How to remove oil-based stains from wood?

If you want to stain wood with a light shade, or even paint it with a completely different shade, you may have to know how to get rid of stains made of oil from the wood. In terms of restoration, taking the stain off of the wood gives you the opportunity for you to begin the process.

In reality, you will not be able to achieve the results you want in mind until you make sure that the previous stain has been removed first.

Removing Oil-based Staining from Wood

While there are many solvents or chemical stain strippers that you can utilize to get rid of the staining oil from wood, the following are the most basic actions you'll need to take and the tools you'll require:

Set up the workspace.

You must ensure that you're in a well-ventilated space. Avoid strong winds and direct sunlight when you decide to work outside. If you work inside, you can lay down drop cloths to protect your flooring.

Take care of yourself.

Dress in old clothes, with sleeves and pants that are long with protective gloves, as well as safety glasses to ensure your safety.

Preparing the wood surface.

To prepare the surface of the wood for stain-stripping, wash all dirt and dust using soapy water. After that, apply a towel to dry it completely.

Use the stain removal agent for wood.

Read carefully the directions printed on the packaging of the citrus or chemical stripper that you can buy at your local hardware store or home improvement store. After that, apply the product in the manner specified. Most of the time, you'll put the solution in a container made of glass or metal and use a paintbrush to apply a thick coat of the stripper onto the wood's surface. Take note of applying equally. Apply the stripper in small sections that are about 1 square foot at a time when dealing with huge furniture pieces or wood flooring.

Let the stain stripper remain over the entire surface for around 15 minutes. Then, reapply when necessary to ensure that the surface isn't drying out at this time.

Take off the stain.

When the product used to strip the wood begins to cause the wood to expand or bubble and expand, it's a signal that it's time to get rid of it. Utilize a putty knife or scraper made of plastic to remove the residue of strippers and stain layer off the surface of the wood. If needed, you can employ the steel wool pad to scrub the areas in which the stain layer is not removed by scraping. Always follow your wood's grain when you are scrubbing or scraping.

Get rid of the staining particles.

Use a damp, clean cloth to clean any remaining dirt or stains on the surface. Let it sit for at least a day.

Sand the surface, if needed.

After you've completed this stage, you might find that you don't have to sand the area if the stain has gone. If, however, you still see the stain of oil visible on your surface then you'll need to sand all of it off. If you've given the area at least time to dry for at least 24 hours, it is now time to begin sanding using medium-grit sandpaper or a sanding block. You can make use of an orbital sander.

After sanding, clean dust along with any existing grit using a clean fabric and mineral spirits. The wood is now furniture or siding that is ready to receive an entirely new stain or color.