What’s under this red paint… 👀 This one came to me in a very committed red phase. Aka peak ketchup energy. But this is exactly why I never pass up solid wood furniture. A lot of these “grandma hutches” get dumped and left to rot, and honestly it’s wild, because the bones there. This one sat in my garage for a year before I finally got the motivation to start 🫠 I debated cutting off that rounded trim, but decided to see it in raw wood first… and I’m glad I did. Once that paint started coming off, the grain completely changed everything! Here’s exactly how I finished it (save this 👇): 1: I slightly thinned my oil based stain with mineral spirits so it penetrated more evenly into the wood instead of sitting on top. Especially on maple, this helps prevent blotchiness and lets the grain come through instead of looking muddy. It also gives you more working time so you can wipe and blend without harsh lines. I didn’t use a pre-stain conditioner on this piece because on harder woods like maple, I’ve found it can actually interfere more than it helps. Instead of soaking in evenly, it can sit on the surface and reduce how rich the stain looks. Thinning the oil stain gives me more control over penetration and color build-up, so I can sneak up on the tone instead of forcing a uniform base. 2: I like using oil based stain over water based because it gives a richer, deeper tone and enhances the natural warmth of the wood. Water based can look a bit flat on pieces like this, while oil brings out that depth and movement in the grain. 3: After stain, I use a shellac grain sealer. This step locks in the color, evens out absorption, and creates a smooth base so your topcoat goes on more evenly. It also helps prevent that patchy look you can sometimes get in porous areas. 4: For my topcoat, I go with a satin oil based finish. Satin is my go to because it gives a soft, natural sheen. Not too shiny, not too flat. It lets the wood be the focus without looking plastic or overly glossy. 5: And the step most people skip, wet sanding between coats. This is what takes a piece from good to really refined. I use a fine grit sandpaper with water and lightly sand between coats to knock down any texture or dust nibs. It leaves you with that super smooth, almost silky finish 🤌🏼 Refinishing wood can be tricky, but these 5 steps are my go to for bringing the grain back to life! If you like seeing ugly furniture turd makeovers, follow along for more flips ✨ . . . #furnitureflip #refinishedfurniture #vintagefurniture #furnituremakeover #beforeandafter - @atouchofgrace.diy