10 Tips for Restoring Old Furniture

Professional furniture restorers and hobbyists alike all have one thing in common: the desire to pluck a piece of furniture off the side of the road and restore it to its former glory. What’s not to like? You’re saving something from a landfill and breathing new life into a forgotten item. The former owner only saw a table with broken legs and a surface marred by water rings. As a furniture restorer, you see possibility.

Furniture restoration involves tackling any aspect of work that’s required to get an old dresser or chair as close to the original condition as possible. Often, it’s more than just a facelift — it’s making the item usable again and possibly even adding value. Here are 10 tips that can help you make the old new again.

Advertisement

Contents

1. Make Sure You Have Time to Devote to the Project
2. Research and Inspect
3. Establish a Budget
4. Know What You Want It to Look Like
5. Safety First
6. Clean Before You Start
7. Repair
8. Refinish or Paint
9. Keep a How-to Guide Handy
10. Tools of the Trade

htm”>

10: Make Sure You Have Time to Devote to the Project

You’ve just found the perfect end table for the right price: free. It’s sitting on the curb, and all it needs is a little tender loving care. You can already see how it’ll look sitting in your living room.

However, it’s important to remember that a small side project can quickly turn into a time-consuming chore, depending on your restoration skills and how many free hours you have to devote to the work. The more complex the task, the longer it’ll take to finish, so be sure you have enough time in your schedule — or are willing to give up several weekends — to finish your piece. Deep carvings can take many hours to strip and refinish. Slats and spindles are not easy to redo. If you have to remove rust, that step alone can take days of work, which is something you should keep in mind before deciding whether or not to haul that table home.

Advertisement

htm”>

9: Research and Inspect

Do a little research to determine your piece’s value before you restore it. Inspect it for marks or labels that may indicate its origin. If you suspect it’s worth some money, consult a professional before proceeding with any work. Take photos of any markings or tags for your records. Removing a collectible antique’s finish could lessen or void its value, so hold off on stripping or sanding until you know exactly what you have.

If you’re not an expert furniture restorer, don’t worry. It’s easy to look for a few telltale signs of age. Feel underneath for dull interior corners. Partially unscrew a screw and look at the threads. If they have inconsistent widths between them, then the piece is probably pretty old. Remove a drawer and see if it has dovetail joints. If you find any of these things, the furniture is likely old and well made, and you should have a professional antique appraiser value the piece.

Advertisement

htm”>

8: Establish a Budget

Once you’ve determined whether your found treasure is actually worth any money, you need to decide how much cash you want to sink into it. Yes, you might love the challenge of furniture restoration, but if the piece isn’t valuable, you’ll need to figure out how important it is to you. Is it something that can be repaired relatively inexpensively? Will the project cost you less than buying a new piece? Is it worth your time?

Some projects may just need a few simple fixes you can quickly complete. Others may be more involved and could wind up costing you way more than you intended to spend, which could be the reason the furniture was sitting on the curb to begin with.

Advertisement

7: Know What You Want It to Look Like

It’s happened to every restorer: You pull a wooden table off the curb, thinking its color will nicely match the rest of the furniture in a given room, only to discover after restoration begins that the piece is actually made from lighter-colored wood and doesn’t match at all. Luckily, with a little examination, you can get an idea of the true grain’s color. Find a spot that’s been protected from everyday wear, such as the back of a drawer front. Taking a peek at an unworn area will give you an idea what the the finished product will look like.

Advertisement

6: Safety First

When embarking on a furniture restoration project, be sure you have safety in the front of your mind. The last thing you want to do is have a splinter of wood accidentally lodge itself into your eye or be overcome by harsh fumes.

Make sure you wear long-sleeved clothing to protect your skin from harmful chemicals found in wood strippers and varnish. Use safety glasses to shield your eyes. If you’re stripping or varnishing a piece, wear a mask and work in a well-ventilated room to keep strong vapors at bay.

Advertisement

htm”>

5: Clean Before You Start

Before whipping out your sandpaper and paintbrush, give the piece a thorough cleaning. After years of neglect, it’s likely to have a patina of dirt and grime. Removing the buildup can reveal a nice finish underneath, so a good cleaning and buffing may be all that old table needs to look new again.

