Expert: Jamie Yocono - 9/27/2009

Question
I have a old bedroom set that is a medium oak.  I would like to re-stain it a darker oak and I am not sure how to do it. I am hoping I do not have to sand it all down.  
Thanks

Answer
Monna,

There are two types of finishes for wood - penetrating ones and surface ones. They do exactly as they sound - one will penetrate deep into the pores of the wood, and the other will sit up on top of it.

It's hard to know what's on your bedroom set, but I suspect it's a surface finish, because that's the most protective. But besides adding additional protection to your pieces, it also seals the pores from dirt and grime. I'm sure some of it has worn off over the years, but the original finish probably remains intact on some of the surfaces of the pieces.

So if you attempt to stain this piece without properly stripping the old finish off, you will not achieve a nice, even effect.

You will have to sand off the old finish, or at least remove it with some sort of stripper, to re-open the pores of the wood. Once the surface finish is removed, you'll probably need to do some light sanding, as I am sure there are areas where the wood is a little dinged up. Those will require some light sanding to get them to blend with the rest of the piece.

Once the pieces are stripped and sanded, you can then re-stain them to a darker color. It's a big job, Monna, and it's hard to say what it will turn out like. I suggest you possibly strip and stain a test piece - is there an area that won't show, or possibly a piece to this bedroom set that you don't use? Try it on a sample piece, to see if it's going to be worth it to you to do all this work.

It's not particularly hard work, but there is a lot of detail work, stripping isn't pleasant, but it's necessary. The good news is - once you get past the stripping part, the staining and re-varnishing goes rather quickly. And it's quite rewarding, as your pieces will look MUCH better than they do right now.

Good luck, feel free to write back if you have any other questions,


Jamie Yocono
Wood It Is! Custom Cabinetry
Las Vegas, NV
www.wooditis.com
My woodworking blog: www.wooditis.blogspot.com