How to Use Paint as Stain

Dilute your chosen paint. For acrylic paints you can use water; for oil, use a solvent like turpentine. The amount of thinner you will need, depends on how strong of an effect you want. The higher the solvent ratio is to the paint, the lighter the color will be.

Test the paint color by painting a piece of wood of the same type and color as the object you wish to stain. Ideally this will be a hidden corner of the floor or the underside of the table. Test by applying a tiny amount of your paint and thinner mixture, first with more paint and the least amount of thinner, then slowly adding more thinner, until you reach the desired level of color saturation.

Paint the object with the stain you have created. For added color depth, wait until the first coat dries and apply a second coat. Finish off with the sealant of your choice.