How to Darken the Color of Already Stained Furniture

Break the furniture down into as many components as possible. For example, you may be able to remove the base or legs from a table or remove the doors and drawers from a cabinet. If hardware is present, remove it and set it aside.

Apply a wood-stripping solvent, such as an alcohol-based thinner, to the wood. Denatured alcohol is effective for wood furniture that has been lacquered or shellacked. Pour the solvent onto a clean rag, and then blot the wood. Let the solvent soak for about 10 minutes or as directed by the manufacturer.

Peel away the old finish by scrubbing the wood with a scrub brush or paint scraper. You can also scour the wood with a fine-grade steel wool pad, such as 0000-grade. Keep scrubbing until the finish is completely gone. If necessary, add more solvent and allow it to soak into the wood before scrubbing again.

Clean the wood with a solution made of 1/4 cup trisodium phosphate to 1 gallon of water. Scrub off any remaining finish and residual solvent. Rinse the wood with clean water and allow it to dry completely.

Sand the wood with 100-grit sandpaper until the stain is completely gone. The solvents may remove some or all of the stain, particularly if the wood was stained with a polyurethane or varnish that was premixed with wood stain. If the wood was bare when you finished stripping the finish, you may skip this step.

Coat the wood with the darker stain. You may spray the stain on with a paint sprayer or apply it with a paintbrush or roller. Once you coat the surface with stain, wipe the wood with a clean, cotton cloth. This will absorb the excess stain, which will provide an even coat and cut down on drying time.

Coat the wood with a protective wood sealer, such as lacquer, polyurethane or varnish. Always use a foam or lamb's wool applicator when applying wood sealers. When using varnish or lacquer, thin the first application by mixing the sealer with an equal amount of varnish or lacquer thinner. This will ensure a hard, durable seal.

Allow the first coat of the wood sealer to dry. Scuff it with 400-grit sandpaper, then wipe the dust away with a damp cloth. Apply another coat of sealer and allow it to dry. If desired, add more coats of sealer -- two is generally enough, but you may apply five or more coats if the furniture will see heavy use.