Three Easy Ways Of Bleaching Wood
If in case you want to stain a dark piece of furniture in order to lighten the wood, then bleaching is one of the important steps to perform. Bleaching is also considered as the best option when it comes to refinishing the wood that is mostly stained by watermarks, or if in case the color has become spotty and uneven in certain places. There are two methods of bleaching the wood, i.e, bleach wood with a two-part bleach solution or oxalic acid.
Way 1: Preparing The Surface
- Clean Wood Rigorously: If your wood is looking dirty, make sure not to apply bleach. Before starting the bleaching process on your wood, cleanse the wood with water using a soft rag. Get rid of any fixed dirt or debris with care and then allow the wood to dry wholly, which mostly, takes nearly one to two days before it can be bleached.
- Wear Protective Equipment: Bleach is very dangerous if it gets in contact with your skin or eyes, so it is always a good idea to wear protective goggles & thick gloves. Also, use old clothing as bleach can also stain your clothes.
- Place The Wood In A Well-ventilated Area: Make sure that the working area is well-ventilated when it comes to the bleaching process in order to stop dizziness or lightheadedness. Since the chemicals in bleach are very much harmful, so avoid making any contact with your household items.
- Apply Varnish Or Stain Remover: Varnish or stain remover are the best options to eliminate any paint or finish from the wood. Start applying Varnish or stain remover with a clean slate when bleaching wood. Varnish or stain remover are mostly applied with a soft rag, leave it for a few minutes, and then cleanse off with water.
Way 2: Bleaching With A Two-Part Chemical System
- Lighten Wood: If in case you only want to lighten your already present wood, then, in that case, a two-part chemical solution is the best option to do the job. It is not much hostile approach that aims to modify the look of the wood without making any big changes to it.
- Mix Your Bleaches Together: Simply combine similar parts of the two bleaches in a glass or plastic bucket. Remember not to use metal, due to the reason that bleach can damage the metal. You need to go through the package directions with care as some of the solutions may be used one at a time instead of mixing them together.
- Apply The Bleach Evenly To The Wood: Soak a clean sponge in your solution in order to wet through it with the bleach mixture. Make sure to use slow as well as steady motions & then spread the bleach along with the wood in straight lines. Continue the process unless & until the wood is covered in bleach.
- Neutralize The Bleach With A 50/50 White Vinegar And Water Solution: Now, blend a solution of half white vinegar and half water. Take a clean sponge and then start applying it to the wood, in the same manner, you applied the bleach to neutralize the bleach.
- Rinse The Wood With Water: Next, with the help of a clean sponge saturated in clean water, clean the wood in order to eliminate all traces of bleach and vinegar from the wood.
- Let The Wood Dry: Allow the wood to dry completely but the drying time may be different for different types of wood, so you need to follow the instructions on the bleach kit for drying times.
- Sand The Wood: Now, start the sanding process with the help of a 320 and 400 grit sandpaper. As soon as the wood is dry, smoothly rub the sandpaper along the wood. This will make any rough patches smooth and eliminate any fuzzy grains.
- Neutralize Your Wood Again: Now, perform the neutralizing process again. Make a 50/50 combination of white vinegar and water before applying it to the wood. As soon as you are done, cleanse it off with water.
- Apply Your Finish: It is very important to apply the finish so that the surface of the wood will be protected and also will enhance its appearance. You can apply a finish after the wood is fully dry. Make sure to wear protective pieces of equipment like goggles and gloves while working with the finish
Way 3: Bleaching With Oxalic Acid
- Rust Stains And Weather Damage: If in case you just want to change the color of the wood, Oxalic acid should not be used. Instead it is best used if in case you have some major damage, like rust stains and weather damage, that you want to bleach out.
- Mix Your Oxalic Acid: In order to mix the oxalic acid, go through the package directions which will give you specific guidelines of mixing the oxalic acid. Generally, you liquefy 12 to 16 ounces(355 to 473 mL) of acid in 1 gallon (3.8 L) of hot water. Make sure to use glass container instead of metal or plastic in order to mix the oxalic acid.
- Wipe The Wood With The Oxalic Acid Solution: With the help of a sponge start applying the coats of the acid to the wood. Apply plentiful amounts of oxalic acid to the wood in order to make sure it bleaches properly. The number of coats will differ which totally depends on how moist you got your sponge. Keep Applying the coats until your wood is totally saturated with bleach.
- Let The Acid Dry On The Surface: When you are working with oxalic acid, you don't have any desired drying time. Allow the acid to be placed on the wood while checking the wood regularly. As soon as it reaches your desired color, you can cleanse the acid.
- Rinse The Acid With Clean Water: Now apply cleaning water with the help of a sponge or rag. Continue applying water until the water runs clear and all of the acids is fully washed off.
- Neutralize Oxalic Acid With Baking Soda: Liquefy 2 tablespoons(30 mL) of baking soda in 1 quart (946 mL) of hot water. Apply the combination of baking soda and water over the wood in order to neutralize the acid. Do it two or three times, before rinsing off the mixture with clean water. Allow the wood to dry for the whole night.
- Sand The Wood: Now, perform sanding with the help of 220 & 180 grit sandpaper, after the wood completely dies. Smoothly brush down the wood to soften out any fuzzy, rough patches.
- Apply A Finish: Finally, apply the finish as a good quality finish can make the appearance of the wood exceptional as well as prevents it from future damage. After applying the finish, allow it to dry before using the wood again.