Introduction
Everyone has a few old pieces of furniture that they simply can’t let go of. Maybe those furniture pieces have memories attached to them, they may be an old heirloom or are too valuable. If any of them are broken, you can hire a professional to fix them by searching for “furniture repair near me”. On the other hand, here’s how you can make them look new.
The Ways
- Strip old finishes – It’s best to avoid this one if you have asthma or any other respiratory issues. If you don’t have such health issues you can create an amazing new look for your old furniture by stripping the old finish. You don’t need to spend much either. To pull off this job, you’ll need a chemical stripper. Note that chemical strippers with higher strength are usually more toxic. Apart from the toxic chemical, you’ll also need safety goggles, a respirator with unused filters, a work apron, scrapers, brushes, and steel wool.
Make sure to shift the furniture piece to a well-ventilated garage or to an outdoor location. Make sure you have equipped yourself with all the above-mentioned safety gear and remove the hardware on the furniture piece. Brush the chemical stripper on the furniture and the paint should start bubbling up. Use steel wool and scrapers to remove old layers of paint. After that remove the residual chemical stripper from the furniture by applying a coat of denatured alcohol or mineral spirits.
- Stain wooden pieces – If you have old furniture made of solid wood, staining them can provide better results than painting. Staining solid wood furniture brings out the gorgeous grain pattern and can even change the entire look if you decide to replace the light stain with a darker finish. For this job, you’ll need a few tools. You need a wood conditioner, rubber gloves, sandpaper, soft cloth, the wood stain of your choice, and some PU varnish.
Follow the above-mentioned method of stripping the wood furniture. After that, use sandpaper to smoothen the furniture piece and vacuum away all the dust. Before you apply the wood stain make sure to coat the furniture with a wood conditioner. This helps with a smoother finish. Next, rub the wood stain evenly on the furniture with a soft piece of cloth. Let it dry and apply another coat. Repeat this process till you are satisfied with the color, grain texture, and finish of the furniture. Finally, apply an even coat of PU varnish to protect the stain.
- Whitewashing – Another great way of giving your furniture a new faded look is by whitewashing it. This lightens the wood without making the beautiful grain pattern disappear. It’s a subtle and refined look that goes well with white walls and light minimalist decor. For this job, you’ll need sandpaper, copper brushes, soft rags, liming wax, primer, and clear wax or clear PU.
To start the whitewashing process, you need to rough up the wood surface with a brass or copper brush. This helps the whitewash to stick and seep into the wood surface. After that, smoothen the furniture with sandpaper and wipe away any residual dust. To lighten the wood, you can mix primer and water or simply use liming wax. Apply the primer solution with a soft rag. If you’re using liming wax instead of primer solution you can remove excess wax with the help of fine steel wool.
After the liming wax is applied you can seal the wood surface with clear wax. On the other hand, if you’ve used a primer or liming solution you can wipe off excess liquid with a clean and soft rag. Once the furniture piece dries off you can seal it with a PU coat.
- Reupholstering – Reupholstering furniture for a new look is one of the most rewarding and challenging DIY projects you can take. It takes some patience and will to learn new skills. Before you decide to take up such projects, watch as many videos and read as many books as possible on the topic.
When you take apart the furniture for reupholstering, click images at every step. Otherwise, you’re going to have a very hard time figuring out how to put it back together. It’s also important to check for structural issues before reupholstering the furniture. A broken leg or worn-out springs aren’t easy to fix and should be left to the professionals.
- Milk Paint – This is one of the most organic paints you’ll find on the market. As the name suggests, the paint is truly made from milk. The paint comes in powder form, and you mix it up before applying it to your furniture. The best thing about achieving this look is that you don’t have to worry about toxic paint fumes. Moreover, milk paint can be customized to all sorts of colors and can be used on both finished and unfinished pieces. However, a furniture piece painted with milk paint looks vastly different compared to one painted with regular paint.
- Spray Paint – There’s another way of painting your furniture and it’s extremely easy. However, for this one, you’ll need to be equipped with proper safety gear. From rubber gloves and painter’s mask to safety goggles. If you plan to re-paint an outdoor furniture piece, choose a formula that’s made to resist the elements and the paint finish will last for a long time.
Before you start repainting the furniture, move the piece outside or to a well-ventilated room. Clean the furniture thoroughly, scrub off rust and scruffs and allow it to dry off. Finally, wear safety gear and spray paint the furniture with even strokes. Several light strokes will allow you to cover the furniture evenly without any excess paint dripping off the surface.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are numerous ways of making your old furniture look new. From staining wooden pieces to upholstering chairs and couches, you have numerous options. However, if your furniture is broken, you can get it fixed by professionals by searching for “furniture repair near me”.
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