A chemical stripper loosens wood stain to make it easier to remove. While you can take off stain without it, the process will take longer and be more difficult. In some cases, you may be unable to remove stain altogether without a stripper. There are two main types of strippers: solvent and caustic.
If you want to remove one layer of wood stain from a flat surface, it should be a decently quick and painless project. But if you want to take on stripping a piece of furniture down to raw wood, it can be a pretty long process. Especially if there are multiple layers of stain/paint!
Wood stains permanently change a wood's appearance, often adding colour. Unlike paint, wood stain allows the grain patterns of the wood to remain visible, highlighting the natural beauty.
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.
If you're updating hardwood floors or refinishing a piece of furniture, for the best results, you need to remove the existing stain first. Removing wood stain can be an involved process since it absorbs into the grain of the wood.
You can expect no more than 1-2 years of protection even when using the best exterior deck stains, like TWP. Once the deck stain begins to fade and no longer repels water, you have waited too long and should be re-stained by professionals.
The Cons of Staining Wood
While some stains can last up to five years, postponing re-staining a wood surface for too long can cause the job to become more complex and labour intensive. Even decks that are stripped and re-stained will still require maintenance every couple of years.
Sand out the stain
If you are looking to save some time, then a much easier option is to use an orbital or belt sander. Once you've finished machine sanding, we recommend you sand by hand with the grain of the wood using the same grit sandpaper you were using in the machine. This will erase any machine marks.
If you stain a deck without cleaning and prepping it first, the results will look blotchy, uneven, and, well, amateur. Any time you save skipping the cleaning stage, you'll spend twice over repairing the botched job.
Maintenance: Stained wood requires more maintenance than painted wood. Stains can fade or wear away over time, and the wood may need to be re-stained every few years. Painted wood, on the other hand, is more durable and can last longer without the need for touch-ups.
Stain Quality and Price
Water-Based: $20 to $80 per gallon, environmentally friendly and mold/mildew resistant. Oil-Based: $35 to $120 per gallon, deeper penetration and a more natural look. Solid: $25 to $65 per gallon, best for old wood, hide wood grain and imperfections.
Stains give a more natural feel. Paint has the potential to peel, crack, or flake, whereas stain is more resistant to chipping but will fade over time.
From cuts to grazes to unceremonious bouts of nosebleeding, you can expect to get your clothes dotted with dark red stains if any of these happen to you. The proteins found in blood and the pigments that make up for it all contribute to a difficult stain removal process such as a hot cocoa drink.
Depending on your project, you will not need to remove old stain before restaining. If you want to darken the stain on your wood project, then removing the existing stain is not necessary!
Instead, it will create a tacky surface, which may be prone to early peeling. Because the additional coat is not penetrating the wood, it is simply layered on top, which will cause the coat to be more fragile and will not offer the same level of protection as the proper amount of stain.
Removal is Not Always Necessary
While it's never a bad idea to sand and strip old stain, doing so can certainly be time-consuming and challenging. 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.
Woods high in tannins may require sealing first, but all species of stained wood can be painted, including hardwoods and softwoods, and even grasses like wicker and rattan. Previously stained furniture and home elements (doors, trim, cabinetry) will accept paint, with the latter sometimes requiring a deep clean first.
Stain penetrates the first few layers of wood, keeping moisture from getting in there and leading to rot. Some might think that paint would do that job better, but paint only sits on the surface. Stain actually sinks into the wood, giving it much more protection.
Dawn dish soap is both gentle enough, yet capable for the job. If the stain has set, mineral spirits may have to be used. Make sure the room is well ventilated, then rub the spirits onto the oil mark with a clean cloth. Really stubborn stains will need to be tackled with a product that is more absorbent than wood.
The best overall stain remover for most fabrics and stains is a 50-50 mix of white vinegar and water. Keep a spray bottle of this mixture on hand for quick treatment of most household stains.
How does vinegar darken wood? Vinegar causes steel wool to oxidize, or basically rust. That rust “dyes” the vinegar. Then, that vinegar reacts with the color of the wood that you apply it to, giving it a new, deeper color.
We always recommend two coats of stain for any wood project, but you should only apply as much stain as the wood can absorb. Extremely dense hardwoods may only be able to absorb one coat of wood stain. The general rule of thumb is to apply only as much deck stain as the wood can absorb.
The wood must be clean, dry and free of contaminants. If you try to apply stain or sealer over damp or dirty wood, then there won't be proper adhesion. Make sure there is no mildew as well. To achieve this, use a wood cleaner and thoroughly wash your deck.