How can I go about removing a dark wood stain in preparation for restaining the wood a lighter color?

Answer by  Amber40 (24961)

Start by stripping the wood to make sure all the old sealant is gone. Then apply some wood bleach to the wood according to the directions. Several applications may be necessary to get a light enough color. Then simply re-stain it.

Answer by  kennethjgoodson (4903)

The best thing to do is to sand the wood. You should be able to stain it lighter color because most of the dark will be gone.

Answer by  doglover21 (60)

The best way to remove a dark stain on wood is by sanding it. Depending on what you are sanding and staining, you can use a piece of sandpaper, an electric hand sander, or even a sanding machine for wood floors. Make sure to use even pressure so the wood isn't uneven when you re-stain it.

Answer by  ladybud (1069)

Multiple way's.One way is sanding with a hand fit sander glove.Their is also product's that strip the wood clean with chemical's.If it's real old wood you could have it sand blasted.Sanding it start with course grain and end with smooth grain sand paper then buff for smooth surface.

Answer by  Latin4 (11170)

You can use stain remover and then bleach the wood out and apply stain. I would try this on a smaple piece. Depending on how old the wood is you might run into 100yr old wood that had a mahogany wash which is harder to remove because it runs.