Antique furniture has a certain quality that modern mass produced pieces lack. Sometimes you are lucky enough to find a beautiful antique piece at a bargain just because the finish is worn out. You can easily refinish antique furniture to a natural or raw wood finish. Just follow the steps outlined below and you can be the proud owner of a conversation piece of furniture.
ACHIEVING A RAW WOOD FINISH
- Start by cleaning the piece. Use a damp cloth to wipe the piece thoroughly. You don’t need to use any soap or chemicals at this stage. Just ensure that you get all dust and grime off.
- If the piece has previously been painted, you need to apply paint stripper at this point. Paint Stripper speeds up the refinishing process by making the paint easier to scrape off. This will also cut down on your sanding time. Use a gel stripper and let sit for about 5-10 minutes before scrapping.
- Then comes the part that requires real labour. You have to sand the entire surface of the piece. Ideally some 60 grit sandpaper will do the job well. It is important to ensure that you use fresh sandpaper and replace it every time it gets too cruddy or used. Sanding the furniture down is the most crucial part and your end result depends largely on how well you complete this step. The time and elbow grease you invest in this step is worth it. If you find that sanding large areas manually is too taxing and time consuming for you, go now and purchase an electric sander. It will make your life easier.
- Sand around the edges and other tricky areas. Again you should use 60 grit sandpaper with a mouse sander. Try your best to get the corners cleaned off.
- Clean the piece the best you can to get rid of all the sandpaper dust. First, brush down the piece with a stiff bristled brush, and then wipe it down with a damp cloth or rag. This step is important specially if you are planning to seal the piece.
- Finally use a polyurethane spray or clear wax finish and apply it to the piece to seal and protect it. This process may affect the colouring of the piece and make it slightly darker, but this finish will save you from the worry of water damage or damage from any other products or spills.
ACHIEVING AN AGED EFFECT
- As with prepping a piece for the raw finish, you have to start by cleaning the piece. Use a damp cloth to wipe the piece thoroughly. You don’t need to use any soap or chemicals at this stage. Just ensure that you get all dust and grime off.
- If the piece has previously been painted, apply paint stripper at this point. Paint Stripper speeds up the refinishing process by making the paint easier to scrape off. Use a gel stripper and let sit for about 5-10 minutes before scrapping.
- Sand the entire surface of the piece. Ideally some 60 grit sandpaper will do the job well. It is important to ensure that you use fresh sandpaper and replace it every time it gets too cruddy or used. Sanding the furniture down is the most crucial part and your end result depends largely on how well you complete this step. The time and elbow grease you invest in this step is worth it.
- Put on a pot of tea. No seriously brew some strong tea by using the ratio of two teabags for one cup of boiling water. Make sure you brew enough tea for the size of your project. Then let the brewed tea rest for one day.
- Get some fine steel wool rip it up. Then place it inside a large glass jar with a tight lid. Any grade steel wool will do but the finer it is the better that will be for you as it will disintegrate quicker and the solution will oxidize sooner. Cover the steel wool with some synthetic white vinegar and cover it tightly. Let the solution sit for at least one day or till the steel wool has disintegrated.
- After you have waited the requisite time, wipe down the surface, and then brush it liberally with your brewed tea. Let dry. Tannins in the tea help darken the surface after you apply the oxidized vinegar solution.
- After the tea coat is mostly dry, apply a coat of the vinegar and steel wool solution. Leave for about an hour. The wood will start to gradually change colour and turn grey.
- Repeat the tea coat and the vinegar and steel wool solution coat. Let the board dry completely.
- This finish makes your antique wood pieces look exactly like aged, weathered wood!