Give the furniture a thorough scrub with a sponge and some vegetable-based oil soap and warm water. For detailed pieces, use a soft toothbrush to get into the nooks and crannies. To get between tight spots, pick up a slender wooden dowel rod and sharpen it like you would a pencil. Then use the sharp end for digging out grime. If you need to use steel wool on some stubborn wax buildup, go with 0000 grade (the finest grade available), and use a light hand. Too much pressure can dull the finish.

Advertisement

htm”>

4: Repair

Next, repair or replace any broken parts. You may luck out and stumble across a identical leg or knob at an antique store, estate sale or on eBay, but don’t count on it. In most cases, a perfect match will require custom-made parts. Additionally, unless you consider yourself pretty handy, you may need a professional’s help with tougher repairs like leg replacements or almost anything relating to the structural integrity of the piece.

However, tightening screws may fix wobbly tables and chairs. Find the culprit by turning the piece over and inspecting each leg where it meets the body. If it shakes, check out the screws. If they’re in good shape, tighten them down. If they’re rusted out, carefully remove and replace them. Join small breaks with wood glue, and fill in small cracks with like-colored wood putty. If you plan to use stain as your finish, make sure you buy a stainable putty.

Advertisement

htm”>

3: Refinish or Paint

Refinishing the piece means taking off the old finish and creating a new one. It’s physically demanding, so be prepared to use some elbow grease for this messy and cumbersome job. For a do-it-yourselfer, it’s best to use a combination of chemical strippers and sanding. Above all, be patient, even though some finishes can be stubborn to remove. Trying to speed up the process could result in even more repair work.

Research the type of stain you’ll need for your wood. If it’s not worth staining, you can always paint the surface. Just be sure it’s not a valuable piece, because it won’t be once you paint it. Before painting, sand the finish to smooth out any bumps. Regardless if you’re staining or painting, you’ll want to give the piece another good cleaning once you finish stripping and sanding to ensure that you end up with a professional-looking finish.

Advertisement

htm”>

2: Keep a How-to Guide Handy

If you haven’t done much furniture restoration, you’ll likely find it helpful to keep a guidebook on hand so you can quickly find answers to any questions that come up over the course of your project. The library is an excellent resource for manuals and other furniture reference materials. Of course, The Internet is also a great resource for information and videos in which experts guide you through each step of the restoration process.

Advertisement

1: Tools of the Trade

You’ll need some tools to make your project happen. Take a trip down the sandpaper aisle and get a variety of grits. Buy both the moderately rough stuff (80 to 120 grit) and the finest grades (300 to 600). Get a couple of putty knives, one plastic and one metal. Also pick up some 0000 steel wool and a liquid stripping gel.

You’ll need Phillips head and flathead screwdrivers for tightening joints and a small hammer and rubber mallet, which will allow you to adjust the wood without leaving a mark.

Also have the following items on hand:

• Wood glue
• Wood putty
• Oil soap
• Measuring tape
• Plastic gloves
• Respirator
• 2- to 3-inch (5.08 to 7.62 centimeters) angled paint brush
• Toothbrush

Now that your toolbox is full and you’re armed with these tips, you’re ready to begin restoring your furniture to its former glory.

For more tips and advice, head over to the next page.

Lots More Information

Related Articles

Sources

• Beuerlein, Karin. “8 Essential Wood Refinishing Tools and Supplies.” DIY Network. (Jan. 15, 2012) http://www. diynetwork.com/painting/8-essential-wood-refinishing-tools-and-supplies/index.html
• Beuerlein, Karin. “How to Tell if Metal Furniture and Décor Is Worth Refinishing.” DIY Network. (Jan. 15, 2012)http://www.diynetwork.com/decorating/how-to-tell-if-metal-furniture-and-decor-is-worth-refinishing/index.html
• Beuerlein, Karin. “How to Tell if Wood Furniture Is Worth Refinishing.” DIY Network. (Jan. 15, 2012) http://www.diynetwork.com/decorating/how-to-tell-if-wood-furniture-is-worth-refinishing/index.html
• Beuerlein, Karin. “What to Look for When Buying Old Furniture.” DIY Network. (Jan. 15, 2012) http://www.diynetwork.com/decorating/what-to-look-for-when-buying-old-furniture/index.html
• DIY Network. “All About Green Paints and Finishes.” 2009. (Jan. 15, 2012) http://www.diynetwork.com/painting/all-about-green-paints-and-finishes/index.html
• Hurst-Wajszczuk, Joe. “Stripping Painted Furniture.” This Old House. (Jan. 15, 2012) http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/article/0,,20220362,00. html
• Novak, Sara. “Basic Steps to Restore and Reuse Old Furniture.” Planet Green. Nov. 3, 2008. (Jan. 15, 2012) http://planetgreen.discovery.com/home-garden/restore-furniture-tips.html
• Wood Works, the. “DIY Furniture Refinishing Guidelines.” (Jan. 15, 2012) http://www.thewoodworksinc.com/strip_refinish/diy_refinishing.shtml

