Q: My childhood dresser is beautiful but the wood stain looks faded. I’d love to update it with fresh paint and new hardware, but I’ve heard that you can’t get good results painting over stain. Is ...

Always raise the grain on raw wood before applying a water-based finish. Simply brush, sponge or spray on some distilled water and let it dry thoroughly (overnight is best). Then, resand with your ...

I sat down with John Reynolds, director of technical services at Solomon Colors to talk about the difference between acid- and water-based stains, common problems, and get some advice on applying ...