After using our home furniture for a long time, we need to renew them by applying different paint or stains. They come with beautiful wood color, but they decay and lose their original color tone.
We use different stains to renew them or get the lost color tone, mostly wood stains or natural stains. They help us bring back the natural wood color and decorate it with our existing furniture. You can decorate the furniture with the same stains.
Does stain dry darker or lighter?
The stain dries lighter over time. When you apply them to wood furniture, they will give you a dark color. Once it dries, it will be lighter. But you can turn the lighter stain into a darker one by reapplying the stains over the dried stains. When the stains dry, the double coats will be darker.
Table of Contents
Whatever stains you apply on your furniture or the wood surface will turn lighter. It’s the common nature of the stain. But you will get the dark color stains only if you reapply the stain over the dried surface.
So, it’s recommended to use the double coat over the wood furniture or the wood surface to get the dark color. If you love to get the right color stain, you need to apply the single coat. Let’s see if this role can be applied to deck and wood stains.
Deck stain:
The deck stain will lighten over time. It means the deck stain will dry lighter, not darker. It’s a regular usable stain that you can use on almost every surface, including wood furniture, surface, etc.
You can protect your deck from the sun’s rays and will give it a long-lasting effect on the wood surface. You must buy the high-quality deck stain on the deck to get the highest protection.
Wood stain:
The wood stain will also dry lighter, but you can turn it darker by applying the double coat on the wood.
The use of the wood stain remains a significant impact on the wood furniture. You can retain the natural wood color over the years or recover the faded color by using the wood stain.
Does stain dry darker?
Stain doesn’t get darker when it’s completely dry. The goal of the stain is only to modify the color of the wood; it serves no other function. However, as a stain cures, it will become lighter in color.
You should wait until the stain has dried completely before making any judgments. Remember that while paint often dries darker than it seems when it is wet, stains typically dry lighter than they appear when wet.
If the wood that has been stained with these stains is exposed to sunshine or fluorescent light for an extended time, the dye color will fade away, but the pigment color will remain. The result is that the dyed wood becomes a different color.
You may be tempted to add a second or third layer of wood stain to make the stain darker when the stain is initially applied since it appears much lighter than it would be once it has dried. Afterwards, when it finally dries, the color is darker than you had intended.
Does oil-based stain lighten as it dries?
Oil-based stain lightens as it dries. When a finish is applied, it goes to its original damp hue—as a result, looking at the stain while still damp is a quick and effective way to see what color you will obtain once the finish is applied.
It will have a slight dulling effect on the brightness of the color.
If you don’t like the effect of the oil stain, you can alter it to some extent with paint. You can eliminate the light effect and bring out the darker version of the oil-based stain. You need to reapply the stain over the first coat and get the darker stain.
How do I make my stain darker?
You can make your stain darker in the following manner even though it may take longer,
Sand your wood:
Sanding your wood with a coarser grit increases the grain of the surface, which allows for more stain to be absorbed.
The coarser grit provides a rough texture on the wood surface, translating into more space for the colorant to bind to the surface.
Use water to raise the grain of the wood:
You are aware that it is best not to pour water on unsealed wood because it tends to elevate the wood grain. In this particular instance, that is the consequence you desire.
As a result, before staining your piece of wood, wet it down with some water to get it wet.
Increase pigment in the stain:
While it is customary to dilute a wood stain with a compatible thinner, you can also use a pigment to boost the concentration of colorant in the solvent by mixing it with the thinner (vehicle).
Test the stain on a scrap piece of wood first:
If you don’t know how to measure, you’ll have to go with your gut. As a result, we recommend that you test the product on a small scrap of wood that closely resembles the item you plan to stain.
Wipe away any excess stains:
It is critical to wipe away extra stains to get a uniformly tinted wood finish. Avoid wiping too deeply into the wood surface, and instead, leave the wood surface a little moist with the wood stain.
What do I do if my stain is too dark?
If your stain is too dark, you need to make it lighter. But it will depend on various factors, and you need to follow a process of making the darker stain lighter. Here you go with the actual process.
Use Vinegar Mixture:
You must make a mixture of white vinegar and water and put it into your stain to make it lighter.
If your stain is too dark, vinegar would be your first choice. You have to make a vinegar mixture and water accordingly in a pot or container.
The ratio would be 1:2 or 2:1. If you want to get a significantly lighter color, you should go for the next one. More vinegar means lighter color. But you need to mix it properly.
Apply with Paintbrush:
When you make the mixture properly, you must apply it using a paintbrush.
You need to apply it slowly, let the vinegar soak the dark color, and get out the lighter version. Before that, you have to prepare the surface and apply the vinegar mixture.
Once the surface is ready, you can apply the vinegar mixture over the dried surface. You need to reapply it again if you need a lighter stain.
Dry Properly & Lighten:
After successfully applying the vinegar mixture, you have to dry it properly. It might take several hours or an entire day to dry properly, but once it dries, it will fade away the dark color and turn into a lighter stain.
If you get the desired lighter color, you don’t need to reapply the vinegar. But you must apply the vinegar if you don’t get the lighter stain.
How do you lighten dark stain before applying?
You can lighten the dark stain before applying it in three steps. Before starting the process, you have to know your existing dark stain and its type. If it is too dark, you have to go through all three steps. Otherwise, the first two would be more than enough.
Collect some Components:
If you have too dark a stain and want to make it lighter before applying, you must collect some components, including your regular stain and the wood stain. You will need them to mix up and then use along with the dark stain.
Mix Regular stain with Wood Stain:
You need to follow the proportion of 1:1 and mix the regular stain with the wood stain to get the lighter stain. It’s the core step you must follow before applying it to the wood surface.
Moreover, the regular and wood stains will alter each other and give you a lighter version of the stain. But the exact amount of the stains will depend on your desired color.
Add Natural Stain & test:
If you follow the first two tips but still get the dark stain, you need to apply the natural stain on it. The natural stain will make it lighter and give you the original raw wood color.
After adding the natural stain, you must test it on an extra surface to ensure the stain color.
Final Thoughts
Although the stain will dry lighter, you can make it darker by applying several coats over it. You need to use the first coat and wait until it dries properly. Then, apply the second coat over the first one; eventually, you will get a darker stain; it will not take much effort.