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Remember my client’s house that I have been working on? The one with the blue trimmed windows? Well, I have been busy helping make it over step by step. This week I updated two pine tables the homeowner had. When I was assessing what to keep – these two tables made the cut. They are clean lined and classic. The natural pine finish just had to be changed to be updated to look more modern.
Before
Two pine tables with a clear polyurethane finish.
I knew I wanted them to be black, but I wasn’t too hip on painting them black. I wanted a sleeker look and knew I could achieve that with stain. Yes, stain. Not wood toned stain, but color stain. I particularly like Minwax PolyShades and have been using it for many years. What I like about it is:
1. It is thin and sort of sheer looking. It won’t look thick or heavy on your furniture the way paint sometimes does.
2. It is color and polyurethane applied in 1 step – which gives you a truly durable finish.
3. It can be applied right over any existing finish. I usually just take a piece of fine grit sandpaper over the surface quickly to roughen up the surface.
4. I love the results – smooth and factory finish-like!
The only thing I don’t like is the fact that it is oil based. Needs clean-up with paint thinner. I don’t let this bother me too much though, because the finish comes out perfect – it is worth having to clean up or just throw out a brush.
If you don’t want to clean up a brush, you can buy a high quality foam brush. I used one made by Wooster. It is a little more expensive, but you will get a nice even finish with it. I have also used this stain successfully with a Wooster bristle brush made specifically for staining.
1. Rub a piece of fine grit sandpaper over the surface of your piece. All it needs is a quick roughen up. Clean off debris with a tack cloth.
2.. Make sure you stir the stain well before applying. Dip tip of brush into can and start from the center of your piece out to the edges using long light strokes. You don’t want to apply it too heavily. 2 or 3 light coats are much better than a heavy coat. Continue staining until the piece is covered. Let dry.
2. Since these tables already had a finish on them, you may get this spotting. If that happens – don’t worry – you haven’t failed. Let it dry and go over with the fine grit sandpaper again. Clean the surface with a tack cloth to remove the sanding debris. Apply another light coat of stain. Let dry. It will be gone. Apply another light coat of PolyShades if needed, making sure to use long light strokes.
When staining or painting any piece of furniture black or a very dark color make sure you have a few good light sources directed on every side of the piece. This way you can see if you are covering the surface completely and catch any drips before they dry.
After
Modern black tables.
The long table is going in the dining room. I will show you the room when it is completed – this is just a sneak peek.
I love the way it looks against the white board and batten walls.
Before
Remember the blue trim on the living room windows and the 80′s country look?
During
It is GONE! The trim and walls have been painted, new wood blinds, furniture, and lamps added. The black stained side table and rug are the only elements that were existing.
The decorating transformation is almost complete – now it’s time to add the homeowner’s personality to the rooms. I will show you the “After” when it is completed.
To see more about this house and the before photos click here- A Client’s House: Makeover
{ 74 comments… read them below or add one }
Diane that is awesome. I’ve been considering using that for a project but wasn’t sure if it would really hold up over a finished surface. Do you go over the entire thing with clear poly after? And, if it is oil based, if your surface was finished with a water based product, will it adhere? (I guess it depends on how long that finish has cured…?) Great project and thanks for the information. I’m so excited now because I think my plan will work! Yeah!
Hi Sandra-
The PolyShades brand by Minwax has the polyurethane in it already. So no I don’t add a coat of poly after. The label says – Stain and Polyurethane in 1 Step. It goes on very smooth. If you have a water based finish you can lightly sand it, but you don’t have to go to the bare wood at all. It adheres beautifully.
It’s gorgeous! It’s gotten me thinking about a couple of projects also. I love everything you’ve shared on this blog. You have some wonderful ideas!
I first thought.. eek a black table – but it looks brilliant! Great job!
Can I do the same using a lighter stain, does it come in white?
What a big difference in that room Diane! The molding is just beautiful. The tables came out great! I never would have thought of stain for them; it’s amazing how you changed them from country to modern chic with a new color.
The tables look amazing. I cannot believe what a HUGE step these homeowners took! Their look was so country and now it is so contemporary! This one must have been a fun one. Huge change.
Thanks so much, Diane, for the really great instructions. I’ve never done this before, but I have a table that’s perfect for it!
What a great tutorial…I hope you don’t mind, I just had to “pin it” on Pinterest. I did not know that this type of stain existed…no stripping, ya gotta love that! TFS!
Diane, the tables look great! The room is looking awesome!!!
Debbie
Wow, what a total redo that is for her house. I did not know Minwax came in colors too. I guess I just never looked. I stained a brand new door for one of my boyfriends rental houses and it had three rows of window panes…. I did not know how to do this without getting that stain on the glass, so I put Vaseline on the windows. Was that a bad idea? Do you think that the painters tape would have been better/easier?
Also, I did not know to use the sponge brush. I used a piece of a cotton cloth to apply the stain and then wiped it off after a few minutes and then reapplied the stain and wiped again (dark wood stain). I found that my latex or vinyl gloves disintegrated on me.. what a mess. And my ex boy friend is really cheap, so to get a good brush was not an option, but the sponge I will use next time (if ever).
Now if I was rich, I would certainly buy some of those new doors Lowes carries that have the mini blinds enclosed in solid glass. I love those!!!
Thanks for the tip about the sponge brush. I make a lot of mistakes sometimes……..grin.
Sheryll & Critters.
Just beautiful. Sleek and sophisticated. I can’t wait to see the finished room.
I have a side table that’s blond wood and it has such a pretty wood grain top but my problem is blond wood is not my style :( It also have a clear finish already on it, so do you think if I stain it with the same stuff in Antique Walnut the wood grain will still show through following your steps? (great post btw!) Ty ahead of time, I’m new to DIY stuff :)
Hi Kelly-
I have only used the black which is opaque when applied. Not sure if the Antique Walnut is or not. It may change the color, but be a bit more transparent. If your piece has darker knots and grain swirls you may still see them. In the Lowes I go to, they have little sample swatches of all the colors on wood so you can see what the stain will look like. You can see the black totally hides the wood and grain. You can use the PolyStain over already finished pieces. The tables I did had a clear finish on them, too. Just go over the surface lightly with fine grit sandpaper first. If you are unsure on proceeding – maybe try it on the back of the table to see if you like it or not.
Thank you so much Diane for taking the time to respond :)
Gosh, I never thought about using a black stain. wonderful !
Have you used the Ann Sloan Chalk paint yet ?
I’ve sure been hearing good things about it….
Hi bj-
I haven’t tried Chalk paint yet, but do have two corner cabinets that I may tackle eventually. I have heard good things also. I like the fact that you can paint right over the existing finish.
Wow, what an improvement! Can’t wait to see the rest Diane.
Wow…..it looks better already! :)
xoxo laurie
That looks amazing! I never thought to stain something black, but you are totally right about it looking less heavy than regular paint!
Thank you for sharing this very helpful info! I’ve been wanting to refinish my kithcen table set for years! Now I may just have the courage to tackle it!
Kindest regards,
Jennifer
i love that you are not afraid of change. so many people live in the past and their homes really reflect that. it is important to keep things fresh!
Those tables look fabulous! I love painting furniture black but I’m going to have to try black stain – it looks great!
Kristen
http://mycoveredbridge.blogspot.com
Hi Kristen-
You will love the difference. The stain goes on so smooth and glass like when you use a good brush. I also like that it has the Poly in it to add durability.
Hi Diane – another great re-do! Question for you about the stain… Can you can still see the pine grain through the stain? I’m wondering how thick it is.
I have a golden oak finish cabinet that I would love if it something other than golden oak. (I would love it even more if it wasn’t oak at all.) I’d like to save the cabinet but need to do something to make it more aesthetically pleasing…
Help!
Hi Shawn-
No you cannot see any of the pine grain or color through the stain. It is totally opaque. It is thin which is why I prefer using it over paint. It create a more pro finish. Another reader asked if it came in white and it does, but I have never used it. I plan on trying it out soon.
If you want your cabinets dark then you could do this to them. It is thin so I would suggest you remove all the cabinet doors and lay them flat – less drips. I painted my oak cabinets white about 10 years ago using Glidden gripping primer and latex paint. They have held up beautifully. I just read in House Beaufiful magazine last night that Glidden has a new no drip paint. Might be worth looking into. You can see how I painted my cabinets in this post –
http://inmyownstyle.com/2010/01/diy-kitchen-makeover.html
I had so much country blue in my house in the 80′s and some of the 90′s that I think I ruined the color blue for my daughter. :)
I love the tables. Great idea.
Hi Teresa-
I think I did something similar to my daughters, but with floral fabric :)
Such a huge transformation and thank you, as always, for sharing such detailed tips on painting furniture.
They look great! I’ve been wanting to redo my kitchen table black but didn’t want the heavy look of paint either (done that already). Thanks for telling us about the polyshade! (stumbled this today btw) :)
I just discovered your site and I LOVE it! I am your newest Follower. You do so many great things! I will come back and look at all of your great projects on your sidebar. The black tables are great!
Best,
Gloria
Great tip! I think I know just the piece I could use this on. I need to cover some gold accents on a table I can’t bear to paint. thanks!
diane! great tips! I love the way the tables look! thanks for linking up!
catching you this week
gail
Hi Diane- I love you site. I check it out frequently and loved this post. I have one quick question. Can you use this type of stain over a painted surface? I have some chairs that are part stained pine and part painted white rails. Would this work on both surfaces or would I need to paint over the paint?
Hi Holly-
I know I answered your question via email that you can use the Stain/Poly over paint successfully, but I asked my friend who did it over a two toned painted green and stained oak dresser. She told me her hubby sanded the painted areas on the dresser a lot before she put the poly/stain on. So I would just do a test area where you have sanded the painted surface a bit. If after it dries and you can scratch it off – you may have to sand to roughen up the painted surface more. Every painted surface is different – latex, oil, flat, glossy, etc. Test first and then proceed.
Wow! We did it, thanks to your inspiration. My college-aged son now approves of his old This End Up furniture. And now my older son is planning to do the same with his pine furniture.
Hi Cheri-
That is so nice to hear. I remember when This End Up was “Cool”. I bet they look great stained black – timeless! Thanks for sharing your success.
I would LOVE to see the This End Up furniture! I’m trying to figure out what to do at our beach place with it. Black sounds cool…..driftwood is a possibility. Any input? Suggestions?
Diane,
Thank you so much for this post.! I just purchased a set of bookshelves that came out of an elementary school library. They have some sort of finish on them already, but I want them to be black. They also have a little bit of a funny smell to them. They are taken apart and are all flat surfaces. I like the new finish being thin enough not to interfere with re-assembling them. I had intended to paint them, but I worry that the painted surface will take a long time to really be safe for me to put my beloved books on. Sometimes painted surfaces stay “tacky” for a while. How long do you think this product would take after application to be ready for use? Thank you!
Tanya
Hi Tanya-
It dries to the touch in a few hours, but I would let it be for at least a day or two – just to make sure. If you live in a dry climate – less time. After that it should be fine. Just remember before staining to rough up the surface on all the pieces with sandpaper before applying the stain. If you are still uncertain, test a small area and see how long it takes to dry. You will be happy with the thinness of the stain once applied. I wish it came in lots of colors.
Can you distress the furniture after it is stained? Will is look like a piece that is painted then distressed? Or is the wood stained permanently? I love the idea of doing this. I was going to paint my kitchen table/chairs until I came across this site. Now I’m staining them.
