Wood stain may seem like a simple enough product to use. You put it on, let it set, and then wipe it off. There is a whole lore more to the process than meets the eye though, and you have to be careful when dealing with stain because it is permanent. You can save a great deal of money by staining furniture yourself, but only if you do a god job from the beginning. Otherwise you may end up having to scrap the project entirely. Before that becomes your fate, consider some of the beneficial staining tips below.

It is always a good idea to test the wood stain out on a piece of wood before you put it on your furniture. You can get scrap wood from any home improvement store in your area. Just make sure that the wood you test is similar in colour and texture to the wood you want to stain. Otherwise your results will not be the same. Test out different colours or different durations of staining on the wood until you get a look that you feel comfortable with. Then you will just have to mimic it on the furniture.

If the wood already has stain or sealer on it, you may want to sand the surface so the new stain has something to adhere to. Unfinished wood does not need to be sanded down, but you can put a coat of wood conditioner on it to make the stain stick better. Let it set for 15 minutes before you proceed with the project. You can either use a rag or a brush to apply the wood stain, depending on what you like best. Apply a liberal, even coat to the whole piece, and then wipe it down based on the colour you want it to be. Longer times will yield darker stains.

When you wipe off your wood stain, move in the direction of the wood grain. This does not matter for the applications, but it can change the evenness of the staining when it comes time to wipe it down. You will be able to see a much better emphasis on the wood grain this way, giving it a natural look rather than a painted on look. Finish everything off with a coat of polyurethane to bring a polish to the piece, and then you should be all set. You'll be staining all of the wood in your home before you now it.