Teenie's Tooltime!
Posted by Denise (Teenie) Clark on 6/14/2011
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Throw away the Honey Do List and do it yourself…I love to take old things and make them look new again. The project that we are tackling today is furniture refinishing! This can be challenging and take some time, but the rewards far out way the hard work. First step, go on the hunt for the perfect piece that needs some TLC. Start at home and think outside the box. Last winter, I restored a stereo cabinet that had been in our basement for 25 years. It belonged to my husband’s grandmother and was about 65-70 years old. I took out the parts that were no longer working and made shelves inside it. Now it is a cabinet that stores some of our china in our dining room. A garage sale is another place to pick up a one of kind piece to refinish. Recently, I found a great deal at an antique booth market. The market has several booths all under one roof and everything is negotiable. I love a bargain! Let’s get started with the furniture.
Tools you will need:
TIP – the right tools make the job easier and successful
Hand sander
Sand paper
Furniture Refinisher (to strip the old finish) – I prefer Minwax Brand
Steel wool (medium coarse- stripping and fine coarse - finishing)
Stain – wood finish that seals
Polyurethane finish – I like the Satin finish
Screw driver and hammer
How to:
Place plastic and newspaper under furniture (well ventilated area)
Take off hardware
Take out drawers
Pour refinisher into glass container preferably a bowl
Dip steel wool into the refinisher, squeeze out excess and begin rubbing it in a circular motion on the furniture
Keep applying refinisher until completely stripped. Use hand sander to get excess refinisher off and sand the furniture down to the bare wood
When it’s completely stripped, apply stain with a stain brush or I like to use a soft rag
Let stain dry until it is not sticky to the touch – can take a few days if humidity level is high
Apply polyurethane – let dry overnight
Using fine coarse steel wool – gently rub onto the finish and reapply polyurethane. This will ensure a great finish
Put hardware back on after completely dry or replace with new hardware for a different look
Before After
Have fun with your project!!
Teenie (aka Denise Clark)