Hi Sue – I haven’t done it myself, but I think it would distress beautifully. I would experiment by buying a small can of the stain and apply it on a scrap piece of wood to see.
I have two walnut dressers that are stained black–they are over 50 years old–and I was going to paint them black, but after seeing your results, I think I’ll restain them! I was worried that paint was going to be SO thick that the drawers wouldn’t close… now I’m excited to start the project!
Thanks!
Hi Chris – the black stain is perfect for furniture that you don’t want to add the thickness of paint. You will love the finish. Just remember to give the dressers a light going over with sandpaper before using the black stain, especially if the pieces have a poly finish on them and are shiny. I would love to see them when they are done.
It really looks great after painting… Perfect black is shinning in the sun.
I just bought a round table and 4 chairs. It is a very light shade of oak wood. It has already been stained a “blonde” color and sealed. I don’t like the color at all, so what can I do or buy to make it darker without actually buying like behr paint? It is a dining room table. I don’t want to strip the seal because I heard that is a lot of work and bad for your skin. I liked what you did to the black tables, but I don’t know if my table will work like that because it already has so much light stain and sealer on it. I just bought it yesterday from craigslist so I didn’t know it was going to be so light. Please let me know! Thanks! :)
Hi Lesley -
The tables I applied the stain had a sealer on them. It wasn’t super shiny, but they had a protective coat. You have to rough up the surface first so the stain has something to stick to. I used medium grit sandpaper over all the surface, then cleaned it with a tack cloth. If you still see any shiny areas – go over them again. Then you can apply the stain. Try it first on a hidden area of the table to see if you like it and it stays on. The only other option is to paint it. You would still need to sand it a bit first to remove or at least rough up the glossy surface. After sanding you should add 2 light coats of a gripping primer. Glidden makes one and so does Ben Moore. After that is dry, apply your paint. If you are going to paint it black, make sure to have the primer tinted to black to help get better coverage. If the primer goes on white – you will need more coats of black to cover it.
I hope this helps. Let me know how it turns out.
I’m so excited I found this. I recently decided I wanted to take an old bedroom suit and paint it black. It’s about 30 years old with a cherry finish that is coming off in places from being moved several times. Do you think this stain would work for that? Thanks!
Hi Erin-
I think it would work just fine. A friend of mine did it on her bedroom furniture and it worked great. Her furniture didn’t have a shiny surface, so she just cleaned the furniture, let it dry, and applied the stain. If your furniture has a shiny cherry finish you will have to sand it – to rough it up just a bit so the stain has something to hold onto. For the tables I did, I went over the shiny finish a few times with by hand with sandpaper.
Recently I was at a blog conference called Haven. Minwax had a booth set up. They have a product that I never used before, but want to try. It is called Minwax Express Color and comes in a tube. It is like a gel and won’t run or drip at all. I want to try it to see if it will be even better than the traditional stain. The piece will have to be sanded to rough up the surface still, but I think may go on really well to give the piece a more factory finish painted look, not a brushed on painted look.
I have a plant box (table tall) with four legs. It was built for me, and has been used on the porch where it has been fairly well protected, but, it has some stains from watering, and some of the wood has grayed. Is it all right to use this technique with the raw wood? I really need to get something on it to protect it. Thank you for your video. The finished products were amazing.
Diane, that looks so nice! I just bought a maple table from a yard sale and want to try to redo it myself, but to bombay mahogany color. I have no clue what i amd doing and its gonna be a project for me and a money saver,lol.. Anyway you can provide me with some helpful tips. Its currently a maple oak color with a gloss. Im not sure how far to sand it to, i bought sand paper of 120, due to 220 grit really didnt seem to do to much. I do have minwax 2 in 1, but really been hearing alot of bad reviews on it, so now i am skeptical about it, also i have a 2inch stain brush and hear not good things on a brush.. so i am so confused on what to use or how do it. Can you please help me out? Ty
I just bought an old library desk with dark walnut stain. I sanded it down. I have both the polyshade in classic black and a black paint. I am so confused as which one to use. I prefer a smoother non-grain look. Help! I love your blog by the way!
