Everyone likes to change things up now and then. Adding a new coat of paint or getting new furniture in your home can make the whole house feel brand new.
The only problem with sprucing things up is the money it takes. Buying new furniture isn’t cheap, so what if instead, you gave a piece of old furniture new life?
You can try re-staining a piece of wooden furniture, for example, to give it a different look. Even darker stained wood can become lighter with a few tricks.
So, can you stain wood lighter? Yes, there are different methods depending on the wood. If it’s already stained, you can either remove the existing stain and re-stain with something lighter, or lighten the existing stain with wood bleach. If it’s a wood that has a natural dark color, you can add white stain, wash, wax, or tint to lighten it.
If you have some old wood furniture or unfinished wood planks lying around that you want to lighten, you’re in the right place. Below is all the information you need to know to make your dark wood shine light.
Can You Stain Wood Lighter?
Although it may seem impossible, you can stain wood lighter.
Just as with dying dark hair lighter, it’s a process that involves a lot of steps and a good amount of work. But if you’re determined to lighten your dark wood, you can certainly do so!
The methods for staining wood lighter will depend on the state of the wood you’re trying to update. Ask yourself some of the following questions:
- Is the wood already stained?
- Does the wood have a varnish or other thick finish on top?
- Is the wood painted?
- Is the wood raw (without any stain, paint, oil, or varnish)?
These factors will determine the different methods you’ll need to use to stain wood lighter.
How Easy Is Staining Wood Lighter?
Although staining wood lighter isn’t the most difficult task in the world, it will take some time and elbow grease.
If you’re wondering what kind of time and work to expect, simply think about what it would take to re-stain a piece of wood regardless of color.
You’ll still need to strip the previous stain either by sanding, with a wood stripper, or with wood bleach, then apply the new stain.
With staining wood lighter, you may choose to apply a white wash to the wood instead of a new stain. This can help lighten the color of the wood considerably.
The only issue is you’ll need to gather all the necessary safety equipment when working with chemicals. Use gloves, a breathing mask, goggles, protective clothing, and work in a well-ventilated area.
If you use wood bleach, you’ll also need to use vinegar to deactivate the bleach before moving onto the next step. This is very important to avoid any dangerous chemical reactions.
How To Remove And Lighten An Existing Stain
If you’re working with wood that already has a dark stain, you’ll have to get rid of the initial stain.
Applying the new, light stain over the dark stain won’t really change much of anything. You may add a new tint to the existing stain, but you certainly won’t lighten it.
For removing an existing stain, you have three options: sanding, steel wool, or chemicals (either wood bleach or a stain stripper).
Wood bleach can also lighten an existing stain, so if you’re not sure whether you want to start over completely or try working with what you have, try wood bleach first.
Although you may start with one option, keep in mind that it may not work well depending on your stain and you may have to try another method.
If your wood is old, the dark stain is extremely dark, or there’s a particularly thick or hard varnish layer, then you’ll probably need to employ multiple methods to truly strip the entire pre-existing stain and set your wood up for taking on a lighter stain.
Be sure to properly clean your wood before employing any of these methods. This will be a simple process of wiping down the wood with a mixture of warm water and mild dish soap.
Allow your wood to thoroughly dry before proceeding.
After you use one of the methods below to strip the existing stain, you can clean the wood again and apply a new stain. If you want a really light look, try using a white stain.
Sanding
Your first option for removing an existing stain is sanding. With a thinner coat of stain or finish, sanding may be all you need to do.
Be sure to get a breathing mask and some goggles handy, since dust from the stain or varnish will be flying in the air and you don’t want to breathe that in or get it in your eyes.
You can use an orbital sander or a simple sanding sponge or sandpaper. An orbital sander will save you a lot of aches and pains, and it will take half the time of manual sanding, so we highly recommend investing in one for your woodworking projects.
Sand the wood as usual. Remember to start with a course grit sandpaper and move your way up to a finer grit. This will help remove the layers of stain and varnish to get back down to the original wood, then smooth that wood back out.
Keep an eye on your progress to make sure sanding is removing the stain. If your wood isn’t looking lighter, clean it off and try one of our other methods.
Steel Wool
Another method for stripping an existing wood stain is steel wool. The steel wool sponges used on wood will look different than those used for washing dishes, so make sure you purchase the right product.
You’ll need to pick up two kinds of steel wool: grade 000 and grade 0000. Just like with sandpaper, you’ll need to use a course and fine texture to achieve best results.
Soak the steel wool in warm water and gently rub the wood. Scrub the steel wool along the grain of the wood, careful not to scratch it. You want to remove the stain without ruining the wood underneath.
As you work, you should see it starting to lighten. It may take some time and work, so be patient.
If you don’t notice the wood getting lighter, you can try adding mineral spirits. Be careful with mineral spirits and use gloves if you decide to add this. It’s a chemical that needs to be handled properly, so be sure to follow the safety guidelines on the bottle.
The steel wool, with or without mineral spirits, should do the trick. If you don’t want to use steel wool, you can try using one of our chemical methods below.
Chemicals
For chemicals, you have two options: wood bleach or stain stripper.
Wood bleach is specifically designed to lighten wood, while stain stripper is designed to remove an existing layer of stain or varnish. Each of these has their own strengths, and it’s up to you to choose which is the best option.
If you like the existing stain and just wish it were lighter, try the wood bleach. If you want to start completely from scratch, try the stain stripper.
Use proper safety gear such as gloves, goggles, and a breathing mask, and follow the instructions on the product label.
Generally, wood bleach and wood stain stripper are applied with a large paintbrush or washcloth. You’ll need to rinse or clean the wood after these chemicals have done their job to ensure it’s safe for a new stain.
Remember, wood bleach must be deactivated with white vinegar. Even if you’re only applying the bleach to lighten the existing stain and don’t plan to add a new stain, you’ll need to deactivate the bleach with vinegar before your project is complete.
How To Stain Dark Wood Lighter
If you’re working with naturally dark wood, you’ll need to use a different process. Naturally dark wood doesn’t need to have a layer of stain or varnish removed, because the wood has a dark-colored grain raw.
To lighten a dark wood, try using a white stain, whitewash, or white tint.
Each of these products are intended to lighten wood and give it a brighter look. Depending on the wood, it may not look bright white, but it will give the dark wood grain a lighter look.
Before using any of these products, ensure the wood is clean and clear of any debris, dust, dirt, or imperfections. It’s a good idea to sand the wood before applying this, the same way you’d sand wood prior to applying any other stain.
Sanding the wood gives you a smooth surface and helps open the wood grain to allow for a more even coverage.
Apply the white stain, wash, or tint using a large paintbrush, making long, even strokes along the natural grain pattern. Let it dry before judging the color. Stains never look right when they’re first applied, but the color settles as it dries.
Seal your wood as usual with your chosen varnish.
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