Coffee is a delicious beverage that many people rely on for their morning jolt of caffeine. But one lesser known use of this popular drink is that it can be used to stain wood.
To stain wood with coffee, all you need to do is brew coffee, brush it over the wood, and wait for it to dry. You can control the color of the wood by adjusting the darkness of the coffee itself. This method is safer and easier to implement than many traditional wood stains.
Now that you’ve got a general idea of how it works, let’s take a closer look at the method involved as well as some tips to ensure your project turns out just as you want.
How to Stain Wood With Coffee Grounds
Coffee makes a great natural wood stain, and chances are you already have everything you need to do it right in your kitchen.
Materials Needed
- One bag of coffee grounds
- Coffee maker
- Water
- Sandpaper (on Amazon) (the finer the grain, the better)
- Paintbrush (on Amazon)
- Rag (or two)
- Wood that needs staining
Process and Tips
Once you’ve got the materials you need, it’s time to get brewing — and staining!
- Brew Coffee: Start by brewing a pot of coffee. You’ll want to make the coffee as dark as you want your stain to be. So, if you want a lighter stain, use less grounds and more water.
- Let the Coffee Cool: The coffee needs to cool before you can use it on your piece of wood. Set it aside for at least half an hour.
- Sand the Wood: Stain doesn’t adhere to the wood well unless it’s thoroughly sanded, so start by sanding with the grain. Use the rag to brush away the sawdust. We recommend doing this while the coffee cools.
- Apply the Coffee: Use the brush to apply the coffee to the wood. Try to use the brush to spread the coffee as evenly as possible over the surface of the wood.
- Let the Wood Dry: After you finish applying the coffee, allow the wood to dry for 15 minutes. Wipe down the wood with the rag to remove any excess coffee.
Tips:
If the wood dries and isn’t the color you wanted, you can repeat steps 1-5 to stain the wood darker. Just wait an additional 10 minutes before starting over at step 1.
Because the color of the stain depends so heavily on the color of the coffee, don’t be afraid to play with this a bit first before you begin the staining process.
What Are the Benefits of Staining With Coffee?
Believe it or not, there are several benefits to staining wood with coffee. In fact, you might find that it’s better to use coffee to stain your wood rather than a traditional wood stain. Here are some reasons why:
It’s Safer
Wood stains are known for their extremely flammable properties. This means it can be dangerous to stain your wood, as well as dangerous to store the leftover stain in your garage. Coffee is not flammable, and you don’t have to worry when you have some left over.
It’s Cheaper
Chances are you already have coffee in your home, and you likely drink it on a regular basis. Even if you don’t, buying a bag of coffee grounds is far cheaper than purchasing wood stains. And don’t worry about getting the fanciest bag of coffee; you won’t need to taste this cup of joe!
It’s Less Smelly
Besides being flammable, traditional wood stains also emit many fumes. These can be dangerous when the stain is used in an enclosed area.
Coffee doesn’t emit any dangerous fumes — just the regular coffee smell — making it safe to use to stain wood in any room.
More Color Choices
When you purchase a wood stain, you have to decide on a single can and attempt to judge the color based on the sample. With coffee, on the other hand, you can brew it to your desired color and make it darker or lighter as you please.
Coffee also adds less color per layer, making it a breeze to get the exact color you were looking for with multiple applications.
No Blotching
Coffee is thinner than most wood stains, and this makes it easier to spread. You therefore won’t be left with blotches or other areas of uneven stain like you might with traditional wood stain.
Final Thoughts
Overall, using coffee to stain wood is a simple and straightforward process. It’s also cheaper, safer, and somewhat easier than using traditional stains.
So, if you have a wood project you need stained, reach for a pot of coffee rather than a wood stain!