Can anyone tell me the best way to varnish/stain furniture?

Question

I have a pine wall unit, which I feel needs updated. I love the unit itself but the colour makes it look dated.

Answer 1

First, you want to sand it to bare wood.  This is a tedious process, but it will give you the best results.  Apply stain with a foam brush, allow to dry slightly, then wipe off.  Repeat to darken the color.  When you have the color you like, apply a coat of polyurethane.  Scuff the surface with 000 steel wool, then apply a second coat.  Repeat for a 3rd coat.  Make sure that if you use water based stain you use water based poly, or oil/oil.  Do NOT water based poly over oil stain or it will bubble.  Hope this helps.

Answer 2

Only my opinion Blue, but the best pine is (clear)waxed pine. Pine is a very soft wood.When it is lacquered or varnished, whenever it receives a knock or scratch the more it receives, the worse it looks, ...... tatty. Waxed pine can take the knocks/scratches/scrapes much better, and each mark adds to the character of the item, just re-wax. That's why old pine has a certain appeal, if it has always been waxed, not lacquered/varnished. If your item is a good quality, decent thickness, solid pine unit, I would have it dipped, when totally dry after dipping, rub over with fine grade wirewool leaving it natural pine, and wax. (Clear "Briwax" is easily obtainable)

Answer 3

If you want to stain it you need to go back to bare wood.  If you want to revarnish over current varnish, then a light rub down with a P180 or P120 grit will be fine, then two coats of a decent varnish (Blackfriars, Sikkens, International) (not Ronseal). I would not try to varnish a waxed unit as the varnish will not lay on it.

If it is currently glossed or you want to strip it back to bare wood, the simplest way is to get it dipped (caustic soda bath).  There are lots of companies doing dipping.  A door costs about £20 (last time I did it), they need it for a day normally.  Dipping can raise the grain a little and will destroy any rotten wood.  Make sure it has fully dried before varnishing.