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So you have a set of chairs, they are the right size, they are comfortable, they fit your space well, BUT they are the WRONG color… What’s a girl to do??

Tone them! 

What?!  Yep, it’s called wood toning – it’s not re-staining.  In fact it’s not stripping, sanding to raw wood, or using smelly oil based products at all.  Want me to show you how?

This post contains affiliate links to help you find the products I use and recommend.  I get paid a small commission when you use these links but it costs you no extra.  To see my full disclosure policy, click here.  

Restoring Wood Furniture without Stripping…

Step 1. Scuff sand the existing finish.  I scuff sand by hand using 220 grit sandpaper.  I use circular motions to scratch up the existing finish to give the new finish something to “stick” to.  

Step 2. Clean the piece with a 50/50 mix of Denatured Alcohol and water.  You never ever want to use this cleaner on a finished piece, it will break down the finish – which is what we want it to do here – and clean it without leaving any residue.  I mix this in a spray bottle, spray it down and clean it off with paper towels.  

Step 3. Here’s a new trick I learned, and it worked so well!  Make a mixture of General Finishes Water Based Wood Stain (in any color you desire) and mix it with about 10% High Performance Topcoat.  This will create almost a “glaze”.  It will allow you to re-color the wood without a streaky finish.  I applied this with my favorite Purdy brush, and it went on beautifully. 

Step 4. To achieve the color I wanted, it took two coats of my “glaze”. So I just let the first coat dry and then applied the second coat the same way.  

Here’s the difference – isn’t that fun??

Step 5. When I was happy with the color of the stain, and after they were all dry, I started top coating.  These chairs took 3 coats of High Performance Top Coat in satin finish.  I applied the topcoat with a clean Purdy brush, and just did one coat at a time, watching for drips as I went.  DO NOT sand between coats!!

Chairs are a lot of work – and applying 5 coats of product to each chair was time consuming.  However I’d do that any day over stripping and sanding the existing finish!! 

And do you know what makes it all worth it…. seeing it all put together in my client’s home!! Isn’t this set gorgeous! 

Give this technique a try, it’s a time saver like no other!!

Here’s the same technique on a mirror – a quick way to update something I love the shape of, but not the color! 

Until next time, 

Jenni