How To Change Wood Color From Dark To Light
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Wooden furniture pieces are wonderful home accents that can completely alter your space. If you want to make the color of the wood lighter, you have several options, but be careful because you may end up severely damaging your furniture.
Our team of woodworkers has created this step-by-step guide to help you change the wood’s color from dark to lighter.
How To Lighten The Color Of Wood With Bleaching
One of the most effective ways to lighten your furniture surfaces with a dark wood stain is by bleaching with a chemical stripper. To avoid inhaling harmful fumes or causing accidents, you should work in an area that is well ventilated.
Tools And Materials Youll Need
- Hand gloves
- Safety goggles
- Cloth/rag
- Paint brush
- Chemical wood finisher remover
- Plastic scraper/ plastic spatula
- Wood bleach
- Water
- Warm water faucet
- 180-grit sandpaper
Step 1: Gather All Your Tools And Cover The Floor
Make sure all materials are covered with a drop cloth. This will protect the floor from spillages and collect them. Protective gear and clothes are also recommended to prevent any chemicals from getting on your skin.
Step 2: Apply The Chemical Stripper
Use a dry cloth to remove dirt, heat stains and other debris from the bare wood. It is important to make the wood clean before treating it with chemicals. It is also important to remove the existing varnish that might be present on your furniture to get the best results.
Next, using a brush, dip into a chemical stripper and apply a coat on the wood surface you intend to lighten. Let the wood stripper dry on the surface for at most 20 minutes.
Use a putty or plastic scraper to remove the finish. Be sure to follow the wood grain. Once removed, pour some water to assess the resulting color of the wood.
Step 3: Mix The Wood Bleach Solution
Mix the bleach solution according to the instructions. This can be mixed in a plastic container.
Step 4: Apply The Wood Bleach To The Wood
Using a brush, spread a thin coat of the bleach solution on the surface of the furniture. Apply the bleach along the grain of the wood. It is important to apply the bleach evenly over the entire surface. Allow it to sit for around 30 minutes before it turns dark wood lighter.
Step #5: Neutralize Bleach With White Vinegar
To neutralize the bleach, mix equal amounts of white vinegar and water in a bucket. Dip a clean cloth in the mixture and wipe it on the wood surface with dark wood stain.
The white vinegar solution will stop the bleach from reacting and prevent the dark-stained wood from getting any lighter. Next, wipe the surface clean using a damp cloth or wet cloth. Allow the wood to dry overnight. If you don’t achieve the desired lightness after drying, you can repeat the bleaching process.
Step #6: Sand The Wood
Once you are satisfied with the light-colored result after the bleaching treatment, it is now time to sand the surface wood completely using a 180-grit sandpaper. This 180-grit sandpaper will help restore the smoothness and level the grain of the wood.
Continue to use the sandpaper until the wood is smooth to touch. To achieve the smoothest finish, sand along grain.
Step #7: Refinish The Surface
Now it is time to apply a furnish in order to protect your wooden furniture. To do this, look fora polyurethane finishfor your wood. Follow the grain of the wood grain and apply a thin coat to the wood.
Pull your brush over the surface again in long strokes to lessen uneven application and remove any bubbles. Do not shake the polyurethane can as this could cause air bubbles and compromise the finish. You can also use beeswax to finish wood if you prefer a natural look.
How To Lighten The Color Of Wood With Steel Wool
A ball of fine steel wool is another way to lighten wood. Our furniture experts highly recommend this as it is one of the simplest ways to change the wood color from dark to light.
You Will Need The Tools And Materials You Need
Gather all the necessary materials, including but not limited to:
- Fine steel wool
- Rags
- Warm water
- Mineral spirits
- Safety goggles
- Gloves for hands
Step 1: Rub The Wood With The Steel Wool
Use warm water to soak the fine steel wool and then wring it out. Then, lightly rub it on the surface of the wood.
While rubbing along the wood grain, keep the pressure at a constant level.
Step #2: Wipe The Wood With Mineral Spirits
Using a clean cloth or rag, soak in mineral spirit and rub on the surface of the wood. Continue to wipe along the grain to start lightening the wood pigment.
Make sure to change rags as soon as it becomes dirty.
Step #3: Rub Again With Steel Wool And Repeat Wiping With Mineral Spirits
Continue to rub the wood with the steel wool, then wipe it with a rag soaked in mineral spirits. Alternate between the two until you achieve your desired color.
Use a clean cloth to remove any trace of mineral spirits. The stain will appear slightly lighter.
How To Lighten The Color Of Wood By The Diluting Wood Stain
Gel stain is a clear medium that can be diluted with a standard stain. This will make the wood stain appear lighter and more thin. Hence, this is a viable method in making dark stained wood lighter.
This approach of diluting the gel stain with a darker wood stain before its application will help save you a lot of elbow grease.
Tools And Materials You Will Need
Plan and gather all the materials you will need which would include but not limited to the following:
- Natural wood stain
- Standard stain
- Brush
- Clean rags
- Hand gloves
- Protective face mask
Step #1: Gather Whats Needed And Set Up Accordingly
Gather all the needed materials and arrange them by following woodworking safety rules. You can choose your standard wood stain with the same base.
Pay attention to the colors of the stain. The stain thats clear colored can be used as thinners when mixed with other tinted options.
For a simple mixture, make sure to check the products you already have.
Step #2: Start Mixing The Stain And Natural Wood Stain Equally
Use equal amounts of the stain and natural stain in a sealed metal container, such as an empty paint container. Mix with a paint stirrer until it is completely combined to become a new stain.
Step 3: Check The Color On A Piece Of Wood
When making a dark stained wood lighter, do not immediately do it on the whole furniture. You can use some of the combined colors on a scrap piece of wood. This scrap wood should be the same color as the furniture you are going to stain.
Allow the piece of wood to sit overnight so you have an idea of how the furniture color will appear with this lighter stain on.
You can apply the stain to your furniture if you are satisfied with the result.
Step 4: Adjust The Mixture By Adding More Natural Stain
You can adjust the color of the wood if the result is not what you want. Add more of the natural stain one at a time,stain over the stainagain, and stir it with your stir stick until completely incorporated.
This process can be repeated until you achieve the desired stain color. You can then re-stain your furniture.
Tips And Tricks For Newbies
For beginners, our woodworkers recommend a mild treatment. To remove the wood stain, use a 120-grit sandpaper. Then, sand the area with the sandpaper. This will give your wood a lighter color than the darker stain.
How To Remove Dark Stains From Wood Cabinets
Dark wood staining on wood furniture can make it look unattractive. The best way to lighten dark wood stain from your wood cabinets is by bleaching it. Use a bleach solution that contains two steps to remove the stain. You may also use liquid laundry bleach to lighten stained wood cabinets.
FAQ
How do you change dark wood to white?
Bleach is required to turn dark wood into white. Bleaching is one of the most effective ways to remove the dark color and make it lighter but you have to do other processes after. After bleaching, you can continue to remove the color and then add a lighter one.
Conclusion
Our team hopes that these step-by-step guides have helped you change the appearance of your furniture pieces. A natural stain is a proven way to achieve a lighter and more natural wood color. To achieve the desired color and aesthetics in your home, you can combine a regular wood stain with an acrylic stain.
