How to Refinish and Stain Furniture in 3 Simple Steps

When you have a beautiful table that is made of solid wood the last thing you want to do is replace it with a new table just because you don’t like the finish.

They don’t make tables like they use to. If you have a solid wood table like this one, you might want to keep it.

If you don’t like the color or the finish, there is a quick fix to bring it back to life. I’m going to show you how to refinish and stain your wood furniture in 3 easy steps. The results are stunning!

STEP 1 Sand & Clean

The first thing you want to do is sand it down to its natural wood. I used an electric sander with 150-grit sandpaper. Yes, you can use a stripper but believe me this is a lot easier and no mess.

Make sure you sand it going with the grain.

Once you remove all the paint, go back over it by hand with 120-grit sandpaper (fine). Run your hand over it to make sure it’s smooth, like a baby’s butt. LOL

If you don’t take this extra step, it will feel rough.

Then clean it with a dry cloth to remove all the dust.

STEP 2 Stain

I used two different stains. I first applied a Mahogany stain with a car sponge moving in the direction of the grain. Make sure you wear gloves so you don’t get the stain on your hands.

Once it was dry, I applied a walnut stain over the top because I like the redness of the mahogany but wanted it a little darker. This is optional.

STEP 3 Clear Coat

Once the stain dries apply 2 coats of clear coat.

TIP: you can use a sponge roller, but it will create bubbles like this. If this happens, just use a soft paintbrush to drag them out.

I like using a soft brush like this, so it doesn’t create streaks. Always apply products going with the grain for the best results.

Here’s a closeup of the finished results. I can’t believe someone painted over this beautiful wood. I’m loving all the detail and the richness of the combined colors.