How to Stain Wooden Tables

Decide upon the type of wood you are working with. This will determine the type of preparation you will need to put into it. If there are a lot of open grained areas, you must fill them. If your table is made with more than one kind of wood or is stained with dark rings or spots, bleach the less noticeable parts. The goal is to create an even-toned surface before you begin staining.

Begin sanding using a sanding block. Use long, even strokes, making sure you are moving along the grain, not across it. Start with a coarse sandpaper. A grade 30 will work for most surfaces. Gradually work up to finer grades of sandpaper to ensure a smooth surface. This process is the most time consuming step of your project and must be completed from start to finish if you want a beautiful table. Remember to change paper often.

Raise the grain. If you dampen wood, the cells of the grain will raise above the wood surface. You want to purposely garner this effect as the last step of your sanding. Dampen the wood with a moist cloth, and let it dry completely. After it has dried use a 150-grade sandpaper to smooth the entire surface.

Apply the stain with a clean brush. Make sure your surface is horizontal to prevent dripping. If this isn't possible, stain from the bottom up. Allow a pigmented oil stain to stand for about 15 minutes, then firmly remove any excess with a cloth that has had some stain applied to it. Wipe penetrating oil stains, if in a light color, immediately. Darker colors can stand for 20 minutes. Generously apply water based stains, being careful not to overlap or you will end up with dark streaks. Wipe immediately with your cloth. Allow all stains to completely dry for 24 hours.

Seal your stain to prevent bleeding. Use one part white shellac mixed with 4 parts denatured alcohol for a dependable sealant. Use a clean brush to apply the sealer with quick, long strokes moving evenly along the grain. Allow to dry for 3 hours. Sand the sealer with a fine-grit sandpaper; then lightly brush off the excess, and wipe with a dry cloth.