How to Stain Redwood With Oil

Pour the stain and finish stripper into an empty coffee can. Use a paint brush to thickly coat the redwood with finish stripper. Do not brush in a back and forth motion. Follow manufacturer recommendations to know how long to leave the product on. Observe the wood finish for signs of dissolving and wrinkling. Use your scraper to scrape off the finish. More stripper may be added during the scraping process for areas of dry wood as needed. Sprinkle a few drops of water on your stripped wood surface. If the water is not quickly absorbed, then you will need to apply another coat of stain and finish stripper.

Dilute your wood preparation or wood cleaner with water according to manufacturer recommendations. Prepare the mixture in your bucket. Wood preparation will remove mold, mildew and fungal stains. Apply the mixture to the surface of your redwood. Scrub the surface with a hard bristle brush. Rinse thoroughly with water. Wipe off excess dirt with a clean cloth. Allow the wood to air dry.

Create a water-tight bonding seal between the redwood and the oil-based finish. Use a paint brush to apply non-water-soluble primer to the cleaned up wood. Wait for the primer to dry. Read the manufacturer product uses to find out the expected primer drying time.

Apply the oil-based stain to the redwood with a paintbrush. Saturate all exposed wood surfaces until you see a wet sheen. Allow the stain to dry. Wait at least four hours. Re-apply the stain.