Tips for Applying Wood Stain to Your Furniture

Are you undertaking a home improvement project and wondering how to highlight your wooden furniture pieces? Well, this shouldn’t bother you. There are various wooden treatment options; these include staining, painting, or finishing. All offer different results, and staining is worth trying. However, you must understand how to do this right and prepare your wooden furniture as required.

 Why stain my wooden furniture?

Wood stain is famous for enriching the look of outdoor wood furniture but still has many other benefits. Wood stains will preserve your wood and save a lot on maintenance costs. Besides, wood is prone to rot when exposed to outdoor elements without being sealed. Rotting will make wooded furniture look ugly and risk collapsing, and staining will preserve your wood and avoid this.

You can buy wood oils and stains from most leading stores, and these will preserve your wood from water intrusion that can cause rotting. Sunlight will also ruin your unsealed wood causing unsightly discoloration. Sealing your wood will preserve its appearance, making it look appealing.

 Here are tips for staining your wooden furniture

  1. Choose the stain color wisely.

The list of stain colors in the market can be confusing. These can be classified into two categories, pigmentation and dye stains. Pigment stains feature colored dirt ground up into fine particles. Similarly, dye stains are soluble salts. Dye stains can get into tiny spaces while pigments can’t.

In wooden pieces like maple that have a dense grain, the pigment stain wipes off, leaving tiny traces of color. But, dyes stains add more color. The case is different with open-grained woods, though! These feature large pores, like oak and the pigment stains lodge into the pores and color better than dye stains. Also, you can go for oil, gel, or water-based stains and all have distinct benefits.

  1. Preparation is key!

Rush preparation can ruin your project. If you rush the preparation and apply stain when your wood isn’t ready for it, sand thoroughly to achieve an excellent finish. Use a sanding block and finish up with fine sandpaper.

  1. Don’t make mistakes during the application.

You can apply the wood stain using a brush or foam pad, and each stain type suits a specific application method. For instance, gel strains are best applied using a rag, then wiped out to achieve the desired hue. For gel stains, avoid applying with a brush or pad. Remember, you can always attain a denser stain by applying a topcoat.

  1. Don’t forget some varnish. 

Lastly, apply a protective topcoat. Most people go for polyurethane varnish, but woodworkers advise that you choose a product with a similar solvent base as the stain. For instance, use a water-based varnish over a water-based stain and an oil-based varnish over an oil-based stain.

The bottom line

Treating your wooden furniture has many benefits. It will preserve your pieces and their surfaces for years. It also enhances its look and beauty and maintains it in its best condition. Whether you choose to stain, paint or oil your furniture, you can get these products and more in leading stores online. Order quality products and learn how to treat your furniture to avoid wastage.