Hi Elisabetta – Try each one on the underside of the desk to experiment with both to see which one you like better. I think I would go with the black stain. It will give you a richer color and smoother finish.
Diane,
I stumbled on your blog and this is exactly what I am wanting to do to my entire bedroom set this weekend. I was going to paint but this sounds so much nicer and easier. Only question is you mentioned 2 or 3 light coats. Do you do them at once or let it dry and then recoat? If so how much drying time?
Also my furniture has a lot of routed grooves in it which would be very difficult to sand so I am considering using a product called “sander/deglosser instead of actually sanding. You wipe in on with a cloth.
Hi Jon -
Let each coat dry before applying the next coat. It will take an hour or two to dry depending on the weather conditions. I am not sure how the deglosser will effect the adhesion. Maybe try it on a small area first. It will probably be fine since it is meant to help adhesion, but since I didn’t use it, I am not sure.
Thanks Diane,
In my research I have found a lot of mixed reviews on the polyshades but I have found everyone that has used a chemical stripper has had great results. I will report back on how it goes.
This is perfect! I love the tips, and I love how they turned out! I found you via a Google search, and your post was just what I was looking for. I’m going to go “stalk” the rest of your website now… :) Thanks again!
Hi Diane-
First of all-beautiful job on the pine pieces! Well…I finally convinced my husband to let me paint our solid oak table and chairs black. I have to make sure we don’t live to regret this. Some suggest that oak is difficult to stain or paint because of its grooves and wood grain. Do you have experience with either painting or staining oak. I would like to get started ASAP. What do you think is the best method for transforming my light oak to black? I look forward to your response.
Thank you,
Elaine
The black stain looks great. Its just what i want to do to my hutch and kitchen table. Do you have any suggestions on making it looked destressed after it has been stained.
Hi Brittany – If you want to have a distressed look you may want to use Chalk paint. It distresses beautifully. I haven’t tried distressing the stain, but if you want to try – runs a piece of medium grit sandpaper along a few of the edges. To find out more about Chalk paint you can see my post – here -
http://inmyownstyle.com/2012/08/testing-1-2-3-versions-of-chalk-paint.html
I also have a few other posts showing pieces I painted and distressed.
http://inmyownstyle.com/2012/08/how-to-make-and-paint-with-diy-chalk-paint.html
http://inmyownstyle.com/2012/05/plain-to-preppy-stool-makeover.html
I found your website and I was so happy! I have been trying to find something to help me either restain or paint my nursery furniture. They are all a light oak color and I wont them a dark either walnut or expresso type color. Do you think the minwax is safe for a crib? would I just apply it the same way with all the rails? or am I dumb for thinking I can make it look different. Thanks so much! I am also thinking of doing my cabinets and I love your makeover!
I have a large kitchen table with 7 chairs. Some have the original stain on them and some have white paint that I recently applied, but do not want it to be white anymore. I would like to paint it black but am wondering if I can use the minwax stain such a big project?
Thank you,
Vickie
Ok, so I have a quick question. I found this post a little too late. We are currently in the process of painting the coffee, sofa, and two end tables (all oak…not much of a finish left because they are the tables that were in my childhood home) black. We have the sofa and one end table taken apart, sanded, primed with Kilz, and one coat of black(ish) paint on the tops. Turns out the guy mixing the paint put a little too much green in, and they have a green tint. What can I do to those table tops to get THIS kind of finsh on them, at this point. I would LOVE to do this much faster step for the other two tables, but I want all 4 to match, obviously. If you could email me with suggestions that would amazingly awesome, and I would be forever grateful! madilyng02@yahoo.com
Thank you SO much, in advance, for any information you can get me!
