The fireplace mantle is a 6″x6″ pine beam resting atop two brick supports. It is stained medium “oak” color. We’re thinking of darkening it quite a bit, to almost a chocolate brown but so the grain still shows through. My thought is that the existing stain should be sanded off so that we have a certain starting point for the darker stain. Or is that an unnecessary step?
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I think it's an unneccesary step. Simply wipe on a darker stain,let it dry, re-applying until you've reached the desired color.
Works for me. Thanks.
Is there a finish on top of the stain?
I'm not exactly sure. There might be a thin coating, but it's hard to say.....there probably is and it's probably wishful thinking on my part that there isn't. It was in the house when we moved in. Is there an easy way to tell? I've never "refinished" before.
I thought you were only darkening a stain. If you have a finish on the stain, that is completely different- thanks Gretchen- and must be stripped.
I would take a shoplight to it at a low angle, see if there's a sheen, which usually indicates some kind of protective finish that needs removal before you can stain.
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