Refinishing Old Furniture
That in itself could save you hours of work as sometimes after cleaning you might find that all a piece needs is retouching.
Refinishing old furniture. This one step stain and finish product transforms furniture without the need for stripping the old finish. Sanding is probably the safest way to remove the old finish though there are lots of chemical products that would probably work fine too. But there s a lot to know when it comes to taking on a diy furniture refinishing project.
Kevin says it s hard to believe but it s perfectly ok to wash furniture with soap and water. Before refinishing you need to clean the surface thoroughly. After clear coating let your finished piece fully cure in a warm dry well ventilated area for 24 hours before use.
If you refinish it you ll get that really beautiful old tiger oak grain that s golden in color how complicated is the refinishing going to be. If cleaning an unpainted piece hand cleaner containing pumice used with a toothbrush to get into crevices works well. Decide whether the old finish should come off or if a thorough cleaning will do.
After cleaning you will know better what you are working with. Perhaps a rejuvenating coat of varnish will bring it back to its original luster. Kevin recommends liquid ivory dish soap mixed with water.
Refinishing is an easy low cost way to bring out natural beauty in wood furniture and make fine details shine. My cedar chest didn t have its original aroma when i removed the gold finish but they do sell cedar oil you can rub into the wood to give it an aroma again. Occasionally heat guns can also be used for stripping and are sometimes helpful with the removal of a stubborn finish.
Thoroughly clean the surface with a wood cleaner or wax remover to see if you can salvage the present finish. Removing the old finish is the most time consuming part of refinishing wood furniture. It s a creative and rewarding diy project that can provide you with eclectic and high quality pieces for your home or office space.