Changing Dark Wood Stained Siding To Lighter Color

Most likely you will need to use a solid color stain or paint.

Changing dark wood stained siding to lighter color.

Even if you simply want to change the tone of your color e g. Remove the polyurethane finish by sanding the wood using a power sander equipped with 50 grit. The most effective way to lighten the color of your stain is bleaching the wood with chemicals. Apply a small amount of stripper to the wood.

If you paint a dirty wall you are really painting the dirt not the wood. Lighten the dark wood stain by. Thoroughly clean the surface you want to paint. Now you can reapply the lighter stain that you prefer.

If you want a more mild espresso not as dark but still dark enough use it mixed half and half with another lighter color such as walnut or tudor. However if you wish to lighten the color it is not as simple as applying a light color of polyshades over it you will need to strip the existing finish first. Work from the center and allow the finish to fall. Once you ve removed the existing stain the dark color will likely be gone.

Steel wool and mineral spirits can lighten your wood stain by a small amount if you don t need to adjust the color much. Otherwise if you have stain in the can that s too dark you can dilute it to change the color before applying it. Scrape off the gelled finish with sharp flat sticks. However the entire project from start to finish is not too difficult for the average do it yourselfer preparing cabinets to stain.

For lightening the natural color of wood or evening out the variation in color between heartwood and sapwood use a two part bleach of sodium hydroxide and hydrogen peroxide available as a kit. Apply a varnish remover to the wood and rub it in with steel wool or a wire brush. Wear a protective respirator and gloves. Allow it to soften the finish for about 10 minutes or as directed by the manufacturer.

Make it more red or brown without darkening it polyshades can help. If not you can sand down the wood to remove the rest of the color. How to paint over dark stained wood. How to change dark wood stains to a light color.

They have variations in hue reddish brown etc so go with the one that best matches your finished desired look. I have had partial success by combinations of pressure washing and sanding but lots of work. Wipe away sawdust from the wood using tack cloths.