Furniture, Wood and Cabinetry Finishing - Removing green color wood stain
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04-13-01, 07:24 PM
I refinished a dresser a few years back with a green Varathane stain, I would like to refinish it in a more natural color, but am not sure if I can remove the stain that I put on at that time. If so do I remove it the same way I would a paint? Thanks for any help you can give me.
George
04-14-01, 06:05 PM
Kimm:
Strippers rarely (if ever) remove stain, unless the color is IN the finish as opposed to under it (in the wood).
2-part bleaches will lighten it to some extent, but probably won't remove it.
You say you're going for a more natural look - if that look is a medium brown, or brown with just a little red in it, you may not have to remove the stain. Stain OVER it with a color that has a lot more red than you want in the finished product. Red + Green = Brown. Depending on how much red you have in the new stain, you'll get a brown with a green tinge, a nearly true brown, or a brown with a reddish tinge.
Try this on a drawer front first, with paint thinner and steel wool handy - if you don't like the results when wet, clean it up and try again (after it dries completely)
Let me know how it turns out...
Strippers rarely (if ever) remove stain, unless the color is IN the finish as opposed to under it (in the wood).
2-part bleaches will lighten it to some extent, but probably won't remove it.
You say you're going for a more natural look - if that look is a medium brown, or brown with just a little red in it, you may not have to remove the stain. Stain OVER it with a color that has a lot more red than you want in the finished product. Red + Green = Brown. Depending on how much red you have in the new stain, you'll get a brown with a green tinge, a nearly true brown, or a brown with a reddish tinge.
Try this on a drawer front first, with paint thinner and steel wool handy - if you don't like the results when wet, clean it up and try again (after it dries completely)
Let me know how it turns out...