After you strip the finish from a table (or other piece of furniture), sand it smooth, and clean it with mineral spirits or a paint-removal wash (figure A). Mineral spirits will remove dirt, grease and fingerprints and will help reveal imperfections in the wood. Don't place metal on the wood as you clean it: it could react with the chemicals in the wood and cause discoloration.
When the mineral spirits dries, begin staining the furniture. Use fine-grade steel wool to brush the stain into the wood (figure B). Brush the stain in a zigzag pattern to prevent marks that show where you started and stopped applying the stain (figure C).
Buff the stain from the wood within a minute or two after applying it so that the stain soaks in evenly. You may want to have a helper follow you with a buffing rag as you apply the stain. If you're staining table legs, wipe off the stain immediately after you apply it: legs can absorb stain very quickly.
Allow the stain to dry for 24 hours before applying a finish. You may choose from a variety of different finishes, including polyurethane and tung oil. Rub the finish with the grain of the wood (figure D), and allow it to dry properly between coats.
| 
)
)
)
)
