I want to refinish my table a dark dark brown, almost black. What's better for this look paint or stain?

Question

I have two end tables that I recently purchased second hand. I'm not sure of the type of wood they are but they are currently stained a somewhat dark brown. I would like them to be a very dark brown almost black. I sanded one of the tables and tried using a product that's a stain and polyurethane in one. The finish came out horrible though. I used a stain sponge and it left lint in the finish. Also the color just isn't right. It's not dark enough. So now I'm thinking maybe a paint would be better. I just want the dark brown color to be consistent throughout. Any suggestions on what would be better for the type of look I want? Stain or paint and what type should I use?

Answer 1

that dark ebony stain is beautiful and is easy to use in a refinishing project. because it is so dark you don't have to sand all the way back to the wood. unfortunately you can't get an "almost black" in a paint. stain it with a dark ebony stain...(not oil based). you can apply with a rag but you have to work fast with long strokes going with the grain. when you get the color acheived...bear in mind the color will look lighter when the stain is dry, but that dark color will come back up when you apply sealer which is the next step. so many ppl on here don't talk about the importance of sealer but trust me you will need to seal it if you want a nice smooth glossy finish. after the sealer is dry lightly sand and watch the corners, don't sand too hard as to cut the finish through. seal it a couple of times and sand lightly. wipe all the dust off good and lacquer or polyurethane for the top coat.
for the best results i would use a spray gun for each step, but it can be done by hand.

Answer 2

You want stain if you want the wood grain to show through and paint if you do not. Personally, unless you are going for black, and if the wood has any sort of nice grain to it, I would prefer a really dark stain. If the wood is unattractive, however, or you don't like the look of wood grain, then go with a paint.

Answer 3

If you are planning to start on your woodworking project, this isn't something you should use, it's something that you would be insane not to. Go here https://tr.im/NtMWN
Truth is, I've been a carpenter for almost 36 years, and I haven't found anything like this for less than 10's of thousands of dollars.

Answer 4

paint them black then use a clear finish if you want them really shiny and to protect the surface

Answer 5

use ebony stain and apply it twice ,then coat with polyurathane