How to Finish Wood With Water Damage

If you would like to finish wood damaged by water, your options are limited by the extent of the damage. Before you attempt to apply any type of finish, remove as much water damage as possible by sanding the wood. Employ the correct sanding techniques, or splintering will result. If you are able to remove all of the water damage, you can finish the wood with stain and varnish. If water damage remains despite your sanding efforts, your only real choice is to finish the wood with the appropriate paint.

Preparation

• 1

  Sand the damaged wood with a power sander, stocked with 120-grit sandpaper. Sand until you remove the water-damaged portion of the wood. Do not over-sand. Stop if the water damage proves too deep to remove.

• 2

  Stock the sander with a finer, 220-grit sandpaper. Sand the wood until it feels smooth.

• 3

  Wipe sawdust from the damaged wood, using tack cloths.

• 4

  Protect areas you do not want painted with painter's tape and drop cloths.

Staining

• 1

  Stain the wood only if you were able to sand off all of the water damage. Coat the damaged wood with oil-based stain, using a 2- to 3-inch oil paintbrush. Wait four hours for the stain to dry.

• 2

  Wash the brush with mineral spirits.

• 3

  Coat the wood with varnish, using the clean paintbrush. Wait four hours for the varnish to dry.

Painting

• 1

  Prime and paint the wood if you were unable to remove all of the water damage. Coat the damaged wood with latex primer, using a 2- to 3-inch latex paintbrush. Wait two hours for the primer to dry.

• 2

  Wash the brush with water.

• 3

  Coat the damaged wood with satin latex paint, using the clean paintbrush. Wait two hours for the paint to dry.