood project. Layering stains provides multiple benefits to the final look of your project. For example, if your wood colors don't match, layered stains can hide this flaw.
You can pre-raise the grain by wetting the wood and sanding it smooth after it has dried. But it's much more efficient to “bury” the raised grain with another coat of finish. Then sand it smooth after it has dried. Stains lighten as they dry, then return to their damp color when a finish is applied.
If a pigment or wiping stain (those that contain a varnish, lacquer or water-based binder) gets the wood too dark, try removing some of the color by wiping with the thinner for the stain or with lacquer thinner or acetone. These stains are much more difficult to lighten than dye stains.
The longer a stain is left untreated, the less likely it is to be removed. When a spill first occurs, it sits on the surface of the fabric, but over time, that spill can start to react with the fabric causing the fabric to actually change colors.