Originally Posted by
05caddyext
what is your goal for the dresser? do you want to re-stain it or paint it? There aren't really strippers for stain, stain soaks into the grain of the wood it doesn't stay on top of the wood like a paint does. A lot of sanding will get you there. For the scratches and gouges make sure you use a wood filler/putty that is stainable. Don't just assume that what you buy will be. A lot of them are either paintable or stainable, not both. And as a rule of thumb with stain, you can always go darker, pretty hard to go lighter if you don't like the color. Prep is the most important when woodworking, just like a car. If you want it to look nice, take your time and use quality products. Most all in one products are garbage, they save time but your final result won't be nearly as nice.