Getting Started

Decorative Do-It-Yourself Furniture Refinishing

As the famous saying goes: “One man’s junk is another man’s treasure.”  Refinishing furniture is a great way to use your imagination and create something new with your own hands.  The best part is finding a sad looking item for next to nothing and turning it into one of the finest pieces in your home.  When someone asks where you got that fantastic looking piece, you can proudly proclaim that it is a one-of-a-kind creation.

Where To Find Furniture

Decorative furniture begins with a piece that inspires you.  Consider an old cabinet, a dining room table, a chair, or anything that looks like it has potential to be something beautiful.  Where do you find these pieces and what do you look for when you get there?

When looking to reuse old furniture, second hand stores or thrift shops are a gold mine.  Most of the items in these places are gently used and are relatively inexpensive.  They also carry everything from bathroom organizational stands to entertainment units for your rec room.  Auction sales and garage sales are great resources for turning someone else’s junk into treasure.  Another added bonus to these places is that there is always a chance that you will find genuine antiques hidden amongst the various items for sale.  Reclaim stores and even the local refuse site have items that should not be ignored.

Nice Piece of Furniture

Furniture manufacturers, cabinetmakers, carpenters, and door manufacturers will have several items that you can use.  These places often have partially completed or finished products that have flaws or were refused by the customer.  However, this does not mean that the piece is unusable.  Many times, especially in production line facilities, these places have products that were finished with the wrong stain or were built the wrong size.  These pieces are not only brand new, but they can be purchased at highly discounted prices.  These companies are also a good place to get scraps of genuine hardwood and exotic woods as well as moldings and trim.

It is also a good idea to check retail stores.  Furniture stores often have damaged furniture or unmatched pieces that can be purchase at a fraction of the cost.  The only thing wrong with these pieces is scratches or dings from being on the show floor or from being transported.  Big box stores also have items that have been damaged or returned from the customer.

Choosing The Right Piece

The most important step in furniture refinishing is to find an item that you can fall in love with.  If you can look at the item, close your eyes, and envision what it will look like when you are done with it, you have found the perfect furniture item.  Without an idea or inspiration, you will struggle to complete the project and end up being displeased with the outcome.  Television shows, magazines, and the internet are wonderful places to see what others have done and collect various ideas.

The purpose of the piece is also an important factor.  It will not only have to look great in your home, but it will also have to fit into your space.  If you need a coffee table, for instance, the item needs to be at a comfortable height.  The piece also needs to be the correct size.  If you measure the amount of space you have available in your home, you will know whether the piece will fit.

wood furniture that’s ready to be furnished

How you plan to finish a project and what type of furniture you want will dictate what type of material the item should be made out of.  For example, stain does not work well on MDF (Medium Density Fiberboard), but paint looks smooth and even on this type of wood product.  Items made of solid hardwood are generally easier to repair and are more durable.  Some wood furniture might also be made of an MDF or plywood and covered in veneer to make it look like real hardwood.  Veneer is actually wood that has been finely peeled off the log and attached with glue.  One word of caution with this product:  gouges and deep scratches can be difficult to fix when they go through the fine layer of wood.  Water, heat, and age can cause the veneer to bubble and lift.

Metal furniture items either need to be in good condition, or made of a material that can be welded or altered.  It is also important to inspect the piece for rust or corrosion.  If it is too deep, the item might be beyond a basic repair.

Couches, loveseats, and other upholstered furniture are also great items for furniture recycling.  Since you generally will be recovering them, the condition of the fabric itself is not that vital.  The springs (if it has any) and the foam in the cushions should be in decent shape.  You can also add foam into the cushions if you need to, but it can be an expensive option.  Also, check to see if the legs are broken out and that the wood frame in the inside is in good condition.

The furniture item also needs to be in workable shape.  You need to asses the entire piece and make a quick list of what type of repairs need to be done.  How is the finish?  If the finish is old and flaking off, it really makes no difference since you will be taking it off later anyway.  What you need to look for is whether the chips, gouges, and marks go into the wood.  If they are any stains or burns, will it be possible to remove these or are they too deep?  Most chips and gouges can be repaired later on, but not if they are too serious (like a saw taken to a tabletop.  If they are seriously damaged, is there something you could do to cover it up?

Look at how the piece is made.  Missing pieces can potentially become an expensive problem later on because you will have to find some way of fixing it.  You will need to have a replica made to replace it, or if you are lucky enough to have two similar pieces, you can use the parts from one to finish the other.  The other option is to see if there is some way of changing the design to make it work.  Loose legs, spindles, and mullion bars (wood that goes into glass frames) are generally a quick and easy repair.

When choosing an item for your furniture refinishing project, take your time and choose wisely.  If you find the right piece, the idea of what to do with it and how you would like to finish it will come to you quickly.  To keep the costs of your project down, you want to find a piece that requires as few repairs as possible.  In many places, you can even haggle on the price to save yourself some extra money as well.

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