4 Responses

1. aussie

   September 17th, 2009 at 10:28 pm

   1

   you will have to remove the clear finish first and you can do this by sanding or using a chemical striper. then stain

2. Lily P

   September 20th, 2009 at 6:02 pm

   2

   I will tell you sanding is easier to me being a women but just depends ……where will you be doing this sanding is very dusty and chemical strip is very messy and can damage a floor unless your on concrete floor. Then stain the finish is the worst part.

3. fdibella1125

   September 24th, 2009 at 12:01 am

   3

   It’s going to be alot of work. You wont be able to go lighter, lust darker as the stain has already penetrated the pores of the wood and you’ll never get all of the old stain completely out.
   Start by using some paint stripper. Once the old finish comes loose, use steel wool and a scraper to get it all off. You may need to apply the paint stripper more than once.
   Then sand down with 220 grit sandpaper. You don’t need to go crazy but make sure it;s smooth.
   Then re-stain and apply polyurethane or lacquer to finish.

4. shyrenocpl

   September 25th, 2009 at 7:16 am

   4

   If your not interested in sanding it down you can use gell stain. They sell it at any hardwares store. It takes a little practice to get it right. It sits on the surface and doesn’t soak in like regular stain. Because of this you need to do multiple coats to get it right. Put it on with a brush and then use a rag to move the stain around till you get the look you want. It can be wiped off with paint thinner. Let it dry for a few days before you put a topcoat on it. I would use a pollyurathane.