Restore stained redwood walls

Sun., Aug. 29, 2004

James and Morris Carey For AP Weekly Features

Q.: The rough-textured, unfinished, stained redwood walls in our family room are blemished with scratches, paint stains and other marks incurred during the past 20 years. How can I improve them? — Muriel.

A.: The goal here is to restore the appearance of the redwood wall without destroying the rough texture that adds to its natural beauty.

First, be aware that the job will create some dust. You will want to remove the contents of the room and use heavy plastic to seal off any openings to adjoining rooms. Start with a light wire-brushing of the entire surface, followed by a thorough vacuuming. This will remove the existing paint splatters, scratches and other unsightly blemishes.

If you are pleased with the current color, apply a fresh coat of stain at this point. If you want to make the wall lighter, the next step would be to apply a wood bleach to the surface.

Once the wood is bleached, a new coat of stain can be applied. We suggest an oil-based stain, which will penetrate deep into the wood and restore its natural luster.

Finally, since it’s an interior finish, a coat of a polyurethane or varnish will fully seal the new surface. You probably will want to use a satin finish to complement that new rich stain.

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