How to Refinish Knotty Pine With Stain

Lay down dropcloths in the area where you plan to work. Refinish furniture in a well-ventilated area such as a garage or workshop as opposed to refinishing the item in your home to cut down on fumes, dust and mess.

Move the furniture to the dropcloth. If you plan to refinish paneling or a piece of pine furniture that is unmovable, cover the area with dropcloths and open as many windows as possible.

Remove all hardware and break down the furniture in as many pieces as possible to make the refinishing process easier. Set aside any hardware.

Put on goggles, gloves and a mask and wear a long-sleeve shirt and long pants to protect your skin from the chemical stripper.

Apply the stripper to the pine according to manufacturer directions. As the stripper does its work, the finish on the pine begins to bubble and soften.

Use a putty knife to remove the finish from the pine. Reapply the stripper if the finish remains in any areas.

Wipe down the pine with mineral spirits on a clean rag to remove any remaining stripper from the pine.

Fit an orbital sander with 60-grit sandpaper. Sand the pine piece in long, even strokes working with the grain of the pine. Wrap 60-grit sandpaper around a sanding block for areas that the orbital sander cannot reach.

Remove the 60-grit sandpaper, replace with 80-grit sandpaper, and repeat the sanding. Increase the grit to 120 and continue sanding. Finish the sanding with 160-grit sandpaper. This gradual sanding is an essential step to properly smooth out the wood and remove sanding marks made by the rough-grit sandpaper.

Wipe away sawdust with a tack cloth and vacuum the pine with a brush attachment to remove stray pieces of grit and dust. Vacuum accumulated sawdust from the surrounding area to prevent airborne dust from attaching to the furniture as it dries after staining and varnishing.

Wipe down the pine with a pre-stain wood conditioner with a clean rag, working with the grain. This step seals some of the grain as it helps the pine to absorb the stain evenly. It also prevents bleeding from the edges of the knots. Follow the directions on the wood conditioner to determine how long the conditioner needs to cure before you begin staining.

Apply stain to the pine using another clean rag. Employ long, even strokes working in the direction of the grain. Work from end to end when staining, keeping a wet edge; avoid stopping in mid stroke. After 30 seconds, use a clean rag to wipe up excess stain. Let the first coat of stain dry according to manufacturer's directions. After the stain dries, decide if you want a second coat to create a richer color.

Sand the pine with 160-grit sandpaper to even out the stain. Apply a second coat after wiping away the dust with a tack cloth. Wait for the second coat to dry before sanding smooth again.

Apply a coat of non-yellowing polyurethane with a quality paintbrush working in long, even strokes with the grain. Allow the first coat of polyurethane to dry before sanding lightly with 160-grit sandpaper. Wipe away dust and apply a second coat of polyurethane. Check the polyurethane directions for the curing time, as most manufacturers suggest waiting 48 hours before reattaching hardware and putting the piece back together.

Reassemble the piece and attach hardware before moving the furniture back into your home.