Oh, that is such an awesome thing to do! I love that. So very special. xo :)

Thanks Nancy, you just made my day.

Yes, you don’t really have to remove the existing finish UNLESS it’s super shiny and thick, etc. Most of the pieces I do are worn, older pieces that most of the finish is gone on. When I’ve come across a finish that I feel is too slick, I will lightly sand with fine sandpaper to remove the shine just a bit. This is what I did on the stair treads in our house when I used gel stain on them last year.

They really do, I agree! I want to try to keep this one. We’ll see! :) xo

You are so right about that, Cecilia! It sure did. No longer a poor, sad chair. :) xo

Thanks, Lizzy! So much better, for sure. :) Have a great weekend! xo

You know, I mostly clean with Windex or just a damp paper towel….depending on how dirty something is. I will sometimes wipe down with denatured alcohol if it needs a little more. :)

Yes! Thanks so much, Marcie! Have a great weekend! xo

Eh, pretty much. The finish was old and worn. You typically don’t want a really shiny finish when using gel stain, it won’t work well. So in that case, you’d want to very lightly sand, just enough to remove a bit of shine (like I did on our stair treads). Most of the times I use gel stain, the finish is mostly gone. :) xo

We’ve had so much rain lately! No snow this year though but we sometimes get hit for a day or so in March. We’ll see! ;) xo

Thank you, Christina! I’m hoping I can find a spot for it! :) Have a great weekend! xoxo