The Ultimate Guide to Staining Wood
Staining wood is one of those simple home improvement ideas any person can do. While wood staining projects don’t require any special skills, they do require attention to detail. A failure to mind the details can result in a finish that will not look as good as you had hoped.
With the right wood staining techniques, any person can achieve a good finish for DIY wood stain projects. The following tips for staining wood can help you as you work to apply the perfect finish on your woodworking and DIY carpentry projects. They include selecting the right stain and DIY wood stain supplies, sanding and cleaning the wood’s surface, and applying the stain and topcoat.
Selecting a DIY Wood Stain
Before you can move on to tips for how to stain wood, you first need to know how to select the right stain. Different types of stains perform differently, and it’s important to know the nuances before you start staining wood.
Two of the more common options are oil stains and water-based stains. You may also need to consider matching your new stain to an old stain. Maybe you’re learning how to stain wood so you can repair a piece of furniture or add a piece of furniture where you have existing wood pieces. If this is the case, you want to do what you can to make sure the stains match.
Get the Right Wood Staining Supplies
Staining wood is usually a messy project. As well as staining the wood, it can easily mark your clothes and your skin. Make sure to wear clothes you don’t mind getting dirty. Try to go with long sleeves and long pants as well, and make sure to get a pair of rubber or plastic gloves to avoid getting the wood stain on your skin.
When it comes to choosing brushes, regular paint brushes will work just fine. With that said, most people would include using foam brushes on their list of tips for staining wood. Wood stain can ruin a paintbrush, so it is better to go with foam brushes because they are cheap and disposable.
Sand Before Wood Staining
Sanding is an important part of any wood staining project. This step will remove any imperfections that would be more noticeable after you stain the wood and it will also make it easier for the surface to absorb the stain.
If you are working on a smaller woodworking project, sanding by hand might be an option. However, using a tool like the 20V Sandeck 5-in-1 Multi-Sander can be useful for both large and small projects. With the ability to switch out the sanding pads, it is a versatile sander and it can work well for sanding your DIY wood stain projects.
Top Tips for Staining Wood Include Having a Clean the Surface
Once you are done sanding, you need to clean the surface before applying the stain. For smaller projects, you might be able to clean the surface simply by wiping it down or by using a vacuum.
If you are working on a larger outdoor project like staining a wood deck, you can clean up faster with the 20V AIR Hi-Capacity 4.0 Ah Cordless Leaf Blower/Sweeper. The lightweight design makes this blower easy to handle and the 120 mph air speed will make cleaning a much more efficient process.
Applying the Stain
The first tip for how to stain wood is to read the label of the stain. Most stains will come with instructions that will tell you the best way to stain wood with the product you are using.
Beyond that, one of the best wood staining techniques is to apply the stain going with the grain of the wood. In addition to that, you should keep paper towels or rags handy. Once you have finished applying the stain, you should remove any excess from the surface.
Apply the Topcoat
The final step to DIY wood staining is to apply a topcoat to seal the finish. Some stains do come with polyurethane sealant added, so this may not be necessary for every project. If you do need to add a topcoat, you might want to wait a few days to let the stain dry before applying the sealant. Depending on the stain, there might be different types of topcoat that are recommended.
Wood stain projects are relatively simple, but it is worth it to take your time to do it right. With these tips, you can get better results for your DIY wood staining projects and avoid many of the common mistakes that lead to a bad finish.
Find the tools you need to make your next wood staining project a breeze at WORX!
