How to Use Restor-A-Finish: 9-Color Chart, Steps & Limits

Restor-A-Finish is a wipe-on, wipe-off restorer for an existing finish: you rub it into intact varnish, lacquer or shellac with a cloth pad (or 0000 steel wool for white rings), always with the grain, then wipe dry. Howard makes it in nine colors, not ten, and it is not for floors or imitation finishes. This guide covers color choice, prep, application, drying time and limits.

How to Use Restor-A-Finish in 5 Steps

1. Test first: pick the color closest to your finish and try it on a hidden spot, such as the underside of a table apron. Howard tells you to test in an inconspicuous area before you commit.
2. Clean the surface: it must be free of dust, dirt and grime. You do not sand and you do not strip.
3. Wipe on a small area: put a little on a folded cloth pad and rub it in. Do not pour it directly onto the finish.
4. Use 0000 steel wool only for stubborn marks: for white rings and severe scratches, apply with super-fine (0000) steel wool, rubbing only with the grain and using light pressure.
5. Wipe dry, then protect: always wipe the area dry before moving on, wait at least 30 minutes, then apply Howard Feed-N-Wax to protect the restored finish.

Those five steps follow the directions on Howard Products’ own product page. The rest of this page fills in the parts the label skips: which color to buy, which finishes it will not work on, and what the drying numbers really mean.

Restor-A-Finish Color Chart: All Available Shades

Restor-A-Finish comes in nine colors. Howard lists them as Neutral, Maple-Pine, Golden Oak, Cherry, Walnut, Mahogany, Dark Walnut, Dark Oak and Ebony Brown. You will see “10 shades” and a “Fruitwood” color on some web pages, including an earlier version of this one, but neither appears on Howard’s spec sheet or product page, so ignore any chart that includes it.

Color	Closest finish to match	Where to start
Neutral	Clear, natural or any finish where you do not want added color	Best first test on any piece
Maple-Pine	Light, natural-toned finishes on maple, pine or birch	Light furniture and trim
Golden Oak	Honey or golden oak finishes	Older oak tables and chairs
Cherry	Reddish cherry finishes	Cherry dressers and cabinets
Walnut	Medium-dark brown finishes	Walnut and medium brown pieces
Mahogany	Red-brown mahogany finishes	Mahogany desks, sideboards and chests
Dark Walnut	Deep brown finishes	Dark walnut and espresso-toned pieces
Dark Oak	Dark, brown oak finishes	Darker oak cabinets and tables
Ebony Brown	Very dark brown finishes	Near-black brown finishes

Howard describes the full line as running from clear to dark brown, so the names above are your best guide, and the chart in the shop is the final word. Match the finish you see now, not the species of wood underneath. A faded dark finish on oak still wants a dark shade, not Golden Oak.

If two colors both look close, test both in the same hidden spot side by side and let them settle before you decide. Our separate page on whether Restor-A-Finish comes in different colors covers the lineup on its own, including mixing shades.

Which Finishes Restor-A-Finish Works On (and Which It Does Not)

Restor-A-Finish only works through a finish that is still there. Howard describes it as a penetrating blend of oil, solvent and stain that restores existing varnish, lacquer or shellac without removing it. That is why the finish check matters more than the color choice.

Surface	What Howard says	What to do
Varnish, lacquer, shellac	Restores the existing finish without removing it	Good fit, test first
Polyurethane	Listed as restorable, but some hard polyurethane will not accept it	Test a hidden spot and watch for a blotchy result
One-step stain and poly	May not work well	Expect weak results
Imitation or simulated wood finishes	Do not apply	Skip it
Floors and exterior surfaces	Not recommended	Use a floor or exterior product instead
Bare, unfinished wood	Not described: the product is sold only for restoring existing finishes, and Howard says not to use it as a stain	Use a real stain and topcoat instead

Not sure what finish you have? A common home test is to dab denatured alcohol on a hidden spot: shellac softens quickly, while varnish and polyurethane do not. Treat that as a rough guide only.

Cleaning and Prep Before You Start

Prep is simple: the surface just has to be free of dust, dirt and grime. Wipe the piece down with a clean cloth, and if you see greasy buildup use whatever cleaner you already trust on finished wood, then let it dry completely.

• A clean cotton cloth, folded into a small pad
• Super-fine 0000 steel wool, for white rings and severe scratches only
• Disposable gloves, because the product contains solvents
• Howard Feed-N-Wax (or another furniture wax) for the follow-up
• Old sheets or a drop cloth, because it can leave a permanent stain on fabric, carpet or linoleum

Skip the sanding. Howard says Restor-A-Finish restores the finish in one step without removing any of it, and sanding through a thin finish only creates bare spots the product will not fix.

How to Apply Restor-A-Finish: Cloth vs 0000 Steel Wool

Use a cloth pad for general fading and a pad of 0000 steel wool for white rings. Work one small area at a time and wipe each one dry before you move on, because a wet patch left to sit is where blotches start.

