How to Repair Wood Stain

Examine the area in need of repair. Remove and replace any damaged wood first. If you simply have a spot problem and the wood is completely intact, you'll need to bring the area back to bare wood or close to it. An empty spot surrounded by even stain is an indicator that wood glue or a clear solution has dried over the wood before stain was applied. It could also mean the area was simply missed in the initial staining.

Remove glue stains or other spots and stains with a solution designed for the task. One commonly used brand is Gunk. Use your sanding sponges and a rag with the solution in combination for best results. Wear your gloves and a thick, long-sleeved shirt to protect your skin. You can use these products to take off some of the stain around the spots you'd like to fix as well. You will have to blend any uneven spots with the areas that already look right.

Sand the repair area until it as close to bare wood as you can get it. If you need to do this for a wide area, it might be best to sand down everything that was stained and start over again. Spot staining can be difficult to match and might take several stages to perfect. Even if you are spot-staining, you will need to sand some excess areas around the trouble spot. Don't go so deep that the surface becomes indented, but also don't forget you need to get to the open pores of the wood for the new staining to work.

Wipe down all areas to be stained with the wet rag and wait for them to dry. Use the staining rag on the dried areas and rub the stain in with quick and repeated passes across the wood. Wait for this application to dry, then re-brush the entire board with stain. A third coat might be needed. If the wood still does not look right in the troubled area, use the brush to apply extra stain to the light spots in a dabbing motion. A final rag application should complete the process.