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.