Tea Staining Techniques for Cabinets

Tea Stain Colors

• The type of tea that you use will determine the color of the stain. For example, a dark tea, like black tea, will create the darkest stain, which adds a brown hue to the wood. In addition, a green or red tea will create a stain with a reddish hue. However, a tea stain will never be as dark as a traditional wood stain available in a home improvement store. Instead, a tea stain highlights the natural color of the wood.

Preparing the Cabinet

• To apply a tea stain to a cabinet, you must only use a cabinet with raw or unfinished wood. In other words, the cabinet cannot have paint or a stain already present on its surface. If the cabinet has residue, you can try sanding the cabinet to remove the paint or wood stain. However, to get the best result, you may need to tea stain the wood several times.

Making a Tea Stain

• To make the tea stain, boil about 1 qt. water, which will create enough stain for a standard size cabinet set. However, if you have a large area to stain, consider making a larger batch of tea stain. Then let 10 tea bags steep in the boiling water for at least three hours. Remove the bags from the water, and you are ready to apply the stain.

Applying Tea Stain

• Using a paintbrush, apply a layer of the tea stain to the wood, and wipe any excess tea from the wood using a dry, clean cloth. Let the cabinet dry overnight to achieve the best results. Place a towel or cloth along the floor surrounding the cabinet to catch any drips as the tea will also stain your floor and clothing. Some woodworkers recommend applying an iron acetate mixture to the wood after applying the tea stain to create a more dramatic look to the cabinet.