Hi Madison -
Black is very hard to get the blackest black finish. I am not sure you should stain over the paint right away since I assume the black paint is latex? The oil stain applied on top of a newly painted surface may make the finish crackle. Water and oil don’t mix kind of reaction. You may want to let the paint cure for a few days before testing the stain on top of it. I would test it in an inconspicuous place. If it goes on smooth and you like it after letting it dry – 24 hours -then you are good to go and can do the rest of the pieces to match.
If it doesn’t work, the best thing to do if you want everything to match is to go back to the paint store and tell them you want the blackest black formula. Keep having them add more black pigment. Put some on a piece of paper and let it dry. Take it out into natural light and then decide if it is black enough. If not – go back into the store and have them tweak it again. Once you like the color -re-coat the pieces that have the green tint and then use the good black on the rest of the pieces.
Be careful using the Minwax Stain & Poly in one. I recommend you doing some research about the product online (as there are a HOST of problems with this product). It looks like this product worked in this situation, but when I tried to replicate, it failed horribly. The complaints online are the same that I had — after four coats, still patches of shiny and dull, ultimately resulting in having to put a poly on top of all of it anyways. I have since started using General Finishes Gel Stain and their Gel Poly (which, by the way, I was able to apply in a bedroom instead of in the garage with the Minwax which definitely had a strong odor). Read the reviews on the GF line of products and you may end up changing your mind!
Hi Carla – It is always good to know of other products on the market. I have never used General Finishes but will try one the next time I use stain and or poly.
Beautiful! Did you use Black satin or black gloss Polyshades? Also, did you have an issue evenly applying the stain in the nooks and crannies?
Could you do this with Ikea furniture? It looks great! I have a long table that is sitting in the basement collecting dust. I would like to try this on that table.
Hi Melanie -
I used the stain on two different surfaces – polyed pine and over gloss white paint on chairs. It worked on both. On IKEA furniture if it is shiny melamine, I would use a fine to medium grit of sandpaper to rough up the surface first, then try the stain on a small section. Let it cure for a few days and then do a scratch test to see if you can remove it with a fingernail. If you can – then I would not use the stain, if you can’t scratch it off – then you are good to go. If you can scratch it off after letting it cure for a few days, I would suggest you use a gripping primer – Glidden sells one that I have used called, Gripper or a primer made especially for painting melamine. Once that is on you can paint the piece black. Use a roller and the best quality brush you can afford to get the best finish.
Diane, I was so pleased when I read your instructions for using Minwax Polyshades in black. I was planning to paint an unfinished pine chest but liked the sound of using the stain instead. I first used the Minwax prep for soft wood and then applied three coats of the Polyshade. I am very disappointed with the finish. It looks very streaky. I stirred the stain often while applying it, lightly sanded between coats, and used a new natural bristle brush that I bought especially for the project. Any suggestions about what I might have done wrong and what I should do to make it look better? I would appreciate any help you could give me.
Thanks, Carol
Hi Carol
Many factors could have contributed to the streakiness. Wood quality, a veneer with an uneven grain, to the the air temperature when applied. Since you said you stirred the stain well, and used the right brush – The only other thing that I know of that may have happened is the stain was applied with uneven pressure. Without seeing the piece, this is my first thought. The other thing that might have occurred is there may have been unevenness on the surface before you stained. To try to fix it, I would go over the entire stained surface with very fine sandpaper. Clean it off with water and a clean cloth, let it dry. Then add another coat of stain applied with long even strokes. Add another coat after it is dry if needed.
Thanks Diane, Your advice was very similar to that I got from the people at Minwax. Carol
I love your square ottoman. Where did you get it? I have been looking for that exact piece.
Hi Heather – It was for a client. We found it at a local furniture store: Raymour and Flanigan. They have a website where you might be able to find it. raymour and flanigan.com
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