8 Tips to Easily Make Your Furniture Look as New

Do you want to bring your old furniture back to life? In this post, we are going to share with you eight tips that will help you bring joy, harmony, and perfection to your home.

You shouldn’t be afraid to get your hands dirty when it comes to furniture. While the process of restoring furniture can be time-consuming, it is not complicated as long as you follow the tips that we’ll discuss. Having the right products and tools in place will make your work easier and rewarding. Let’s get started!

1. Safety is key

Restoring old furniture requires several tools and chemicals that can be dangerous to your health if you don’t take precautions. First, you need to identify the right tools for the task at hand. This will not only make your work easier but also keep you and your loved ones safe. Wear protective gear like long sleeves, rubber gloves, and eyewear to prevent burning or toxic chemicals from splattering on your skin.

You should also work in well-ventilated areas to avoid inhaling toxic odors. Store rugs and towels that you’ve used with solvents to avoid fumes and combustion. Finally, keep in mind that the old paint finish might contain lead. If the furniture contains lead-based paints, you should strip the material in a well-ventilated area or hire a professional to do this task for you.

2. Spot old finish

Before you start the process of restoring antique furniture, you need to know the type of finish on your wood. Natural finishes such as varnish, shellac, and lacquer are hard to spot by sight alone. And it may require experimentation.

You need to test the surface by applying alcohol to a small area. If the finish gets stripped with alcohol, it’s a shellac coating. If it comes off after using lacquer thinner, it is lacquer. If neither of the products does the job, you probably have a varnish. Pigmented finishes like enamel or paint are easy to identify. You can determine other finishes like wax, oil, and penetrating sealer by the lack of a shiny surface.

3. Clean the surface

Sometimes, all you have to do to restore old furniture is clean the piece properly. The methods that we’ve described here can be used to scrub rattan, wicker, and wood surfaces. Start by using an oil-based wood cleaner to eliminate layers of wax and dirt on your surface’s piece. If the wood cleaner doesn’t bring back the luster, switch to a solution of liquid detergent and warm water. Use a cloth to apply the mixture while being careful not to allow the wood to get very wet.

Rinse the area and dry with a clean soft cloth to avoid damaging the wood with water. If these methods don’t clean the furniture, you’ll need to use solvent cleaning to restore old furniture. The solvent can be denatured alcohol, turpentine, or mineral spirits. You should always use these substances in a well-ventilated area. Use a cloth to apply the substances and another one to wipe them away immediately. After cleaning the furniture thoroughly, apply a commercial cleaner on its surface and lightly buff the wood with another cloth.

4. Re-amalgamate

In most instances, finishes develop cracks and scratches that can dull the wood’s surface and make it unattractive. The best way to repair wood finish is through the re-amalgamation process which involves applying a solvent directly to eliminate imperfections. Start by cleaning the piece using either of the techniques that we’ve discussed.

Next, use a solvent – lacquer thinner or denatured alcohol. Apply the solvent to the surface using a brush with natural bristles. Apply quickly to ensure that the brush doesn’t get too dry. While the solvent dries, it will appear glossy and then dull without scratches and cracks. Lightly buff the area with steel wool as you work in a single direction. For extra shine, complete the process with a hard paste wax application.

5. Strip

Once refinishing is done properly, the first step that you should take to restore your furniture is to strip the old finish so that you can use a new stain. Extra layers of paint will require a tough stripping solution like a paste that sits on the surface to loosen coats for scraping.

As you work from the bottom to the top, apply the stripper in a single direction liberally, adding more to the carved areas where the finish will be difficult to remove. Wait for five to twenty minutes depending on its thickness. And then start scraping the surface with a stripping tool or knife. Patience is key since it can take several applications before the finish is removed completely.

Once the finish is about to get off completely, use a liquid stripper to get the last bit off. Use a natural bristle paintbrush to apply the liquid and allow it to sit for several minutes. Use a piece of steel wool to eliminate the finish from corners and carvings. Use a stripper to remove the remaining finish and film.

6. Whitewash and pickle

You can get a whitewashed and faded look using several methods. The one thing that’s similar in all the methods is they lighten furniture while allowing the grain to be visible. You’ll need to rough up the wood with brass or copper for the whitewash to adhere. You can use liming wash and wax to lighten the wood.

7. Milk paint

Milk paint is the most natural type of paint that you’ll find on the market. It usually comes in form of powder and you have to mix it yourself. It comes in a wide range of colors and finishes on wood surfaces. Stir the sticks and use a paintbrush to apply the solution.

8. Refinishing

The best part of the restoration process is applying the new coat and giving your piece time for it to look the way you want. Before you start this process, you need to repair all the cracks and grind them with sandpaper. Use a soft brush to apply the stain and give it a few minutes before wiping the excess. Apply varnish to give your piece a nice sheen.

Conclusion

Restoring furniture is one of the most rewarding activities that you can do at home. You’ll not only have a great time but also save your hard-earned money. Furniture restoration takes time but the results will be worth your effort.

Author Bio:

Leon Collier is a blogger and academic writer from the UK who has vast experience working with Write my assignment and Essay help. He loves to take on every challenge thrown at him and can deliver outstanding work regularly. When he’s not busy writing, he loves reading books and playing tabletop games with his friends. Follow him on Twitter @LeonCollier12.

Photo by Kevin Noble on Unsplash