Refinishing your wooden furniture is the best way to getting it looking like new, breathing new life into your home. It may seem like a complicated process, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. The hardest part is having the patience to allow the coats to finish drying.

Don’t toss out that beloved wooden furniture! Refinishing is a budget-friendly solution to restore its former glory.

Contents

Tools Needed For Refinishing

• Stripping agent
• Rags
• Paint brush
• Respirator
• Scraper
• Fine grade sandpaper
• Sealing and waterproofing agent
• Any staining or glossing products you wish to add

How To Choose The Right Stripping Agent

• If you wish to discover the original finish, apply denatured alcohol (a multipurpose solvent necessary for thinning shellac)
• If the finish is a water based polyurethane (tough-resistant man-made resin either water or oil based) denatured alcohol will soften it but not remove it.
• For varnish (a transparent, hard, protective finish made by combining a drying oil, a resin, and a thinner) or an oil based polyurethane it will not touch it.

5 Easy Steps For Refinishing Wood

Step 1: Stripping The Old Finish

Use a paint brush and apply a commercial grade stripper with a brush to the dry surface and let stand at least 10 minutes but no longer than 15 minutes. Check the bottle it came in for more precise directions on the timing. You know the stripper has started to take affect when you see the surface of the wood start to dull in colour.

Make sure you do this outside as the stripper will release a lot of fumes that may be toxic. If you have no choice but to do this inside, ensure it is well ventilated. Open all of the windows and doors and turn the fans on to increase the rooms airflow.

I recommend getting a respirator and periodically leave the work area and get a few deep breaths of fresh air. Keep children away from the area.

Step 2: Scraping

Now is the time to remove the old finish, its ok for the surface to still be damp from the stripper application. Use a dull scraper when removing it from flat surfaces and an old toothbrush (or similar) when working on curved surfaces or to reach into corners.

Wood used for furniture is often quite soft meaning it can be scratched and indented easily. Be very gentle when scraping so you don’t damage the wood. Do not use wire bristles or coarse brushed during the removal process.

Tip:

As you can see below, I usually opt to wrap a rag around the scraper. This helps to protect the wood and stops to scraper from leaving marks on the surface.

Step 3: Apply A New Seal

Lightly rub the surface of the wood with a fine sandpaper or extra fine steel wool and denatured alcohol. This ensures the old finish is completely removed and gives you a clean surface to works from. Make sure the wood is completely dry before proceeding. I like to use a soft cloth and a hair dryer to quicken the process.

Now apply a Seal Cote (a waterproofing agent) to the timber using a soft cotton cloth. Shellac is my preference for a sealer as a sealer as its easy to apply and to remove.

Step 4: Staining

When the Seal Cote is dry it is time to add colour. When using stain try it on the back side or underneath for colour testing to make sure you like the look. If not possible try it on a similar piece of wood.

Tips:

• Maple, cherry and pine will not absorb stain evenly and should be dyed instead.
• If a glaze is used putting coats on top of each other without drying in between causes smearing. Let one coat dry and then cover with a coat of spar varnish (An oil base blend of natural oils and synthetic resins) between each coat of glaze.
• Be sure surface is dry before applying next coat of anything except stain. Spar varnish should dry overnight or as directed on container.

Step 5: Glossing

When surface is completely dry, you can apply 2 coats of gloss varnish. Make sure you are allow drying time between coats and then finish off with a coat of satin spar varnish.

Refinish Furniture Without Stripping It

Before you commit to a total make-over of that wood surface, you may want to take a few different steps. First try applying Liquid Gold to the timber. If further repair is needed try Murphy Oil Soap applied with a paint brush for the flat surfaces and a toothbrush for crevices and wipe with a clean dry non-abrasive cloth. Follow this with some Old English Wood Stain from the cleaner isle.