You can remove wood stain using a chemical stripper, which will do most of the heavy lifting, and then sand the wood as a finishing step to smooth out the surface before preparing it to be stained, sealed, or painted.
To remove a stain from wood without sanding, use a mixture of baking soda and water or a wood-specific cleaner. Apply gently with a soft cloth and rub in the direction of the grain. For tougher stains, a bit of white vinegar can help. Avoid abrasive methods to prevent damage.
The primary function of staining is to provide color to a wood piece. If you sand in between coats of stain, you risk breaking the color and damaging the stain. Instead, you should sand the raw wood before applying a stain.
You don't have to worry about sanding off the existing stain like you would if you were fully refinishing it with a traditional wood stain. Just lightly scuff the surface to give it some “tooth” so the gel stain will have the best adhesion.
Do You Have to Sand Before Staining Wood? Wood needs to be sanded well before it can be stained. The process opens up the wood's pores to better absorb the stain. It also smoothes away scratches in the surface which will only be enhanced by stain.
You can still choose to refinish without sanding, but the new stain may accentuate existing scratches in the wood rather than cover them. Water damage or pet stains that penetrate the finish into the actual floorboards may also require a full on sanding of the floor.
WHAT HAPPENS TO MINWAX® PRE-STAIN WOOD CONDITIONER AFTER TWO HOURS HAVE ELAPSED? The resins in Minwax® Pre-Stain Wood Conditioner will begin to dry and may inhibit stain absorption. To open the pores again, sand the wood lightly with a medium grit (#120 - #180) sandpaper.
Using wood stripper, bleach, and sandpaper is the most effective way to remove stain from wood.
Minwax® PolyShades® is an easy way to change the color of your currently stained or polyurethane finished wood. There's no stripping or heavy sanding necessary to remove the old finish!
If you have oil-based stains (which dries slower), brushing or spraying large areas could work, but lacquer and water-based stains simply dry too fast. This could result in imprints of the bristles on your wood surface. You won't have that problem when you apply and finish staining with lint-free cloth wipers.
With oil-based topcoats, the more coats you apply, the darker and richer the wood will become. With water-based topcoats, sand any "grain-raise" smooth before applying the final coat. Note: Sanding between coats is not necessary, but it will provide a better finish.
Let water-based stains dry for two to three hours and oil-based stains for four to six hours before applying a polyurethane sealer. The best way to get a smooth finish is to apply the first coat of sealer, let it dry, and then lightly sand the surface with 220-grit sandpaper before applying a second coat.
Whenever water or any stain or finish that contains water comes in contact with wood, it causes the wood fibers to swell, which is called “grain raising” or “raised grain.” After the water has dried the wood feels rough to the touch, and thinly applied finishes also feel rough.
Leave the original stain in place if you want to stain the piece a darker color. If you're going from a light stain to a dark stain, there's no need to strip away the existing stain first. However, keep in mind that the existing stain may alter the color of the finished product.
Sand the Surface
Let the wood dry for 24 hours. Then, sand the surface with 100- to 150-grit sandpaper. Use a sanding block or an orbital sander. Apply only enough pressure to take off any residue and rough areas.
To remove a stain from wood without sanding, use a mixture of baking soda and water or a wood-specific cleaner. Apply gently with a soft cloth and rub in the direction of the grain. For tougher stains, a bit of white vinegar can help. Avoid abrasive methods to prevent damage.
You generally don't need to sand new wood that has been stained before painting, but it depends on the results you're after. If you want a super-smooth painted finish, scuff-sand, which is lightly sanding (scuffing), the surface by hand (not with a machine), to smooth out bumps using 150- or 220-grit sandpaper.
For even adhesion, need a light cleaning or sanding to remove oils and other surface contaminants.
In short, yes—you absolutely can stain your wood floors without sanding. It's not only possible, but it's also a great way to refresh the look of your floors without all the hassle, dust, and effort that comes with traditional sanding. That said, it's important to go into this process with realistic expectations.
If your existing deck stain is: Light: Apply a similar or darker stain color without additional preparation required. Dark: This will be hard to 'cover' with a lighter semi-transparent color, as the old/dark color will come through. If you want to lighten up the color of a dark deck, consider a lighter solid stain.
You should have done all the sanding before you stain anything but if you use a water based stain it can raise the grain and make it rough so you will want to sand very lightly once dry. Oil based stains are pigment stains and sanding removes the color. you can use brown paper to lightly rub out any blemishes.
With OxiClean™ Versatile Stain Remover powder, you can remove old stains from clothes even after they have dried, grease and oil stains included. Plus, VSR is color safe, so you can use it to restore the life of old clothes and avoid having to buy new ones!
The level of your prep depends on the current condition of your deck and the type of stain used. If the deck has a previous coating, such as a solid or semi-transparent stain, varnish, or water sealer, etc, this will ideally need to be stripped away or sanded before restaining.
Applying a topcoat sealer is not required, but a finish protects the stained wood from scratches and keeps it from fading over time. If applying a polyurethane wood finish with a brush, apply one to two coats. If using a spray can, hold 8 to 12 inches from the surface and apply two or three light coats.
7. Let Pre-Stain Conditioner dry at least 30 minutes, but no longer than 2 hours before applying stain, in ideal conditions: 70°F/20°C; 50-70% humidity. Do not wait longer than 2 hours, and never let Pre-Stain Conditioner dry overnight before applying a stain over it.