How To Fix A Bad Stain Job?

First of all, before you start with the staining job, you must prepare the wood that you are going to stain. You should remove any hardware like doors, drawers, etc. Simplify the furniture as much as possible. This will help in spreading a more even tone of the color. It will also make your job easy as you will be able to reach each side of the furniture easily.

Also, it is advisable to protect the area where you are going to work. So, cover the area with old newspaper or cloth. In case you are working in the yard, use a sheet of the tarp to cover the grass. Covering the grass will keep it from getting stuck in the furniture and hampering your work.

As we always say, safety comes first. In fixing a bad stain job, you need to take some precautions. You should wear gloves to protect your hands. Gloves should be made of rubber. The gloves will prevent the paint from being stuck on the skin. Also, you should wear old or garage work clothes to avoid the risk of ruining your good or new set of clothes with varnish stains.  

Since the furniture is already colored and you want to fix its flaws, you need to remove the existing layer of color as much as possible. The removal of the existing coat of color becomes especially crucial if you are trying to change the color from a darker shade to a lighter shade. To do so, you need to strip the wood. However, if you are planning to fix the stain by changing the color to a darker shade, there is no need to remove the existing layer of color. But, removing the color is a safe option as sometimes the stain, which is not removed correctly, alters the overall color of the wood. 

There are two major ways to remove the stain. First: Sanding
You can use a sander for removing the stain. Take sandpaper with fine-grit like P200, for this job. Do not overdo it. You should sand enough to remove the upper layer of the stain and make the surface rough. 
Second: Stripping
You can also use a chemical stripper. It is always a risk that the sander might damage the uppermost layer of the wood. At the same time, the stripper can remove the stain without much damage. 

Now, it is time to stain the wood. For this, you need a gel stain, glaze, or water-based stain. 
It can be a bit tricky for a newbie to select the appropriate color. But do not worry. Go to the store and ask for samples of each. You can try these samples and notice the difference between each of these. Mostly, these differ in their textures and shade. 
For example: if you want slight changes in the appearance of the wood, you should go with an oil stain. This is because the oil stains have a sheer finish.
Once you have seen your options, you can easily choose from the range of stains, the one that suits you the best.

You should always be cautious while doing this step. It is the most critical step, and it should be done with precision and full attention. Now, you need to actually apply the color. Make sure to use a clean foam brush or an old but clean cloth for this purpose as it will be easy to spread the paint evenly with the help of a brush or cloth. Now, remember that you need to apply an even layer of stain on the surface of the wood. Once you pour the color on the wood, use the foam brush/cloth to spread it evenly on the surface. The first coat should not be very thick. Thinner coats are easily absorbed in the wooden surface and hence dry quickly. 

Now it is a prevailing situation that while pouring the stain, you accidentally or unknowingly drop more than the required amount. Do not panic. It happens with everyone and can be resolved very quickly. You need to wipe down the excess color. But, do not wipe it right away. Take a foam brush/cloth and spread it on the surface properly. Once it is all spread over the wooden surface evenly, then you should wipe out the surplus amount. For wiping the extra paint, you can either use a piece of cloth or pads. 

There must be absolutely no streak of wood left without color. Examine the wood multiple times from almost all angles to ensure that there is no nook and corner left uncolored. If you want, you can use staining pads. These are specifically designed to stain every part of the wood. 
When you have successfully colored the entire thing, it is time to wait. You should let the stain sit for at least 18 to 24 hours. Make sure that the stain or the wood is not disturbed. Different brands suggest different waiting times for their products. But, the main goal is to let the paint dry completely. Twenty-four hours is a safe waiting period. But, if the color is not dry, then you need to wait till it is completely dried. 

Now that the paint is dry. It is time to move on to the next step. In this step, you need to recoat the wood. You should apply a second layer of stain on the wood. If you want a transparent and sheer look with grains of wood perfectly visible, then you should avoid this step. But if you want a slightly darker shade, then this is an essential step for you. You should not skip it. 

So, you should apply a second coat of stain on the wood. The prices of applying the paint will be the same. Use a foam brush or a piece of cloth and spread the color evenly on the surface of the wood.

If you apply multiple layers of paint, you will get a dark tone with less visible grains of wood. You must keep in mind that you should not apply one layer after another before the first layer is completely dry. The overlapping layers can ruin the overall texture of the wood. Also, the color darkens after drying, so if you overlap colors before it has dried, you may end up having a much darker shade than you wanted. 

Now that you have achieved your desired shade, it is time to seal the look. You need to use a sealer for this. Use water or oil-based sealer. It will give a glossy finish to your furniture. The sealer acts as a protective layer. It keeps the stain intact and adds a glossy touch to the texture. You should apply it only after the paint is dry. 

Now it is time to use the toner. You should use a dye-based tone. This helps the stain to adjust the color. Toners are available in sprays. You can spray the toner over the colored wood. It slightly changes the color. It must be used after you have applied the sealer. There are many color toners available in the market, but you need to choose according to your coloring needs.
For example: If you want a warmer shade, you should go for a red or an orange dye-based toner. You can ask about it in the local store and buy it as per your requirements. 

It is now time to add a finishing touch to the wood. The last step is to glaze the surface. Now, this step is optional. You can finish the job after spraying the toner. But, if you do not want to use toner, then you can use glaze. Take a pigmented glaze and spread it evenly on the surface of the wood with the help of a brush. Make sure to use it after you are done with the sealer. However, the glaze is very thick and hard. It isn’t easy to spread it on the surface. If you are not skilled enough, it might leave scars of brush strokes on the surface.
Once you are done with it, you have completed the task of fixing a bad stain job.