How to Restain Wood Furniture: Complete DIY 8-Step Guide for Beginners

Learning how to restain wood furniture can completely change those tired old pieces in the garage into gorgeous pieces for your living room. You may need to restain outdoor wood furniture beaten up by years of rain and sun. Or, you want to restain old wood furniture to match the rest of your house. 

Either way, Lumber Grand will walk you through the how to restain wood guide step by step. Restaining furniture costs way less than buying new stuff, plus you get to pick precisely how it looks. Read more!

What You Need to Know Before Restaining Wood 

The next section on how to redo wood furniture cover:

• Which stains work best for different situations

• What tools do you need

• What this project will cost you

So, there are no surprises halfway through.

1. Types of Wood Stains

Read more: A Comparison of Oil vs Water Based Polyurethane

2. Tools and Materials Checklist

Essential tools for wood staining:

• Chemical paint/stain stripper (if removing old finish)

• Plastic scrapers and putty knife

• Stainless steel scrapers for stubborn areas

• Orbital sander or sanding blocks

• Sandpaper (120, 150, 220 grit)

• Tack cloths or lint-free rags

• Natural bristle brushes (2 — 3 inches wide)

• Foam brushes for detail work

• Paint trays or disposable plates

Materials needed:

• Wood stain (oil-based recommended for beginners)

• Wood conditioner (for soft woods like pine)

• Mineral spirits for cleanup

• Polyurethane or desired topcoat finish

• Drop cloths or plastic sheeting

Safety Equipment:

• Nitrile gloves

• Safety glasses

• Dust masks or respirators

• Ventilation fan (for indoor work)

Estimated costs:

• Small chair: $25 — 40

• Large dresser: $60 — 100

• Dining table: $80 — 150

Lastest blog this week: 5+ Best Polyurethane for Kitchen Table

How to Restain Wood for Beginners in 8 Easy Steps

Restaining wood furniture usually stretches over 3 to 5 days when you factor in drying time, but you're only working for about 6 to 8 hours total. Let’s see what we can do this weekend with the table tops, firstly, on how to remove stain from wood.

Step 1: Remove Old Stain from Wood

*(Bare wood head to step 2)

Before you can restain your furniture to look amazing again, you must deal with whatever's already there. Sometimes you can skip this step, but most of the time you'll need to strip at least some of the old stain or old paint off.

How to strip and refinish wood furniture after that:

1. Work in a well-ventilated area or outdoors

2. Brush on the paint stripper/ wood stain remover with the wood grain

3. Allow 15 — 30 minutes for the stripper to work (bubbling indicates it's working)

4. Use a plastic scraper to peel off the softened finish

5. You can try a metal scraper for spots that won't budge, but be gentle. Don't dig into the wood itself.

6. Apply a second coat of stripper if needed

7. Clean residue with mineral spirits and let it dry completely

How to strip and restain wood furniture begins by properly removing the old finish

Photo: AboutLawsuits

Alternative methods:

• How to restain wood furniture without stripping: Use gel stain over existing finish (only works if current stain is light)

• Heat gun method for paint removal (requires experience)

• Restaining wood furniture directly over the old finish works if both stains are compatible.

Step 2: Clean and Assess Your Wooden Furniture

Getting your furniture really clean is huge before you restain wood furniture. Even if you just stripped all the old finish off, you still need to remove chemical residue and prep the surface carefully.

How do i restain wood furniture in step 2

Photo: Youtube | A Mere Creator

Deep cleaning steps:

1. Pull off all the hardware, like knobs, handles, hinges, etc.

2. Use a vacuum to remove dust from all the carved details and corners where it likes to hide.

3. Wipe everything down with a damp rag to get the surface dust off

4. Use a degreasing cleaner for kitchen pieces

5. Wait a whole day for everything to dry out completely before moving on

Step 3: Sand the Surface Carefully

How to sand and restain wood furniture the right way makes all the difference. It’s between a smooth, professional finish and something that looks like sandpaper scratch marks under your stain.