​

Cite This!

Please copy/paste the following text to properly cite this HowStuffWorks.com article:

Emilie Sennebogen & Jill Jaracz
“10 Tips for Restoring Old Furniture”
22 June 2009.
HowStuffWorks.com. <https://home.howstuffworks.com/home-improvement/home-diy/projects/5-tips-for-restoring-old-furniture.htm>
21 June 2023

Citation

Old Furniture: What’s Worth Restoring?

From wooden chairs to antique upholstery, here’s which old furniture is worth the time, effort and cost to restore.

The allure of old furniture comes partly from imagining its story, who used it and what they were doing. Sometimes those questions actually get answered.

While refinishing a chest of drawers with a butler drawer, antique restorer Marshall Young found a photo of a young man, the father of the person who brought it in. “Our customer was amazed at the transformation of the chest, and said he remembered his father sitting there, worrying over the bills,” says Young. “When we showed him the photo we found, he broke into tears.”

Restoring antiques is satisfying for many reasons, but can also be expensive. So when deciding if a particular piece of furniture is worth restoring, take into account its resale value plus intangibles, like your personal connection with the piece.

“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” says Peter Triestman of Olek, Inc., an antique restoration company in Orange, New Jersey. “Because of this, some of your furniture decisions will probably be based largely off aesthetics and nostalgia. But also consider the environmental costs of buying new and disposing of the old. Virtually any wood piece is restorable, but the older the piece, the more repairable it is.”

On This Page

Can I DIY Antique Furniture Repair?

Is antique furniture repair something that an intrepid DIYer can handle? Sometimes.

“Most pieces could just use a good cleaning and possibly an application of paste wax,” says Young, who runs Astonish Restoration in Roanoke, Virginia.

Other times, it’s more complicated.

With larger repairs, like loose chairs, it’s vital to put them back together in the same way they were made. “There should be no reason to attach screws, straps, wire, fiberglass or gum — yes, we have seen repairs attempted with chewing gum,” says Young. That’s because the furniture was designed with the technology of the day, and altering that will cause more structural harm than good. You need to know how to reupholster a chair correctly inorder to restore it fully.

Glue is another sticking point. Besides scraping off old adhesives before applying new ones, it’s crucial to learn what was commonly used in that period and apply a similar type. According to all three experts, epoxy, superglue and foaming polyurethane usually aren’t the best options.

Before launching into any antique restoration project, research techniques and materials and practice on some yard sale specials.

“And pick up a bunch of antique tools,” Triestman says. “They’re cheap and last forever.” When in doubt, ask a pro’s opinion first.

Should I Restore This Piece of Old Furniture?

According to Triestman, Young and Freddy Roman of The Furniture Repair Shop, in Acton, Mass., here is what to consider when contemplating a furniture restoration project.

Wooden antique furniture

To tell if a piece is an antique rather than a 20th-century reproduction, look at the drawers. If the dovetails are of uneven width, Triestman says, then it’s a true antique.

“Right now true antiques, those 200 years or older, are going for a bargain, high end or not,” says Roman. “The prices of antiques makes you wonder why people are buying factory-made furniture. ”

Caned and wicker furniture

“Hand-caned and woven seats can be very expensive,” says Young. “But again, sometimes the sentimental value wins out over the market value.”

These can be less expensive if the restoration is done with machined cane sheets. Otherwise, Young says, “It can be hard to find craftspeople who are still hand caning and weaving. But it is something one can learn to do themselves, if interested.”

