I recently bought a light wood table that looks way brighter than it did in the store, and I want to darken it without a ton of hassle. I've heard that staining is an option, but that involves sanding and sealing, which I just can't manage right now. Plus, I'm on a tight budget and don't have a lot of spare time. I'm desperate for suggestions!
3 Answers
The best ways to darken wood are usually through staining or painting. If you're worried about the process, just take your time and use some rags to help. Stain is quite affordable, and a small can will cover a lot of area, so don’t stress too much! Just go slow, and you might surprise yourself with the end result.
If your table has some kind of waxy finish, you might want to consider either using a specific paint that works on those finishes or sanding it all the way down to bare wood before applying stain. However, if it's untreated wood, you're good to go! Just apply stain directly. But with those treatments on some picnic tables, it might complicate things a little.
If you're really set against actual staining due to the hassle, trying a dark varnish might work for you. But just a heads up, it’s not necessarily an easy or quick process. Another quick fix could be to use pre-mixed finishes with stain already in them, so you can skip a step.