Refurbishing furniture to its former glory can be a really rewarding task, especially when you get to enjoy the end result. It’s a labour intensive project though, so our experienced Taskers have shared their helpful tips on how to restore old wood furniture.
Tools needed to refurbish furniture
Before you get going with the furniture restoration, start by making sure you have the right tools for the job. Here’s a list of everything you’ll need:
- Workers gloves or rubber gloves
- Dust mask
- Protective eyewear
- Old cloths
- Soapy water
- Dust sheets to protect the area you are working in
- Paintbrushes
- Chemical stripper (if you furniture has old paint, wood stain or finish on)
- Sanding block or electric sander
- Wood filler and putty knife (if your furniture has dents)
If you are painting your furniture, you will need:
- Primer
- Paint
- Varnish
If you are staining the wood, you will need:
- Wood stain
- Wood finishing oil
- Wax polish
Time needed
Depending on whether you are restoring an old chair, an old table or something else, it can take 2 hours or more until the piece of furniture is fully refurbished.
Allow yourself lots of time to get stuck into the project and consider going back to it over a number of days if you are unable to complete the restoration in one sitting. Alternatively you can hire a skilled Tasker to take on the job for you.
Is it difficult to restore old furniture?
Restoring old furniture requires some determination, however it’s a fairly easy task if you have the right tools. There is some skill required when applying paint or stain and if you are working with antique furniture you will need to work extra carefully.
How to refurbish furniture
Read our step-by-step guide on how to lovingly restore your old furniture.
Step 1 – Clean the furniture
Begin by giving your furniture a proper clean with some warm soapy water and an old cloth. This will make it easy to see any potential damage or wear and tear that needs repairing. It will also give you a good base to work from.
Step 2 – Repair any damages
If there are noticeable dents in your furniture, use filler and a putty knife to repair the damage. You can find more info on how to do this in our guide for repairing scratched wood (link to blog post when live).
Step 3 – Strip the wood
If your furniture has any old stain, paint or varnish, it’ll need to be stripped before you can apply new.
Make sure you are in a well ventilated area and are wearing personal protective equipment, then coat the furniture with chemical stripper using an old cloth.
Leave the stripper to work for around 20 minutes before rinsing off with warm, soapy water.
Step 4 – Sand it down
Now the wood is clean, you need to smooth off the surface so that any new paint or finish can be applied evenly. An electric sander is ideal for this task as you can sand down all the areas quickly, however a sanding block and some elbow grease will do the job too.
Make sure to sand the wood in the same direction as the grain, then wipe off any excess dust before moving onto the next step.
Step 5 – Paint or stain the wood
If you want to paint or stain your wooden furniture, now is the time to do so.
If you are painting your furniture, you will need to apply a coat of primer with your paint brush first, then allow it to dry before painting on your colour.
If you are staining your wood, carefully apply the stain with a paintbrush. To avoid darker patches of stain in certain areas, you can also prep the furniture with a sanding sealant beforehand to ensure an even application.
You might need a few coats of paint or stain to achieve the colour you want.
Step 6 – How to refinish wood furniture
Last but not least, it’s time to apply a varnish, wax or water-based finish to your furniture (depending on the type of look you would like).
Use a paintbrush to do this and apply the finish evenly, before leaving it to dry. Wax can take 4-24 hours, water-based takes 4-8 hours and varnish takes 12-24 hours. This process will help to protect the wood and add a high-quality finish.
This step is especially important for restoring wooden garden furniture as it will extend its life and protect it from the elements.
As you can see, upcycling old furniture is quite an undertaking. If you’d like some help with your project or are looking for a skilled Tasker to take on the job, find the right Tasker for you today.
