When preparing wood for stain, you'll need to sand its surface. Use a sanding sponge or orbital sander. Sandpaper with a lower grit number will make wood rougher, allowing more stain to absorb and creating a darker color. Start with 120-grit sandpaper for pieces that already have a finish.
Yes, you need to sand your old deck before staining it, otherwise all those tiny particles pieces from the old stain will float around and make a mess out of the new stain.
Yes, sanding wood before staining is essential in a cabinet project to ensure a smooth and even finish. Sanding removes imperfections, opens up the wood pores for better stain absorption, and prepares the surface for a more uniform application of the stain.
Can you stain over old stain without stripping or sanding wood furniture? Yes, you can! You'll need a quality gel stain, like Old Masters or General Finishes gel stain. You can find the full steps on my channel.
Yes, it's generally a good idea to sand an old stain before restaining wood. Here are the reasons why and some steps to consider: Remove Old Finish: Sanding helps to remove the old stain and any finish that may be on the wood, which allows the new stain to adhere better.
Often when people restain timber, the old Stain is either sanded away, is already flaking off, or can be restained over. While you can restain a deck over an existing stain without sanding or removing the existing peeling product, this isn't always recommended and can leave your deck looking a little worse for wear.
With unfinished wood, start with 80-grit sandpaper and then treat it as if you're refinishing it. When you have removed imperfections and sanded the entire surface, wipe off the dust and loose sandpaper grit. Sand with 180-grit until you've removed all the marks left by the 120-grit and the surface appears level.
Re-Stain the Wood
Use a paintbrush or foam brush to apply a thin, even coat of stain. Wipe off any excess stain after a few minutes to prevent further blotchiness. Allow the stain to dry according to the manufacturer's instructions.
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. Take a look at our recommended best practices for sanding to ensure that your wood piece is ready for staining.
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.
If you really want to avoid sanding, you can use a liquid sander or deglosser. These products help dull the existing finish on your floor so that a new stain or finish can adhere properly. A liquid sander is easy to apply—just wipe it on, wait a few minutes, and then wipe it off.
On most raw woods, start sanding in the direction of the grain using a #120-150 grit paper before staining and work up to #220 grit paper. Soft woods such as pine and alder: start with #120 and finish with no finer than #220 (for water base stains) and 180 grit for oil base stains.
Wood Preparation
You'll need to prepare your wood for staining. Wood must be dry and cleaned of dirt, grease, wax, polish, marks and old finishes. Start with a medium grade of sandpaper (e.g., #120) and gradually work your way to a finer grade (e.g., #220).
If you have an older fence or deck that has turned gray you may think it is too late to have beautifully stained wood in your backyard. The truth is that fences and decks can be restored to their original condition and transformed with quality outdoor stain.
Weathered wood must be cleaned and bleached prior to staining to address any mildew spores. No matter the type of wood, we always recommend waiting 24-48 hours after rainfall or cleaning to make sure the structure is dry prior to staining.
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.
Long Lasting: A smooth, sanded surface will accept the stain more evenly, resulting in a longer-lasting and attractive finish. It also brings out the natural beauty of the wood grain.
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.
Reapplying Stain Correctly
Lightly sand the surface with fine-grit sandpaper to ensure an even surface. Wipe away any dust with a tack cloth. Reapply the stain liberally, working in small sections. Immediately wipe off the excess with a clean rag, moving in the direction of the wood grain.
It's an essential last step to the sanding and preparation process, which easily leaves dust in random nooks and crannies of the wood. Removing that debris aids in even stain saturation and results in a blemish-free stained finish.
Lap marks are the result of inconsistent application of stain. If an area is permitted to dry, and then partially recoated, a lap mark will appear. Lap marks are permanent, and can not be removed.
Apply a Liquid Deglosser
This product helps you prepare the surface for new stain or paint without the need to strip or sand. Wipe it on with a cloth, and it removes the glossy top layer, making the surface ready for refinishing.
Be sure to progress up through every grit level; 60, 80, 100, 120, 150, 180, 220 and on. Typically you will want to stop at 180 or 220 if you are planning to stain the wood. Higher grits will close the pores of the wood and make it difficult for stain to penetrate. Go with the grain.