If you do try your hand at it, Triestman suggests adding a tablespoon of glycerine per bucket of water before soaking the caning. That keeps it supple.

Veneer furniture

“Veneer gets a bad name, but really, veneer is amazing and showcases the beauty of the woods in the world,” says Roman.

Assessing it means considering the substrate the veneer is on, as well as how thick the veneer itself is. “Many historic antiques have plenty of veneer of great thickness that a restorer can repair, or even a DIYer with patience and understanding,” says Roman.

Make sure to buy the appropriate cut of veneer. Try to cut pieces with matching grain lines to the existing furniture. And, Triestman says, be sure to scrape out the old glue with a chisel before inlaying the new elements.

Upholstered furniture

DIYing any upholstery is tricky unless you have exceptional sewing skills. It’s also expensive.

“Upholstered pieces are a lot of work, compared to cheap prices to buy mass-produced pieces today, and generally have little value when done unless from a noted designer,” says Triestman. But once reupholstered, a piece should last longer than contemporary furniture.

Bent plywood furniture

Typically, bent plywood pieces must be taken to a professional. To figure out if it’s worth it, assess the quality of construction and stress the chair or table to see whether it’s splitting apart within the layers.

“If it is, that indicates that the glue is failing, and will progress rapidly with use,” says Triestman. “It’s not possible to put new glue over the old. It won’t hold.”

Mid-century modern furniture

“Right now, the clean simple lines of less-is-more is appealing to folks,” says Roman. To better understand a particular piece’s value, he recommends researching the big makers of mid-century and Danish modern furniture. “But that said, seeing a rosewood piece often tells you this piece is quality,” he says.

Painted furniture

“There is often more value under the paint,” says Roman. “It’s amazing what people paint these days. There are still treasures out there waiting to be found. And everything can be repaired. It’s wood, and it grows on trees.”

And there’s always a chance the repair will unearth a lost gem of humanity. It’s why flipping furniture can be a fun hobby or past-time for many.

“My favorite stories are all of the fun things we find inside pieces, or maybe written on them,” says Young. “We had a small table that was our customer’s when she was a little girl. We found on the bottom where she had written, ‘I am so mad at mommy. She won’t let me go over to Patti’s. But I love my daddy!’ ”

Popular Videos

ⓘ

How to restore old furniture at home, tips – Do-it-yourself furniture restoration

Restoration of old furniture is an expensive service. Is it possible to save money and do everything yourself at home? Or is it not worth trying? Looking ahead, I’ll say that doing furniture restoration with your own hands is difficult, but real. Subject to a number of conditions.

David Bader Photography

First, let’s figure out whether you need to restore the furniture yourself or is it better to entrust this work to professionals? What are the good and not so restoration in the workshop:

+ The quality is excellent. Agree, there is no point in experimenting with the “home” restoration of antiques. Only professionals will be able to recreate the original shapes and finishes. At home, you can not “guess”.

+ Save time and effort. It just seems like one-two-ready – the craftsmen with your chest of drawers will have to tinker with for several weeks. Imagine that you need to do this in the evenings after work and on weekends: it may happen that work will be a burden.

– Complex logistics. Cabinets and sideboards will most likely have to be dismantled in order to be taken out of the apartment for delivery to the workshop. As a result, additional expenses for delivery to the restoration workshop.

– If there is no elevator in the house, you will have to call movers and hire a Gazelle. Of course, all these efforts can be taken over by the workshop staff, but additional services will be included in the cost of restoration work.

Stahl Antiques & Antique Furniture Restorations

Place is the deciding factor
When renovating old wooden furniture, dust and odors are almost inevitable. For example, you can remove the old paintwork either by grinding (dust) or by chemical compounds (smell). Many protective and covering compositions for wood also have a pungent odor. If possible, move furniture restoration work to non-residential premises. It can be a garage, utility room, loggia or balcony.

If you live in a private house, then in good weather you can work in the yard. But in this case, pay attention to the conditions for using the paint and varnish compositions specified in the instructions: minimum and maximum temperatures, air humidity and reaction to direct sunlight.

Tip: if the only possible option is a room in an apartment, cover all other furniture with a protective film, remove textiles and carpets for a while. Also cover the floor with a film to avoid stains from chemical compounds.

