How do I restore painted wood furniture?
Question:My bedroom furniture is wood, painted black, and the dresser and nightstand have a light cherry stain on the tops. The pieces are fifteen years old, but high quality and in great shape. Everything just needs a little cosmetic work. Do I need to actually refinish the pieces? If not, what can I use to clean the painted surfaces and the stained wood? I'd like to get the furniture to look as new as possible!
I have never done anything other than wipe them down with a cloth, and I am definitely a novice at any refinishing (or anything DIY in general).
Any answers are much appreciated!
Answers:
If you want restore the natural wood look you have to refinish it. I refinished my stairs with Citris Orange Paint Remover. You let it set and it bubbles the paint. Then you scrape off paint and lightly sand then polyurethane it. Or you could contact your local antique dealer and ask them. What would be the best way to touch up the furniture. Could be something simple. If it has a dull look and you haven't tried Murphy's Oil Soap.
To restore is to refinish. To clean is to clean.
To restore, strip it, sand it and stain/paint it.
To clean, get some pinesol.
God Bless
Furniture refinishing is a touchy subject because of all the materials and finishes involved these days (or even 15 years ago). There are all sorts of products out there for the DIYer to perform fills and touch-ups on "gently" worn furniture. Look in the stain, paint or refinishing aisles of your local hardware stores. Full refinishing would come in to play if the topcoat is so worn down that the stain or wood is exposed. Also bear in mind that a lot of modern furniture is veneer over MDF and particle board. One way to be sure of what you're getting yourself into is to take out a drawer; look at the back of it and see if the edges are solid wood. My guess is that they are, given the age and condition. Knowing what you have and how it's finished will also play into what's best for cleaning. Again, take a drawer out and bring it with you to the hardware store. This will be the easiest way for a salesperson to figure out what will best suit your needs. Good luck!
rent a commercial pressure washer and pressure wash it. I just did my deck and it looks good as new
Before you do anything as harsh as sanding scraping or stripping please give this a try. Go to your local hardware store and ask for some Min wax furniture polish. It comes in a tin like car wax, but it is designed to rejuvenate wood finish without having to strip and refinish the furniture. It has always worked well for me.
You could buy some varnish if it looks that bad or get
some liquid gold or baby oil will shine em up.
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