Detailed sanding process:

1. Start with 120-grit sandpaper if your surface is pretty rough. ALWAYS sand with the wood grain.

2. Move up to 150-grit to smooth things out, then finish with 220-grit for that final prep work. 

3. With big flat areas like tabletops, an orbital sander saves your arm and does a more even job. But you'll still need to hand-sand all the detailed areas, curves, and edges where the sander can't reach.

How to sand and restain wood furniture

Photo: Youtube | A Mere Creator

Sanding tips for different scenarios:

• Restaining old wood furniture: May need coarser grits 100 — 120 to start

• Previously stripped wood: Start with 150-grit

• Refinishing furniture for beginners: Take your time and don't skip grits

When you can skip heavy sanding:

• How to restain wood furniture without sanding: Only possible if you're using gel stain over an existing finish in decent shape.

• Light scuff sanding (220-grit) helps the new stain grab better.

You might like: How To Refinish A Table Top Without Stripping and Sanding

Step 4: Remove All Dust and Debris

Always remove dust after sanding. If you leave dust particles on your wood, they'll show up as little bumps and rough spots under your stain.

Dust removal process:

1. Start with your shop vacuum using the brush attachment. We go over every surface, including all the nooks and crannies where dust loves to hide.

2. Grab a tack cloth and wipe down everything again.

3. Alternatively, you can use lint-free rags slightly dampened with mineral spirits if you don’t have a tack cloth.

4. Wait for it to dry in 30 minutes if using mineral spirits

Grab a tack cloth and wipe down all dust before staining

Photo: Youtube | A Mere Creator

Note: You shouldn’t use regular shop rags or paper towels for this. They leave lint behind that's just as bad as dust. And clean up your work area too. If you're working in a dusty garage, there's no point in getting your furniture perfectly clean.

Step 5: Apply Pre-stain Conditioner on Blotch-prone Woods

Lumber Grand would recommend using a pre-stain wood conditioner. Mainly for softer woods like pine, maple, or birch. It gives a cleaner, even color and prevents any blotches. Your results look great, but stretch out that stain. 

It seems like extra work until you see what happens without it. Some woods soak up stain like a sponge in random spots. So, you need to apply conditioner after sanding but before staining.

How to restain wood furniture in step 5

Photo: Youtube | Biscuit Tree Woodworks

How to apply pre-stain wood conditioner: 

1. Brush or wipe on the conditioner following the wood grain. 

2. Let it soak in for about 5 — 10 minutes, then you wipe off anything that didn't absorb with a clean rag.

Step 6: Apply the Stain Like a Pro

This is when your wood refinishing project looks amazing or drives you crazy. 

2 typical application methods for beginners:

• Brush application: Best control, suitable for detailed work

• Cloth application: Even coverage, less streaking

How to restain wood in step 6

Photo: Youtube | A Mere Creator

Here is how to stain wood evenly:

1. Stir your stain well before you start, but don't shake the can. 

2. Always test the stain on a hidden spot first

3. Apply stain with smooth, long strokes going with the grain

4. Keep a wet edge as you work. That means each new stroke slightly overlaps the previous one while still wet.

5. Wait 3 to 5 minutes (it depends on what your stain can say), then you wipe off the stain that didn't soak in.

Tips: The longer the stain is left on, the deeper and richer the color will be. So if you want a lighter tone, wipe off the stain with a clean rag after 1 — 2 minutes. 

Step 7: Let It Dry and Apply Additional Coats

You can check our table of types of wood stains above to know more about the drying time. Then, we decide whether to add a second coat or not.

When you actually need more coats:

• If the color looks too light after the first coat dries, a second coat will darken it up. 

• Sometimes the first coat goes on patchy, and a second coat evens things out. 

• If you can see too much of the original wood grain showing through, another coat adds depth.

• Most manufacturers advise that wood furniture pieces look best with 2 or 3 coats max (also our team).

How to restain old wood furniture with a second coat:

1. Lightly sand between coats with 220-grit sandpaper

2. Clean off all the sanding dust with a tack cloth or vacuum

3. Apply the second stain coat exactly like you did the first one

Step 8: Seal with Protective Finish

The topcoat you choose makes or breaks the whole project. We agree that stain looks pretty, but it won't protect your restained wood furniture from water rings, scratches, or daily wear without a good finish over it.