Ian Wall Furniture Restoration

Tools and Materials Needed
Depends on the size of the piece of furniture and your understanding of comfort. If the table is small, you can get by with only a hand tool. If you don’t want dust when sanding, washes can be used. Do not tolerate strong odors – use water-based varnishes and paints to cover. The list of materials and tools in each case will be individual.

Ian Wall Furniture Restoration

You will need different grits of sandpaper, a spatula, brushes and rollers. But, in order to properly sand even a small coffee table or stool by hand, it will take several hours. Professionals use an eccentric (orbital) grinder for these purposes, which is not available in every household. In addition, you may need a screwdriver, electric jigsaw, building hair dryer. It is more convenient to remove dust immediately – with a construction vacuum cleaner.

Tip: is only worth buying a power tool if you have a lot of old wooden furniture that needs restoration or if you plan to do it regularly. At the same time, all these tools are universal and are often used in other repair work. There is a construction or major renovation ahead – purchase it, it will come in handy on the farm. If your plans include the restoration of only one piece of furniture, ask your friends for the tools for a while, or rent them. With a good tool, things will go faster, and the result will look neater and more professional.

Cardona Antique Furniture Restoration Co.

Where to get materials for restoration
For restoration work you may need: paint removers, compounds for filling chips and scratches (wood putty, furniture wax, furniture sealant), paint and varnish materials (paint, enamel, impregnation, oil). Finishing is easy to buy at any building materials store, but I advise you to order goods exclusively for furniture restoration (furniture waxes, pencils, sealants, furniture edges) in online stores that deliver / send goods throughout the country.

Advice: look for ads from private individuals on websites. It’s not uncommon for people to sell surplus material, or the color doesn’t fit, and they list the items on internet flea markets. On the Internet, you can also find recipes for making some materials for restoration at home.

DOXA Home

How long will it take
Furniture restoration at home is not a quick process. Everything about everything can take from a few days to a whole month. And the point is not only in painstaking work, but also in the peculiarities of the use of paints and varnishes. Putties, primers, paints, varnishes require a certain drying time before applying the next layer: from several hours to a whole day.

If you don’t have much free time, but you take the process seriously, carefully plan the stages of work. Often the delay occurs due to the fact that there is no certain product or tool – you will not run around the shops before each next stage.

Tip: For , to speed up the process, choose products that dry quickly. For example, water-based paints and varnishes dry faster than alkyd-based counterparts. One of the “fastest” coatings is Danish oil. It does not require pre-priming and interlayer grinding at all, and the second layer can be applied after 30 minutes.

Stahl Antiques & Antique Furniture Restorations

Restoration steps

get to hard-to-reach places. Often it is enough just to remove the fittings and hinged doors, remove the drawers. Whether to disassemble the frame completely – look at the situation. Glued elements such as a box in the photo are definitely better left assembled.

Tip: Before starting work, take a picture of the object and the attachment points of its elements. Arrange the fasteners in small bags and sign what elements it is intended for. This will make it easier for you to assemble the parts after restoration.

Aleksey Bereznyak

2. Removing the old paintwork
There are three ways to remove old paint, varnish or enamel: sandpaper, paint remover or using a blow dryer. Choose the method that is most convenient for you and best suited for your piece of furniture. You can combine methods: for example, peel off a layer of paint heated by a hairdryer with a spatula on even surfaces and sand it with sandpaper on uneven, rounded areas.

Important: Be sure to use personal protective equipment – work with gloves and a respirator. In the case of using a building hair dryer, be especially careful not to burn the wood under the paintwork.

Cardona Antique Furniture Restoration Co.

3. We eliminate external damage
Scratches, cracks and chips on furniture are masked with the help of special means. Volumetric damage can be puttied with putty on wood, applying it in several layers. Cracks and scratches – fill with furniture wax.

To work with wax, a wax melter or a portable gas burner is used, but wax can be melted without special devices, for example, on a stove or a building dryer. Small scratches are well masked by a furniture touch. To ensure that the restored areas are not visible, the color of the materials used should be close to the shade of the wood from which the furniture is made. The texture of wood can be artificially recreated using a furniture marker.

