Applying wood stain and a light varnish is a beautiful way to refinish furniture that enhances the original aesthetic of the wood. You can refresh one piece of furniture at a time to ameliorate signs of wear and tear. Or, you can refinish several pieces of furniture from different designers and manufacturers with the same wood stain in order to give your interior a more cohesive feel.

Choosing a wood stain

Professional interior designers have a range of opinions on how dramatically you should refinish furniture. Some designers believe that you should take a delicate touch to refinishing and preserve the years of wear on furniture, embracing blemishes as a part of the story of your home. Others believe that furniture should be completely restored from time to time, and that even centuries-old pieces should be brought back to “like-new” condition.

The lightest option is to only buy a varnish and to not use any stain at all. Even a clear varnish will slightly deepen the colouring of wood. If you would like to take your furniture two shades darker, then choose the palest shade of stain available. If you have furniture that is already stained to a dark colour, then you’ll want to match the stain on your furniture.

Applying a wood stain

Prior to applying the stain, you’ll need to sand to remove any dirt and loose particles. You’ll have to decide whether you want to lightly sand, even if that means keeping scratches and discoloration. Or, you may decide that you want to sand to “like-new” condition even though doing so may involve removing significant amounts of material.

If you’re applying a stain, you’ll most likely need to apply two coats. The traditional approach is to use a lint-free cloth to dab the stain into the wood. For the bar chair in the picture, I used a combination of a sponge and brush.

There are a lot of choices for varnish, including matte, satin, and gloss. For most materials you’ll want to use a satin varnish. High-gloss finishes are best suited for lacquer. I used a satin, water-based polyurethane varnish on the bar chair in the picture. (Varnish is also commonly called gloss or sealer.)

Your refinished furniture will reveal the original grain of the wood. In the picture, you can see that the bar chair became yellowed with age, clashing with the dusty blue velvet seat. The refinished bar chair has a subtle sheen and beauty, enhancing rather than clashing with the upholstery.

Learn how I reupholstered this chair with handsewn black velvet. (No messy glue or staples needed!)