Prep before staining pine dresser?
Question:Prior to staining a pine dresser, what is the best method of removing the old stain? Chemical stripper, sanding or bleaching? I realize they all have their drawbacks but which would be the lesser of the 3 evils? Thanks.
Answers:
I agree with the above poster that sanding is your easier and less messy approach to this project. You can either do it by hand - starting off with a rough grit and going down to a finer grit sandpaper - or doing it with an electric hand sander (quicker).
While sanding you should wear a protective face mask to proctect yourself from air borne particals cause by your sanding.
After you have sanded down to the bare wood - and possibly needed to use a chemical stripper for small intricate places - before you restain your dresser you need to pre-condition it. Pine is a soft wood and can absorb stain at different rates across the surface (giving you a splotchy appearance). Pre-conditioning the wood before you stain will prevent this from happening and leave you with an even stain finish. Depending on what kind on stain you purchase will also depend on what kind of pre-conditioner you buy - there is one for oil based stains and one for water based stains. Easy to apply - just brush on and then stain (usually within an hour - but follow the instruction on the kind of pre-stain you purchase).
Hope this has helped
I would advise sanding with an electrical sander until the unit is white again. the other methods are messy and laborious. For any intricate parts you could use some stripper or get to them by hand with the sandpaper.
When staining, you can use a good sponge to wipe it on or a good brush. Be very careful not to overload the brush and do the whole unit in one or you will get overlap lines. Really work the stain in to avoid the overlap lines and especially to avoid drips.
not really sure but I saw something at lowe's - brb --
http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=ho...
I would sand it really well so most of the stain is gone, then use a wood conditioner, this will reactivate the left over stain and blend it with the new, also, the conditioner will help keep your wood from turning blotchy, especially if it's a dark stain. Pine can sometimes be a little tricky. good luck
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