SashaDOIT

4. Preparing for the final coat
Before applying paint coatings, the surface of the product should be carefully leveled, excess waxes and putties should be removed. To do this, consistently use fine-grained sandpaper (P180-P240). Wipe off the dust build-up after sanding with a damp cloth and allow the surface to dry before the next step. Some paints and varnishes require a coat of primer before painting.

Kelly Nelson Designs

5. Applying the topcoat
What will be the new look of your chest of drawers (stool, coffee table, etc.) depends on the selected paint material. If you want to preserve the natural look of wood, use transparent varnishes and oils for wood. Give preference to water-based varnishes, as alkyd and polyurethane tend to give the wood a yellow tint. If you want to slightly tint the tree, give it a shade of noble wood species, choose the so-called glazing compositions: colored varnishes, stains, oils and waxes.

If you see your chest of drawers in color, use enamel or furniture paint. On sale you will find both colored paints and white bases that can be tinted in any chosen shade. Please note that many varnishes and stains require intermediate sanding, because after applying the first layer, the pile of wood is lifted.

Tip: With , start applying the top coat on the interior of the furniture, backs, sides, and finish on the front. It is difficult for beginners to avoid small smudges of paint and varnish, but they want the front side to look perfect.

Ekaterina Liberman

6. Installing hardware
After restoration, you can return the old hardware to its place or replace it with a new one. It all depends on the condition of the details and your desire: either to preserve the authentic appearance of the furniture, or simply to “refresh” it.

As you can see, all furniture restoration problems can be solved, and everyone can master the process. But even if the case still seems long, complicated or costly, do not rush to abandon the idea. It can be made even easier.

RELATED…
Good question: What to do with old furniture?

SashaDOIT

Ideas for a “quick” furniture restoration:

Just paint
You don’t even have to remove the old coating – remove dirt from the furniture (use any means for “kitchen” cleaning), lightly sand the skins whoa, apply a layer of adhesive primer and two or three coats of paint. It may not come out as perfect as with a full restoration – be prepared.

RELATED…
How to paint a wooden chest of drawers with a gradient – step by step instructions sometimes such “antics” are only welcome. Especially if you are repainting brand new furniture without damage.

RELATED…
28 ideas for those who want to redo an IKEA chest of drawers

perfectly imperfect

Coat with “white” varnish
This is usually done with dark wood – after sanding it is processed using the dry brush technique – the surface is not completely painted over, but deliberately leaves traces and a visible base.

Important: may not turn out as perfect as in the case of factory “bleached oak”. Might have to be redone.

Daria Trebol

In the photo: the kitchen doors are finished using decoupage technique

Paste using decoupage technique
Choose images that will blend well with each other and fit your interior. It can be wallpaper, geographical maps, old newspapers, decoupage napkins, or even inscriptions, as in the photo. Carefully stick on the surface and secure with clear varnish to make the furniture resistant to moisture.

Janna Makaeva/Cutting Edge Stencils

Apply an ornament
It is difficult to see scratches, roughness and irregularities in the diversity of patterns and ornaments. Using this technique, you can effortlessly turn even the most ordinary piece of furniture into the central art object of your home. The easiest way is to order a stencil and apply a drawing through it – then it is not necessary to have artistic skills.

Design Studio INTERIKA

Leave as is
This is definitely the easiest way to give a chest of drawers a second life. Old things are good without restoration. After all, all these chips, scratches and scuffs are evidence of their rare antiquity. Perhaps it is enough just to wipe the dust off the chest of drawers and find a good neighbor for him.

RELATED…

• How to restore an old chair – step by step instructions
• Do-it-yourself ottoman restoration – a detailed guide with a photo

IN YOUR CITY …
Trust your furniture to professionals – Furniture repair and restoration on Houzz

900 02 YOUR TURN…
Have you ever had to restore an old do-it-yourself furniture? Are you satisfied with the result? Share your experience in the comments.

Restoration of old furniture available methods, step by step instructions

Everyone in the house will find pieces of furniture that are dear to the heart and have been serving for many years. Their appearance has become less attractive over time, scuffs, scratches and chips have appeared, but you don’t want to part with the product. In this case, the restoration of old furniture comes to the rescue – a set of measures aimed at improving the appearance of products. You can carry out such simple procedures with your own hands.

