Bye Bye Orange-toned Wood!

Steps to Transform Dated Orange Oak or Pine 

Orangey oak, I've had enough of you!

Before!

1. Determine if your furniture or cabinets that you’re wanting to update, are solid wood or veneer. If it’s veneer, I’m not sure these are the right steps to take as I haven’t worked on anything but solid wood. 

Here's a reel that shows the process.

2. I used Citrus Strip. And heavy gloves. You paint it on liberally with a cheap chip brush, and put plastic over the top. I used a plastic drop cloth. You let it sit and do its work for 3ish hours. Then take a scraper and scrape off the varnish/polyurethane. **I’ve also seen reels of people using Acetone like this and it seems to work really well for removing a top coat and stain, BUT make sure to read all the directions. It has fumes and is flammable, so proceed with caution. 

   

3. Clean off all the Citrus Strip after scraping, with steel wool dipped in Mineral Spirits. 

4. This is very important - if you have veneer, proceed with caution on the sanding. Mine was solid wood so here was my process. 

   1. Start with 60 or 80 grit sandpaper. That will get the stain off. 

   2. I graduated then to 120 grit.

   3. Then 180

   4. Then 220

   5. When it’s fully smooth, wipe it with a dry microfiber cloth, then with a wet microfiber. 

5. In a disposable container, mix about 1 Tablespoon of Fusion Mineral Paint Wood Wick, with ½ cup of water. Stir and brush or wipe one. Watch my reel again. It’s a thin mixture, but you’re brushing it on where it’s sort of standing on the surface. Then you use paper towels or Shop Towels in a box, like this. To wipe it off. I repeated this to get the depth of color I wanted. 

6. 

   I bought this at a local flea market, but it's also available at Amazon.

6. Once it’s the color you like, sand with 320 or 400 grit sandpaper. 

   
   

7. With a small foam roller, or sprayer if you have one, apply water based polyurethane in the finish you like. I used Satin finish Varathane.

8. Allow that to dry, which depends on temperature and humidity, but I waited a couple hours, and sanded with the 320 or 400 sandpaper, then coated again and again, sanding between each coat. I applied five coats because it’s the table we use a LOT. 

9. Now step back and admire your hard work!! 😀

10. 

    After!

    

    An updated classic!