Stain Over Dye Tutorial

Hopefully, this tutorial will help to take the fear out of stripping and refinishing furniture. Although I do love to finish pieces with paints, glazes, and various sealants sometimes the piece calls for a more natural finish.

Here is a step-by-step tutorial. If I lack a picture, I will try to explain and list all the products that I used.

I finished these pieces in Colorado at high elevation so the stripper evaporated very quickly...not good when stripper should sit on the surface to do it's thing. However, never one to give up, I researched a bit and found if I applied the stripper and then hit it with lacquer thinner (as often as required to keep surface wet) the stripper worked fine. If you live in a humid climate you should not have to do this. Always use lacquer in a well ventilated area and wear a mask when using stripper or lacquer thinner!

Supply List:

• Strypeeze Paint Remover
• Flexible Putty Knife
• 2-3 Rolls Paper Towel
• Gloves
• Bucket of Water
• Lacquer Thinner (if in dry climate)
• Mask
• Plastic Wrap
• Wood Bleach
• Sandpaper (80, 100, 150, 220 grits)
• wood putty (if necessary)
• Water based wood dye
• Oil based stain
• Wipe on Polyurethane
• Old WHITE T-shirt cut into pieces

This might sound like an long list, but this will make the job much easier.

Dresser and Side Tables BEFORE

 

 

Step 1.  Remove Paint:  On a flat surface like the side tables, this is messy but not really hard, it just takes patience. Apply the stripper with a throw away chip brush (wear gloves and mask--work in WELL ventilated area).  I tend to work on one area at a time starting from the top and working down the piece.Tear off any type of plastic wrap (you could use plastic grocery bags) and cover the area. Let it sit for a few hours or even overnight.  If you live in a dry climate let it sit a few hours THEN apply lacquer thinner and go to work removing the paint.

Begin removing paint with a putty knife. Careful not to dig the edge into the surface. Keep it pretty flat. Wipe the gunk off with paper towel. IF you get any on your hands, rinse  them immediately in water.

Because the dresser was so intricate, I had to use dental tools to get the white paint out of the nooks and crannies. Useful in inside corners too.  If necessary, you can use 80 or 100 grit sandpaper to remove stubborn areas but be careful not to blow through veneer.

 

Step 2. Wash Surface to Neutralize Stripper: Now that the paint is off (I know, thank you God! Believe me, I don't enjoy that process either), the fun starts!  Wash down all surfaces completely with warm water and a sponge. Flood the surface but don't let the water sit. Wash it well, and change the water a few times. See below, all paint is removed, but there is still some residue. This will wash off with water.

 

 

Step 3. Bleach the Surface: 





 

 

Following mixing the directions on the product, thoroughly apply to the piece. This helps to restore the original finish. You can skip this step, but if it's a high-end piece it's worth it.  I used a soft plastic brush that I got from the local big box store. Work into the surface being careful not to scratch.  After piece is completely rinsed (multiple times to make sure it's off). Let it dry completely.

 

Step 4. Fill (if necessary): My piece had chips in the veneer, so I used wood fill NOT putty, let it dry and sanded smooth.

 

Step 5.  Sand:  Because you used so much water, the grain is likely bulging! Don't worry, sand by hand with 150 grit and follow up with a fine sanding sponge. ALWAYS sand with the grain. Use your hands to feel the surface making sure it feels smooth.

 

Step 6. Apply Lacquer Thinner:  After sanding, apply lacquer thinner with a lint-free rag (I use old white T-shirts). This will show you if there are any sanding marks and it prepares the surface nicely for dye, stain, and finish. Let it dry completely. 

 

 

Step 7. Apply Dye: Because I wanted a warm, mahogany finish I dyed the surface orange. Don't worry, we will tone it down with stain! I like General Finishes (available online). Dye not only gives great depth of color to the finished product (it gives dimension), but it also helps to seal the surface so stain doesn't grab every sanding mark.



Here they are dyed orange.

 

Step 8. Stain:  Almost there now! Let the dye dry completely. IF grain has lifted, just knock it down with a fine sanding sponge. It shouldn't because wood tends to raise it's grain only once BUT if for some reason it does, no biggie, just lightly sand it.

Note: I used a test piece (Oak, because the pieces are Oak) to test the dye and stain colors before hitting the pieces.

 

I chose Minwax's Dark Walnut, but decided I wanted it a bit darker still. So, I let the Dark Walnut dry and then applied Minwax's Jacobean.

 

Step 9. Seal: Finally!!! I use Minwax's Wipe On Polyurethane, Satin. Make sure the surface is completely dry. This is important---if not, the poly will NOT adhere or will cloud. Ensure that it is clean and free of dust. Apply thin layers, I apply 2 (lightly sanding in between with fine sanding sponge).

 

 Hopefully, you can see in the pictures below how the combination of dye and stain gives unbelievable depth and dimension. Honestly, color seems to explode from the surface.