Useful tricks for furniture restoration

Useful tricks for furniture restoration

It is possible that after moving with https://www.flashmoving.net/household-movers/ you will find a variety of furniture. There will be new acquisitions, and furniture received as a legacy, and that which was left by the former homeowners in case you want to use it. In other words, a set of incongruous styles that no interior designer can handle. But do not despair, because you can make sure that all the furniture has something in common, and it fits into a single space. You can paint it, change some parts, or use it for another purpose so that your home decor matches the same style.

Before you start any kind of furniture makeover, you should evaluate whether it needs to be restored at all. A little trick to see if the result will be worth the effort is to count the pieces of furniture that you think need to be changed. It is better when the number of items to be restored does not exceed the number of those that can be left as is.

To get started, prepare a set of basic tools for restoration: screwdrivers, brushes, screws, sandpaper of various types, rags, spatula and washcloths.

It is better if the place to work with furniture is in a room where there are no sources of strong heat or cold. It is preferable not to work outdoors, as wind and sun can damage the furniture and interfere with the wood staining process. Don’t forget to wear a mask, gloves, and even goggles, especially if you’re using grinders.

Furniture must be thoroughly cleaned before starting work. A damp cotton cloth with a drop of neutral soap will be enough to clean furniture in exposed and hard-to-reach areas.

When the furniture is completely dry, you can begin to remove the factory paint or varnish, the condition of which seems unsatisfactory to you. The process is painstaking, but not difficult. Apply paint remover with a brush and scrape off with a spatula. Repeat as many times as necessary until the old coating is completely gone. After that, it is necessary to clean the furniture with a rag and solvent. At the end, go over the surface with fine-grained sandpaper.

If paint remains on decorative elements or corners, go over them with a hard-bristled toothbrush moistened with solvent.

To repair dents that appear during use, place a cloth soaked in hot water or milk on the damaged area and fix it with adhesive tape for several hours. After this time, the original form will be restored.

Natural wax or putty are ideal for masking scratches and scuffs. Fill them in with a spatula and then sand. Repeat the operation several times until the defect disappears completely. Then, paint the area with wood paint that matches the color to restore the uniformity of the original shade.

In order to replace one part with another, you must first remove any adhesive residue that may remain from the original part. Glue new ones, fixing them with clips or ropes. You need to leave them for 24 hours for reliability and the best result. If you just want to glue the original piece and it can’t be separated from the piece of furniture, apply colorless glue on top.

You can also change doors, drawers and hinges. Make sure the new parts fit. If new drawers don’t slide well, add a little soap to the rails or lightly sand the sides and the problem will be solved.

Reupholstery is another way to give an old piece of furniture a new look. If the fabric fits the interior of the house, but is dirty, it can be dry-cleaned, like any other clothing, and re-drag the piece of furniture. Carefully remove any old nails or paper clips and secure the upholstery with a special furniture stapler available at any hardware store.

If the paint on the furniture is worn out, but you do not want to throw away the object itself, just sand and clean it, and then paint with a soft brush in a similar color. To achieve a more saturated shade, it is necessary to apply several layers. When painting furniture, it is important to find the right paintwork according to the type of wood.

To make the furniture finish more shiny, it can be varnished or applied with an additional layer of dye or shellac. To maintain the shine, you need to apply any of these products once or twice a year.