How Do You Spot Stain Wood

Using a cotton swab or a small folded piece of cloth, apply a matching stain to the sanded area and wipe it off immediately with a dry cloth. Allow the stain to dry and check the color. If it’s too light, apply more stain and wipe it off again. If it’s too dark, sand the area lightly with 180-grit sandpaper.

How do I match stains on wood?

Just bring in a sample piece to be matched. Keep in mind that stain can look different on different pieces of wood. So if you’re doing trim, for example, don’t just bring in the piece that’s easiest to remove; choose a sample piece that has the color and tone you want.

How do you fix a blotchy stain?

If the surface is very blotchy, you’ll have to remove the stain by stripping, sanding, or both, and start over. This time, apply a washcoat of shellac and then the stain. If the blotching isn’t too severe, try using a glaze to soften the contrast between the deeply colored and lighter areas.