Contents

1. Repairing light abrasions and scratches
2. Filming
3. Full restoration technology
4. Surface cleaning
5. Primer and putty
6. Painting
7. Lacquering
8. Decorating

902 21 Video

Restoration of light abrasions and scratches

If furniture products have partially retained their original appearance, however, scratches have formed on a small surface area – do not throw the item away. In this situation, it will not be difficult to restore the structure of the coating. You can do the necessary work with your own hands, using home tools and buying the necessary funds at the hardware store. Below are several options for restoring scuffed furniture coverings from different materials:

1. Lacquered wood – a special putty stick is used to restore the surface. It is sold in hardware stores, it is very easy to use. It is necessary to apply the product to the problem area, and then carefully remove the excess influx. To keep the product well on the tree, use a grinding pad: gently rub the substance inside with circular soft movements;
2. Light-colored wood treated with oil – when restoring old furniture with your own hands, it is worth using similar oil formulations. To begin with, the surface is lightly sanded, after which the product is applied using linen or other natural material. Lightly rub the oil with a cloth, evenly distributing it over the coating;
3. Other materials – it is unlikely that it will be possible to visually remove scratches from metal parts of furniture: the surface will be painted. Plastic elements are also better to paint over.

For wood, substances such as putty are often used – it is produced in liquid form and applied to the cleaned surface with a spatula. In addition, folk remedies used at home are widely used: walnut, honey, colored pencils. In order not to additionally damage old furniture with tools, check the effectiveness of the method in advance on an inconspicuous area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe product.

Walnut to remove scratchesOilUsing a special pencil

Pasting with film

Another simple option for restoring obsolete objects is pasting the surface with film. Such material today is available in various colors, textures, it can be matte and glossy. It is better to choose an option that matches the rest of the color of the furniture in the room.

Consider the algorithm of how to properly restore old furniture with your own hands using a film:

1. All fittings on the product are unscrewed to form empty work surfaces;
2. The entire coating must be clean: it is best to wash it first with vinegar and a cloth, then treat it with non-abrasive detergents;
3. If necessary, clean the surface of the furniture with sandpaper;
4. Cutting the film should be done with a margin: take 1 cm more material on each edge;
5. Before applying the film, the furniture board is sprayed with water – this must be done to increase slip;
6. After the protective paper has been removed from the adhesive layer, the film is applied to the furniture. Reconstruction in this way involves the use of a cloth: with its help it is necessary to smooth the film from the center to the edges in order to remove air bubbles;
7. If a bubble suddenly appears, gently pierce it with a needle to release the air.

After the film has been applied to the furniture, take an iron and iron the board through the fabric for better adhesion. The final stage is the finishing of the product and the installation of new fittings. A photo of furniture restored with the help of a film is presented below.

Cleaning the coating and repairing the cracksPriming the coatingApplying the film and removing the air with a roller

Full restoration technology

The reconstruction options mentioned in the previous sections help to restore the furniture to its former appearance if it is slightly damaged. They are not suitable if the products are significantly worn out and have many scratches. In this case, a complete restoration is necessary.

The process consists of several steps:

• Surface cleaning;
• Primer and putty;
• Painting;
• Varnish application.

Deal with each step individually.

Surface cleaning

The first step is to remove the old paintwork. For this, special washes are used, which are sold in hardware stores. Work with the product should take place in conditions of protection of hands, skin and eyes, as well as in a ventilated area. Let’s consider this procedure step by step.

Stage	Description
Preparation	Use a sharp object such as a nail to make the wash penetrate deeper into the structure. With it, apply a few scratches around the entire perimeter – so the tool will penetrate deeper and work more efficiently.
Application	Read the instructions before applying the cleaner to furniture surfaces. It should indicate what materials the product works with. With the help of a wide thin brush, it is necessary to gradually apply the remover to the coating. Depending on the previously used material, the washout exposure time will vary. If the veneer furniture was covered with polyester compounds, you will have to wait 1-2 hours. In the case of other materials, the exposure time will be 30 minutes.
Hold and flow	Repairing old furniture shouldn’t be expensive, so materials should be budget friendly. The wash consumption is 300 g per 1 sq. m. After the product has been applied, cover the furniture with paraffin paper.
Material removal	Once the waiting time has elapsed, take a spatula and remove any loose crust.

