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A few weeks ago, I showed you the fantastic makeover on this dresser. You can see the denim wash finish it got here. But what I didn’t tell you a whole lot about was the top and how it got a whole new look. Yes, those scratches will come out…

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It was time to update some of my original tutorials, and this was one of them. Since I filmed the original tutorial a couple of years ago, I fell in love with Water Based Wood Stain. There are several reasons explained in this post, but know you should definitely try it.

Furniture Restoration – how I sand, and re-stain wood with Water Based Wood Stain.

Here are the supplies you’ll need:

You can see the entire list here.

Pad sander (don’t try to do it by hand, it will take forever)

Stain Pads

80 Grit Sandpaper

120 Grit Sandpaper

220 Grit Sandpaper

400 Grit Sandpaper

Gloves

Stain – my favorite color is a 50/50 mix of General Finishes Walnut & Antique Oak Water Based Wood Stain

General Finishes High Performance Topcoat (in flat finish)

Purdy XL Cub

Step 1.

Sand the piece with the pad sander until the old finish is removed. If you are sanding veneer (a thin piece of wood on top of a solid piece) don’t use any lower than 120 grit sandpaper – or you could sand through the veneer. If you have a solid piece of wood, you may want to start with 80 grit to cut through the old finish faster.

Step 2.

If you used 80 grit sandpaper to get the finish removed, step down to 120 grit and give it a quick pass to smooth out the top. Do not go any higher than 150 grit sandpaper if you are going to use Water Based Wood Stain. If you do the stain will not penetrate the wood.

Step 3.

Clean the piece with a damp paper towel to get all the dust off.

Step 4.

Using a stain pad, foam brush or sponge apply General Finishes Water Based Wood Stain. Leave a wet edge as you work across the piece and apply an even layer (watching for streaks) as you go.

Step 5.

Water Based Wood Stain dries very quickly, so you do have to work fast. But when you are finished you only have to let it sit a few hours before you are ready for a topcoat. I applied General Finishes High Performance Topcoat in flat finish with a nice Purdy brush. Apply a generous amount and smooth it out with the brush. Once it’s on there DON’T OVER-BRUSH. Just leave it alone! It will self level.

Step 6.

Sand with 400 grit sand paper between coats of topcoat. I use a total of 3 layers of topcoat for a durable, even finish. This is how you get a consistent finish everytime!

Here’s the full tutorial video on how I did it:

Not too bad right? You can do this too! Grab your scratched up piece and go to town, give it a new look and a whole new lease on life.

Furniture restoration made easy!

See more full video tutorials on my YouTube channel!

What piece are you going to try this on??

Happy staining!

Jenni