How do I stain a wooden bookshelf?

Question

Hello,

I am new to DIY / this forum, and would appreciate some advice on how to stain a bookshelf. I bought it via Gumtree (so I don't know what the existing stain is). The bookshelf is intended to stand vertically and as a result, one end and one side of the cubby holes haven't been finished in the same way as the other sides (see photos). This would be fine, except I want the bookshelf to stand horizontally.

I understand that matching a stain is very difficult so it seems like the best option would be to sand the entire bookshelf and then stain it all. I'd be grateful if anyone can confirm / refute whether this is the best option, and if so, offer any hints or tips for sanding (by hand or an electric sander?) and staining.

Thank you 😊

Lucy

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MitchellMc · Accepted Answer

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @lucy20. Many thanks for your question, I'd be happy to assist.

It's great to have you join us and fantastic to hear about your project. My recommendation would be for you to have a look at the range of Feast Watson Prooftint and select a colour you believe closely matches the stain used. From the colour guide below I would believe the brown japan to be a fairly close match. Try a test section in an inconspicuous location to see if the stains are similar and to your satisfaction.

If you are not able to find a suitable match then you will need to sand back the stain that is on the unit. A detail sander is a great tool for this job and will make short work of all the tight to reach spaces. When applying the new stain I would do it in several coats, that way you can build it up to the desired depth of colour and have more control of the finish.

Please let me know if you need further advice or had questions on the process.

Mitchell