Refurbishing used furniture is your best solution if you still have some of your old furniture or even some of your precious heirlooms from your family, and these things have become in vain, just look at them every once in a while to bring back some childhood memories. How about adding a few years to the life of this furniture and making new memories with it.
You may think that it is difficult but it is very simple if you follow some steps and instructions and use the right tools and equipment and this is what you will learn in this article.
By reading this article, you will be able to renew used furniture by following 5 simple and basic steps to get a great result.
Tools
- Rubber gloves.
- goggles
- methyl alcohol.
- Commercial cleaner.
- Cloth.
- New paint.
- sandpaper
- Putty knife.
Steps to renovate used furniture
Follow these steps to get new, well-rested furniture:
Step 1: Safety precaution
First of all, take some safety measures, as restoring old furniture requires chemicals and tools that can be dangerous to your health. Like using the right tools to keep you and your family safe.
- Wear protective equipment such as rubber gloves, long sleeves, and goggles to prevent chemical smoke from spreading.
- You should work in a well-ventilated area, to avoid inhaling harmful fumes.
- Store your oil rags according to the instructions on the package of the solvent you're using to keep your home safe from burning and fumes.
- Beware of old paint finishes that may contain lead. If you suspect that your furniture has lead paint, use an appropriate aerator when removing the material or send it to a professional for stripping.
Step 2: Determine the type of paint
Also, an important step before you start restoring old furniture is to determine the type of paint it is currently in, whether it is oil or varnish so that the rest of the steps are easier for you.
It is difficult to tell by sight alone and may require trying it first, by applying methyl alcohol to an area of old wood.
If the paint comes off with alcohol easily, it is a layer of oil. If the paint takes some time and effort to remove, it is mostly varnish.
Step 3: Clean the furniture
Fortunately, cleaning furniture is often not stressful or expensive. You can use one of these methods to get a good result:
- First, use an oil-based commercial wood cleaner to cut away the layers of dirt and wax on the surface of the wood piece.
- If the wood cleaner alone does not return the furniture to its original luster, you can use a solution of warm water and liquid detergent. Apply the mixture with a cloth, being careful not to leave the wood wet. Rinse the area well and dry it with a clean, soft cloth to avoid water damage to the wood.
- If none of these methods clean the furniture to your liking, you may need to resort to cleaning solvents to restore the old furniture.
Step 4: Remove the old paint
To get started with the first practical steps of renovating your old furniture, you need to get rid of old and discolored paint.
Some layers of paint will require a more rigorous stripping method, such as a putty that can help loosen the strength and hold of the old paint on the surface to make it easier to scrape.
Apply the putty to the piece of furniture, then wait five to 20 minutes, depending on the thickness of the paint, and then begin scraping the surface with a putty knife or a sharp object.
Step 5: Apply new paint
I think you have been waiting for this moment for a long time, which is to apply a new coat of paint to the furniture to give it a new and attractive look but before you start this process, you have to make any repairs that the furniture requires, such as fixing the broken chair seats or filling the cracks.
- Sand the piece with sandpaper and then clean the surfaces with a vacuum cleaner and cloth.
- Use a natural-bristle brush to apply the first coat and let it sit for at least five minutes before wiping it off with a clean cloth.
- The second sanding should be done with 220-grit sandpaper before finalizing.
- Use paint or varnish to protect the wood and add a beautiful shine to your piece.
Renewing the old furniture and antiques that accumulated in your store or that you were waiting for the right opportunity to get rid of is no longer a difficult task now that you know the basic steps to do so, so what are you waiting for?!