Normally, gel stain is applied over surfaces when changing the shade of a piece of furniture. The technique requires a simple application of gel over the previously stained surface. But it’s not as easy as it sounds, as without the proper instructions and appliances, you can ruin your most favorite piece of furniture. The difficult task in this is mainly removing the old stain, and then applying the new one with basic painting skills.

 

Staining over stain will be easy with this guide, and remember, that staining will be more beautiful when you apply a dark stain over a lighter stain on raw wood. The best way to know if you want a light or dark stain is by testing the color on a small hidden areas of the piece of food. This is called color testing. Then, you can see whether it should be changed into a darker tone or lighter one.

Below is a guide on the correct way on using gel stain over previously stained surfaces:

 

Thins you will need:

 

  • Gel stain
  • Foam to brush
  • Clean cloth
  • Sandpaper

 

Instructions:

 

  1. Remove the existing topcoat of stain with sandpaper. You basically have to sand the wood surface to remove the old sealant. With its removal, your work will be simpler, and the new stain will be placed on neatly.

 

  1. With a foam brush, apply the gel stain generously. The shade of the stain should either be darker than the previous stain, or the same one. Going light would be very difficult. Heavy coats of the satin should be applied on the wooden surface. Apply the strokes in the same direction as the grain of the wood.

 

  1. Wait for the stain to settle and dry. This will be approximately 5 minutes.

 

  1. Now remove the excess stain from the surface with the help of a clean cotton cloth work in small sections on the surface so that you wipe off the excess stain in time before it has dried.

 

  1. If you want the stain to be darker, apply another coat over the surface once the previous has dried, and then again, wipe off the excess stain with the cloth as you did before.