Outdoor & Garden Ideas
Furniture Refinishing Basics For The Average Person
One of the most common means of furniture restoration is furniture refinishing. Refinishing furniture can breathe new life into pianos, tables, chairs, cabinets, bookcases, jewelry boxes and other items that have started to look a little bit worn.
With any furniture restoration project - and furniture refinishing is no exception - there are a few things to consider. First, you want to think about whether or not you can do it yourself. You may be thinking, "Why couldn't I tackle furniture refinishing myself? All it takes is a few hours, some sandpaper and new stain." While in many cases this is true, some furniture restoration should be left to the pros.
For example, piano refinishing isn't the same as refinishing a jewelry box. Many large pieces - pianos, armoires - are far easier for professionals to restore and refinish. Another furniture restoration project that may be better suited for a professional is refinishing chairs. You may find that, for these projects, hiring a professional will cost less and take less time than if you were to do the projects yourself.
Another professional who you may want to consult before taking on a furniture restoration project is an antiques appraiser. While refinishing furniture you bought new can help give the piece more character or even help you to sell it for a profit at a yard sale, there are rare and collectible pieces of furniture that will lose value if they are refinished. When you've bought an antique dining room table, coffee table or cabinet, furniture refinishing could lower the value of the piece and you may want to look into a thorough professional cleaning instead.
If you are only looking at refinishing furniture that is newer or that has sentimental value, you may choose not to consult with a professional. In that case, it's often best to get right into the project on your own.
To start your furniture-refinishing project, it's often best to find a spot that won't be noticed as a test site. In this spot - low on the back of the piece or on the bottom - you'll want to start the furniture refinishing by removing a small portion of the current finish. Doing so will let you see what you're up against and how hard will it be to remove the current finish from the furniture.
The answer to that question will vary some. Simple surfaces like a table will be easier to refinish than a cabinet with intricate corner work. Using a furniture stripper and a scraper will make it easier to remove a painted or varnished finish than merely using sandpaper. Once you've determined how to best remove the old finish from the furniture, the next step is to work outdoors (when possible) to remove the old varnish and paint.
Furniture refinishing, however, is not just about removing the old finish. Refinishing furniture requires stripping the old finish and then preparing the surface for a new finish by sanding the surface and wiping down the sawdust that sanding stirred up. Only after the surface has been prepared can you start the final step in this furniture restoration project: applying the new finish.
Refinishing the furniture, therefore, means knowing what the new finish will be. For some, the goal of refinishing furniture is to strip off color, get back to the natural wood and apply a clear finish that shows off the item's natural beauty. For others, furniture refinishing is a matter of taking the wood to a darker shade - staining pine so that it takes on the color of cherry or mahogany wood.
Still others look at furniture refinishing as a chance to bring color to their table, desk, bookshelf or bureau. When refinishing furniture, many are likely to choose a colored stain followed with a topcoat of varnish for sheen. Another common choice people, who are looking for color, make is to select paint that matches the room or provides the contrast they are looking to achieve in their room.
Furniture restoration, after all, is a personal choice. Refinishing furniture gives you a chance to create a new look without going out and buying something new. For those inclined to take on little projects on their own, refinishing furniture can be a great way to spend a weekend - and have something to show for their time, for years to come.
21 of 30 Review For Dionysius Diamond Stool
Joanne ( 2020-Dec-21 )
VERIFIED BUYER
★★★★★
Great. Sturdy bench . Excellent value for money, the whole family loves it. Service fantastic too as delivered the day after ordering.
Steven ( 2020-Jul-09 )
VERIFIED BUYER
★★★★★
Looks amazing! The quality of the material just comes through in real life much better than in photo.
Maria ( 2020-Dec-10 )
VERIFIED BUYER
★★★★★
These are very cute and exactly as pictured though they are TINY. I don't even have a plant that will fit in here. Just keep that in mind when buying them. Otherwise, they seem well made.
Stephen ( 2020-Jun-07 )
VERIFIED BUYER
★★★★★
Lovely set and good value for money. Only reason for the missing star is some of the paint was chipped.
Anonymous ( 2020-Oct-11 )
VERIFIED BUYER
★★★★★
These are a perfect wall accent for a smaller space. I put succulents in them and they fit perfect!
