Staining has the extra step of removing the excess stain before it dries. You want to make sure that you remove any excess before it dries. If excess is allowed to dry on top of the wood, it leaves a glossy sheen on the wood that doesn't match the rest of the wood. This can give your wood a blotchy look.
The best way to fix your wood stain mistakes is to sand down the piece and re-stain it. I know it's a hassle, but it's the only way things will really look flawless. It's also worth noting that if you have a good orbital sander, sanding down a flat surface to bare wood is actually a really quick process.
Using most gel stains, you can darken wood furniture, or stay the same color, without sanding off the old stain. But, I usually use General Finishes Gel Stain because the finish always looks beautiful. Don't forget to Save or Share these steps for how to stain wood without sanding.
The new stain you are applying over the old stain should be compatible. For instance, if it's an oil-based stain, apply another oil-based stain. If it's a water-based stain, apply another water-based stain.
Removal is Not Always Necessary
In some cases, you can get away with leaving the previous coat as it is, as long as you perform the other necessary preparation steps, such as sanding and power washing.
Sand Down the Piece! The most traditional way to fix a bad wood coloring job is to sand down the piece to the original wood. This should only be attempted if you have a good orbital sander; hand sanding would require a significant amount of time.
Apply a second coat of stain after the first has dried fully. This will usually produce a slightly darker coloring with the excess wiped off. Substitute a glaze or gel stain for the liquid stain. Glazes and gel stains usually contain a higher ratio of pigment to vehicle.
Uneven Stain Coloring - Too Light
If you find that some areas of the wood stain are lighter than the target color you have in your head, you can apply additional stain to those areas. Use a piece of cloth or rag to apply another coat of the same stain to the wood in the area that is too light.
If the color is then not even, or it's too light, you'll need to apply more stain. Switch to a slower drying stain, work on smaller sections at a time, or apply and wipe off the stain faster by using a cloth or spray gun to apply the stain and a large dry cotton cloth to remove the excess stain.
Sand. After the first “sealer” coat has dried, sand it smooth using very fine sandpaper. Not doing this is probably the single most common cause of finishes not feeling smooth after all coats have been applied. The most important thing you can do to achieve smooth results is to sand the first coat smooth.
If the first layer of stain looks perfect, then great! You do not need to add a second layer. You should reserve adding a second layer only if you want a darker color for the stain. However, many times, the first layer of stain will suffice for both adequate protection and the desired color.
Semi-transparent color wood stain colors can help to hide minor imperfections in the wood or simply give a more bold look to your wood.
Depending on the type of stain you are using, most stains are dry and cured within 24 hours to 48 hours. After that time, it's safe for additional coats or to apply polyurethane or the sealer of your choice.
Best Process for Sanding Stained Wood
To counteract this, you can sand a bit. However, keep in mind that if you sand too much, you are going to lose the color and protective nature of the layer of stain that you just put on. It is best to sand very lightly, using very fine sandpaper like 220 grit.
Stains lighten as they dry, then return to their damp color when a finish is applied. So the quick method of seeing the color you'll get with the finish applied is to look at the stain while it is still damp. If you're using a satin or flat finish, however, you need to factor in the impact of the flatting agent.
Streaks are most likely to form when the stain pools or drips and then dries too quickly to be suitably wiped up. In oil-based stains, which can be thinned and cleaned with mineral distillates, this problem was much less common.
Use a carbide scraper to remove stain from wood without sanding, but you can also use a chemical stripper. If you are using a chemical stripper. First, remove dust and debris with a damp cloth, lay cardboard on the floor, and place the project on buckets.
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.
While you might be looking at the garbage can with despair, take comfort in the fact that most stains, even hair dye stains, can be removed even after they've set in. That isn't to say that getting it out is going to be easy. It will take a bit of work.