At the end of cleaning, use a solvent to remove the remains of the wash and the coating itself. The next step will be a complete cleaning of the furniture.

Use sandpaper or a soft disc grinder for this. The main goal, before restoring furniture, is to achieve a slightly rough surface.

Making some scratchesApplying a washCleaning the paint

Priming and puttying

The next phase of work will be priming and puttying the surface of the furniture boards. If this is not done during further operation, hooks, chips and pits may appear. If antique furniture is being restored, all manipulations must be done with care so as not to violate the integrity of the antique piece. The priming process consists of the following steps:

• Degreasing;
• Primer;
• Putty.

In the first stage, solvents or improvised means, such as alcohol or vodka, are used. A little money is dripped onto a soft rag and the perimeter of the furniture is completely processed, trying to coat the entire surface. The main thing is that the degreaser does not leave soapy residue, so you should not use detergents.

Restoration of old furniture must be carried out strictly in compliance with all stages and rules. In order for the putty to adhere reliably to the surface, it is important to prime it. To do this, it is better to use acrylic primer, which has increased strength and adhesion. The primer is applied to the furniture with a bristle brush, after which it is necessary to wait for it to dry completely.

When puttingtying furniture with your own hands, remember that the final finish must be smooth. Putty can be made independently using acrylic and chalk. If there is no desire, purchase a ready-made mixture. It must be applied to all visible pits and furniture chips with a rubber spatula. When the product dries, the surface is again treated with sanding paper. The number of layers of putty depends on the depth of the defects. All do-it-yourself furniture restoration options involve the following steps.

Degreasing Priming Puttying

Painting

Master class on furniture restoration requires painting. Before implementing it, it is important to apply the primer again: such a move will improve the adhesion of the surfaces. Consider the stage by stage application of paint on furniture:

1. Once the primer is completely dry, paint is applied to the surface. To do this, use a small bristle brush. Pay attention to the quality of the brush: it is important that the bristles do not fall out of the base. It is necessary to apply paint along the fibers of the tree so as not to disturb the appearance of the structure;
2. Allow paint to dry completely, typically 12 to 24 hours;
3. The first layer is passed with fine-grained sandpaper, small villi and all chips are removed;
4. Next, start applying the second layer.

Before further manipulations, it is necessary to wait for the product to dry completely. To work with restored furniture, it is better to use special paint and varnish compositions for furniture. Most often, these are enamels used for interior work on metal and wood. They have a low odor, are evenly distributed and do not leak when applied.

Varnishing

Varnishing furniture is not a difficult process if you follow these recommendations. For work, I often use oily, alcohol, epoxy and acrylic varnishes. The choice of composition will depend on the type of wood, the future load on the product, and the temperature during operation. Basic tips for applying varnish:

• The composition is applied only after the complete drying of the paint coating;
• Varnish should be applied in 2-3 coats, depending on the desired structure;
• To varnish the next layer, you must wait until the previous one is completely dry;
• A special brush, roller or sprayer is used for work;
• It is important to cover the product with a thin layer of varnish to avoid smudges.

Refurbished furniture lends itself well to further operations, such as decoration. How to do it yourself, you can find out further.

Treating the surfaceApplying varnish in several layers

Decoration

In order to decorate furniture, you need to decide in advance on the theme. This solution has many advantages: cost savings, the creation of an individual style, an independent choice of design.

To have an idea of ​​the possibilities of decor, let’s look at the techniques and consider design ideas:

1. Stencil – a great option for a child’s room – decorating furniture with stencils of butterflies, animals. The idea is very simple to implement, it does not require skill. All you need is to purchase or make a stencil yourself. To achieve a beautiful effect, it is better to use contrasting colors;
2. Decoupage – the technique consists in gluing the top layer of the napkin onto the prepared surface. If the selected plot is made in light colors, it is necessary to paint the furniture white in advance;
3. Craquelure – furniture can be reconstructed by giving it the effect of aging. For this, craquelure varnish is used, which is applied in 2 approaches after painting the products;
4. Mosaic – is considered a difficult decor option, but the result will delight everyone.