How to stain a dado wall and door frame?

Question

Hello everyone,

I'm excited to start my DIY project to transform my dado wall and door frames with a richer, darker color that complements my floor and furniture. I'm thinking along the lines of a "dark walnut" shade to achieve the desired aesthetic. Rather than opting for paint, which might hide the wood's unique texture , I'm leaning towards staining.

First off, the current wood finish has that glossy sheen, likely due to a thin varnish. My plan is to sand it down to eliminate the glossiness. Any suggestions for the right sander for the job? Would a random orbital sander be my best bet? I'm guessing the skirtings will need a hands-on approach.

Additionally, any recommendations for a good stain to achieve that coveted "dark walnut" look would be greatly appreciated.

I really appreciate any advice, insights, or pointers.

Thanks a ton in advance!

MitchellMc · Answer

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @Kanweera. It's wonderful to have you join us, and many thanks for your question about preparing timber for staining.

A random orbital sander would be the best tool for the job. You might find it difficult to get within the grooves, so a multi-function tool with a small sanding pad would also be useful. Alternatively, as with the skirting, hand sanding would also work.

We have walnut prooftint which would likely be in the right ballpark, but make sure to do a test in an inconspicuous area to check that the colour is right. You'd build up multi coats to get a darker walnut colour until you reach your desired look. It's better to do light coats than heavy as once you go too dark, you can't go back.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell