I’ll probably never make anything from nice wood but it’s nice to know these products are out there. Pioneer Wood works quickly when learning how to weather wood on cedar, but pine still needs to sit outside in the weather after application, so it's unpredictable how much time it will save you. The wood below is not stained! Would it keep the orange tone from appearing. The problem you can run into is when you brush the colored varnish on it can look streaked if not applied evenly, especially so if it is a first coat . What you don't want to do is use a fine sanding sponge or 180-grit (or higher) sandpaper. How to Darken Wood without Stain Rich, dark and luxurious wooden furniture, antique pieces and high-end furniture pieces; these were possibly stained using time-tested techniques. Wood stains are probably most commonly used on pine boards and plywood. To learn how to use commercial stain to darken wood, read on! This first pass is to wear down the small contours, ridges, and knotholes characteristic of softwoods and leave you with a more even surface to work with. If a darker colour is what you want, you are in the right place. These are the stairs from the main floor to the basement of our house. Our posts may contain affiliate links, and if you purchase a product through those links, you don’t pay a cent more, but we may receive a small commission for referring. Remember, for this project we wanted the raw wood color and flat sheen. Let the conditioner dry thoroughly, then sand it with 400-grit paper. I do not care if it is flat, shiny or soaked in swamp water I just love wood. This technique works with any sheen! The basic approach is a 6 step process: Clean unfinished wood with a damp rag before staining. Wood staining is only … Your email address will not be published. Otherwise, lightly sand the surface of the wood, then apply a thick coat of stain with a cloth or foam brush. The top quarter is satin poly on raw wood, the one underneath is satin poly over 3 coats of dead flat, then satin poly over 2 coats of dead flat, and finally the bottom quarter is satin poly over 1 coat of dead flat. I like wood any way I can get it. The softness of the earlywood and the hardness of the latewood result in ridges that won’t take stain or finish evenly. For this old box, I replaced the ancient and non-functioning hasp with something a little more decorative and functional. ago. wikiHow's. So now I won't have cabinets like anyone else lol, except for the cabinets themselves, but color is all mine. It’s much cheaper. Darkening with Coffee Fill a bowl with one cup (237 milliliters) of dark coffee grounds. Some folks turn to wax and other wood conditioners, though still, some discoloration will result. You never know what poisonous crap is in the finish you’re stripping off. Would the interior have the same effect? Pre-staining the wood with black tea or coffee can produce more tannins and thus, darken the wood. “Ooooh, do this one my babes!” She points to a painted chest. An acrylic lacquer is also a good option. Step 2: Beat It Up. Once you protect your stairs with the dead flat, you can then get an even better layer of protection with some satin oil-based poly (and you won’t change the color!). Fill a spray bottle with 2 cups of water. We used Briwax to enhance and accentuate the natural character and beauty of the two nightstand DIY tables. ALWAYS wear a mask when sanding. I am refinishing a pine wood kitchen table. This stain gives wood an even gray tint to it while still allowing some character of the wood grain to show through. There is no difference between the left and right panels above except for the satin sheen on the right that doesn’t show very well in the photo. Varnishing. To learn how to use commercial stain to darken wood, read on! Sometimes you will notice some small knots or gaps on your piece of lumber; so, you will have to fill them up with epoxy before you sand or stain pine. Even if you simply want to change the tone of your colour (e.g. Apply the gel stain using a chip brush. Using a light grit sanding block, lightly hand sand the entire surface of the wood piece that you would like to darken.