Eddie ( 2020-Nov-05 )
VERIFIED BUYER
★★★★★
Well packaged, individual bags of nuts, bolts, and instructions easy to follow. Feels solid and looks good.
Anonymous ( 2021-Jan-30 )
VERIFIED BUYER
★★★★★
Easily assembled. Very robust. Fitted all cushions from our 5 seater corner sofa and two slim sunlounger cushions. Looks good too.
Maria ( 2020-Dec-12 )
VERIFIED BUYER
★★★★★
Quite tricky in places to assemble. Suggest starting with the table or stool. The corner units have a very awkward couple of bolts to tighten. Do assemble loosely before tightening up as suggested, the rattan is slippy. That said you do get some spares and a set of nifty tools to assemble with though an extra couple of heads for the Allen key ratchet would be useful. The cushions are very lightweight so will probably blow away in a brisk breeze. Also the fabric is very synthetic feeling. That said the foam seems comfortable. Overall looks good and the suggested cover is very well made and substantial
Angela ( 2020-Aug-22 )
VERIFIED BUYER
★★★★★
Bought at request of 84 year old mum, bit orange for my taste but she loves it and enjoys sitting with a cup of tea in the sunshine
Welch ( 2021-Feb-28 )
VERIFIED BUYER
★★★★★
Still putting this piece together, but just from the assembly I can tell it will be sturdy. The wood color is beautiful and just as pictured. My 10 year old daughter helped me assemble the frame - the instructions are very easy to follow... we should have the bench assembled tomorrow and be swinging away in no time. Really looking forward to my new porch swing.
Edmea ( 2021-Mar-19 )
VERIFIED BUYER
★★★★★
I got the cement and brass. I wish I had gone with the gold and white. Too gray.
R ( 2020-Aug-26 )
VERIFIED BUYER
★★★★★
Very quick delivery on these planters. I ordered 5 medium and 5 smaller planters and all but one arrived undamaged. Took a photo of the damage and another was sent immediately. Very pleased with the look of these items and price paid. Had to drill drainage holes in the bottom which was fine but they look good and I like the fact that they have inserts which means you don't need to fill two thirds of each planter which saves a lot on compost. Put some rocks/bricks in the bottom part so that it is not top heavy. Very pleased with the service and product
L ( 2021-Mar-12 )
VERIFIED BUYER
★★★★★
Quality and weight so much more premium than I was expecting! Super items!
Cheryle ( 2020-May-03 )
VERIFIED BUYER
★★★★★
It's no frills, simple straight forward product. Once it arrived it felt a bit smaller than expected even though I have measured and used the measures provided. We bought it to be a window seating bench but it is a little bit too narrow for that which makes it uncomfortable so would not recommend for that use. Overall good product, arrived well packaged and with no damage at all.
Eva ( 2020-May-29 )
VERIFIED BUYER
★★★★★
The kids constantly had their helmets, baseball gloves etc all over the deck at the cabin. I ordered this stylish storage bin so I didn't have to look at it. It looks great on the deck and serves as an extra seat too! It was super easy to put together and just looks like another piece of furniture!
Farooq ( 2020-Aug-09 )
VERIFIED BUYER
★★★★★
A very nice, strong bench with a lovely colour! Recommend! But the only criticism I have is that the screws to fit the seating area (i.e., from under the bench) should have been with the other long screws that are fitted with the Allen key, not the tiny screws provided.
Brad ( 2020-Jan-25 )
VERIFIED BUYER
★★★★★
Great Box room for so much and pleased with purchase. |Not to difficult to put together if you follow the order
Susan ( 2020-Sep-01 )
VERIFIED BUYER
★★★★★
Good value for money. Received them quite quickly after ordering. Good service all round.
Emma ( 2020-Jun-01 )
VERIFIED BUYER
★★★★★
Great chairs! Much less expensive than on Serena and lily and I can’t tell the difference.
Anna ( 2020-Jul-26 )
VERIFIED BUYER
★★★★★
We are extremely pleased with our porch swing purchase. It arrived in a timely manner and it was very easy to assemble.
Anonymous ( 2021-Jan-24 )
VERIFIED BUYER
★★★★★
Great Product easy to put together, the compartments are a little small and larger shoe sizes are a struggle to get in, but other than that it looks great in the living room.