Expert: Eileen Cronk - 7/13/2009

Question
Dear Eileen, I recently acquired an old piano stool which had badly chipped varnish.  I have stripped the varnish so the stool is no longer glossy but I am not sure what to do next.  Specifically:

1) although the shine is now gone, the colour in places hasn't.  Given that when I am finished I want it to be dark again, is it worth continuing to sand it to get rid of all the colour?
2) how is the best way to get colour back into the wood?  a stain (followed by a clear varnish) or a colour varnish?  Many thanks in advance!  Kerrie

Answer
Hi Kerrie
Nice to hear from you.
Its too bad you started trying to sand the color out of the stool but its too late to go back LOL.
So we'll go forward.
If you have not used any paint stripper so far, that is your next step. In order to restain furniture, all the existing finish (not color),must be removed with paint stripper. A finish is never sanded off, and its desirable to leave the color in the wood although the stripper removes a good bit of it, whats left is left.
After the stripping is complete, the next step is staining ..no sanding unless there is wood damage.
Try Minwax oil stain in "Special Walnut" color. All you need is the tiny size can. That should put the color back in the wood.
I would not use varnish.
I would apply 4 coats of tung oil in a low luster.
Tung oil is applied with a rag.
Get back to me if needed.
Regards
Eileen