Polyurethane is your best choice most of the time:

• Water-based polyurethane goes on crystal clear and dries fast, so you can get multiple coats done daily. Cleans up with soap and water, too. 

• Oil-based poly adds a warm amber glow to your wood and lasts longer, but takes forever to dry between coats.

Either way, plan on 2 to 3 coats for furniture that gets regular use. Besides, you can quickly pick a finish in our latest topic 5+ best Polyurethane for Table Top

How to restain wood furniture in step 8

Photo: Youtube | A Mere Creator

How to add protective topcoat:

1. Make sure your stain is bone dry first. You should wait at least 24 hours, even if it feels dry. 

2. If the surface feels rough, give it a light sanding with 220-grit and clean off all the dust.

3. Apply thin, even coats with a good brush. Don't glob it on thick, trying to save time. 

4. Between coats, sand lightly with 320-grit to smooth any brush marks or raised grain. Skip the sanding on your final coat.

5. If you’re applying for outdoor furniture, use exterior-grade polyurethane and apply 3 to 4 coats minimum. 

Learning how to restain outdoor wood furniture? Read more: Best Finish for Outdoor Wood Furniture

Refinishing vs Restaining Wood Furniture: What's the Difference?

Many people confuse refinishing furniture with restaining wood furniture, so let's clear that up immediately. 

Restaining means you're giving your wood a new color while working with the finish already there. You can think of it like dyeing your hair. You're changing the color but not starting completely over.

This works great when:

• Your furniture's finish still looks decent, and you just hate the color

• There are some light scratches or wear spots, but nothing too serious

• You want to get this done in a weekend instead of dragging it out forever

How to refinish wood furniture for beginners is the full nuclear option. You're stripping everything down to bare wood and starting completely fresh. It's more work, but sometimes you don't have a choice. 

We go this route when:

• The old finish is a mess — cracking, peeling, or just plain ugly

• Someone painted over beautiful wood, and you want to get back to the natural grain

• There are deep gouges, water rings, or other damage that goes through the finish

If you're new to this stuff, restaining wood is definitely the easier path. You'll make fewer mistakes and use fewer chemicals. Plus, you can finish the project instead of having furniture scattered around your garage for months.

You might like: How to refinish wood furniture without stripping

FAQs

1. Can You Stain Over Stained Wood Furniture?

Yes, you can stain right over previously stained wood in some situations, but it's not foolproof. And if someone already put polyurethane over the stain, you're probably out of luck with this trick.

How to restain wood that is already stained:

• Use a chemical stripper to remove the old stain, then sand down to bare wood. It's more work, but you can go lighter, darker, or completely change the tone.

• The 2nd option only works if you're going darker than what you started with. Lightly sand the existing finish with 220-grit to rough it up so the new stain can grab. Gel stain works way better than regular liquid stain because it's thick enough to stick to the existing finish.

2. Do You Have to Remove Old Stains Before Restaining Furniture?

Well, it depends on what you're trying to accomplish and how picky you are about the final result.

• So, the rule is always to strip the old stain when coloring the wood lighter. The same goes if you want complete control over the final color or how to restore wood furniture to its original beauty.

• You can work over existing stains when you want deeper stain colors than you have now.

3. Can You Restain Wood Without Sanding?

Yes, you can. How to restain wood furniture without sanding sounds too good to be true, but it actually works in the right situations. No sanding works best with gel stain over an existing finish that is in decent shape. Note that you can only go from light colors to dark. 

Latest blog this week: How to Fix Water Damaged Wood Table Top

How to Restain Wood Furniture: Guide Ends Here

So, these eight steps we've covered can turn beat-up garage sale finds into pieces that look like they came from an expensive furniture store. The biggest thing to remember is that preparation makes or breaks your project. 

We know it's tempting to skip to the fun part where you apply the stain, but rushing through the sanding and cleaning will show up in your final results. And that test spot on a hidden area? Do it every time, even if you know how the stain will look.

The best part of how to restain wood furniture is that once you get the hang of this process, you'll start seeing potential in furniture pieces everywhere. Don’t forget to check out our other helpful blogs on wood refinishing and furniture restoration. Thank you for reading!