For dull, faded or lightly scratched finishes

Fold a clean cloth, add a small amount of product, and rub with the grain until the scratch blends away. Keep the pad lightly loaded: Howard says never to pour it directly on the finish.

For white heat rings and water marks

Switch to a small pad of 0000 steel wool with the product and rub with the grain using light pressure. Howard notes finishes vary in hardness, so test your pressure in a hidden spot first. If you are still deciding between methods, our guide to removing water marks from wood furniture compares this against the iron, oil and abrasive routes.

For carved or detailed surfaces

A cloth cannot reach into carving, so Howard allows a small paint brush or a soft toothbrush to work the product into detail. Wipe the area dry right after.

Drying Time: What the Numbers Actually Mean

Howard lists a dry time of 5 minutes at 70 degrees F for Restor-A-Finish, but you should wait at least 30 minutes before waxing. Both figures come from Howard’s own documents, and they answer different questions.

Number	What it means	Source
5 minutes at 70 F	Dry time on the technical spec sheet	Howard spec sheet
30 minutes minimum	Wait before applying Feed-N-Wax	Howard spec sheet and product page
250 sq ft per pint	Coverage, so one 16 oz can does about 250 sq ft and an 8 oz can about half that	Howard spec sheet

250 sq ft per pint of coverage, with a 5-minute dry time at 70 F. Source: Howard Products spec sheet

For scale, a 3 by 6 foot table top is 18 square feet, so one 8 oz can covers several tops at a thin coat. Howard’s FAQ adds that the product usually penetrates into the finish more than it dries, so it is not an oil like Danish or tung oil that soaks in and hardens.

Do not put polyurethane over it. Howard’s spec sheet says not to apply polyurethane over Restor-A-Finish. For protection, use the follow-up wax Howard recommends.

Safety and Limits: What Restor-A-Finish Will Not Do

“Always test in an inconspicuous area to check results.”

Howard Products, Restor-A-Finish spec sheet

It is a flammable, solvent-based product, so ventilate the room. Howard’s label carries a DANGER flammable warning, says to keep it away from heat, sparks and flame, and tells you to open windows and doors for cross ventilation. It contains petroleum distillates, and Howard says the product is intended for occasional use only.

• Ventilation: if your eyes water or you get a headache or dizziness, add fresh air, wear NIOSH/MSHA-approved respiratory protection or leave the area.
• Food surfaces: it is not intended for food-contact surfaces, so do not use it on cutting boards, butcher blocks or the inside of a kitchen drawer you store food in.
• Fabric and carpet: spills can leave a permanent stain. If one happens, scrub right away with soap and water or a stain remover and wipe dry.
• Rags: as with other oil-based products, do not leave used rags balled up. Spread them flat outdoors to dry, or soak them in water in a sealed metal can.
• Storage: close the container after each use, keep it out of reach of children and never move it to an unlabeled bottle.

It also has real limits on the damage it can fix. Howard says it blends out minor scratches and blemishes, so gouges that reach bare wood need a different repair: see our guide to repairing a furniture finish. White rings and haze sit in the finish, which is why this product reaches them. Dark stains usually mean water got into the wood, and our page on removing water stains from wood covers those.

Frequently Asked Questions About Using Restor-A-Finish

How many colors does Restor-A-Finish come in?

Nine. Howard lists Neutral, Maple-Pine, Golden Oak, Cherry, Walnut, Mahogany, Dark Walnut, Dark Oak and Ebony Brown. A “10 shades” count with a Fruitwood color circulates online, but it does not match Howard’s own spec sheet or product page.

Do I need to sand or strip before using Restor-A-Finish?

No. Howard says it restores the finish in one step without removing any of the existing finish. The surface only needs to be free of dust, dirt and grime before you wipe the product on.

Can you use Restor-A-Finish on bare wood?

It is not designed for it. Howard sells it for restoring existing finishes and says not to use it as a stain, so for raw wood use a real stain and topcoat instead.

How long does Restor-A-Finish take to dry?

Howard’s spec sheet gives a dry time of 5 minutes at 70 degrees F, and says to wait at least 30 minutes before applying Feed-N-Wax. Howard also notes it penetrates the finish more than it dries.

Can you use Restor-A-Finish on floors?

Howard says it is not recommended for floors or exterior surfaces. Use it on furniture, cabinets and trim with an intact finish instead.

Can you put polyurethane over Restor-A-Finish?

No. Howard’s spec sheet says not to apply polyurethane over Restor-A-Finish. Protect the restored finish with Howard Feed-N-Wax after waiting at least 30 minutes.

Conclusion

Restor-A-Finish is the right tool when a finish is faded, scratched or ringed but still intact: test a hidden spot, pick the closest of Howard’s nine colors, wipe on and dry, then wax after 30 minutes. If the finish is gone or the piece is a floor, a different product is the honest answer. For a general look at bringing life back to a piece, see our guide to burnishing wood furniture.