How to Darken Finished Stained Furniture

Break the furniture down to as many pieces as possible. For example, if you are refinishing a desk, remove any drawers, doors, legs and hardware. This will make refinishing the piece simpler and more efficient by allowing you to work on a piece at a time. This will also give you full coverage of the new stain.

Strip the old finish from the wood by sanding with a piece of 80-to-100-grit sandpaper. You can do this by hand or use a handheld belt sander. A sanding block or sanding sponge should be used for hard-to-reach spots. Sand until the wood is bare.

Wipe the dust from the wood with a damp cloth. Sand the surface again with a piece of 180-to-220-grit sandpaper until the wood is perfectly smooth and even. Clean off the dust with a damp cloth.

Apply the darker stain with a paintbrush, cloth or paint sprayer. Use whichever tool you are familiar and comfortable with. Wipe the wood with a clean cloth when you are done staining it. Keep wiping until the wood feels dry and no more stain comes off on the cloth.

Apply additional coats of stain if desired. Allow each new coat to dry completely before applying the next one.

Stir the polyurethane very carefully until it is well-mixed. Do not shake the can to mix the polyurethane -- this causes bubbles, which can become trapped in the finish. Pour a small amount of polyurethane directly onto the wood. Keep the container close to the wood when pouring.

Spread the polyurethane with a foam or lamb's wool applicator. Avoid using a paintbrush when applying polyurethane because you may end up with brush marks in the finish. Use full, even strokes and overlap each one by about one-half inch. Spread the polyurethane as thinly as possible.

Allow the polyurethane to dry overnight. Most polyurethane manufacturers instruct you to wait about 8 to 10 hours, though this may vary. Check the label for details. Sand the dry polyurethane lightly with a piece of 400-grit sandpaper. Do this by hand.

Wipe the wood with a damp cloth to remove the dust. Apply two to four more coats of polyurethane using the same process. Reassemble the piece of furniture once the final coat of polyurethane is completely dry.