Checklist for Furniture Refurbishment

Wood furniture may just need a little bit of care to be able to refurbish it back to its former glory, but what items should be on a checklist for a furniture refurbishment project?

The first step to take is to clean the item of furniture. Once this has been achieved you will then need to examine the condition of the wood more closely in order to determine if there any scratches, dents or cracks, and whether or not the furniture has been lacquered, varnished or even painted. 

If the answer is positive to any of these questions then there are a number of essential items to put on a checklist and be sure to have acquired prior to commencing a furniture refurbishment. 

Brushes and paint

Choose a type of paint in a particular colour, depending on the particular wood that the item of furniture you are intending to refurbish is made from. It is important to ensure you have purchased a sufficient quantity of paint to be able to finish the job and to remember that two or even three thin coats may be required. It is also a good idea to ask staff members of the store you are purchasing your paint brushes from to make sure they are the best choice for the project. 

Sandpaper

One of the parts of an item of furniture that is often in need of refurbishment is draw runner as the draw may bind and become stuck. It is a simple matter to replace metal draw runners with new ones but wooden ones, particularly those that come with dadoes, may have to be restored while in place. 

These draw runners can be made to work again with the use of old-school woodworking techniques and paraffin. Items that will be needed for the refurbishment of old wooden draw runners include glue, a pin nailer, one-inch pin nails, sandpaper and paraffin wax. 

Sandpaper is also required to sand the furniture down in order to reach the original wood in addition to creating a rough surface to ensure paint and primer will be able to stick to the wood. 

Low-grit sandpaper will be needed for multiple paint layers, lacquer and varnish that is hard to remove, while high-grit sandpaper will also be required to remove thin varnish and paint layers and to make use of after the application of filler or wood putty. 

Primer and varnish

A primer must be used with a paintbrush prior to painting furniture. Primer helps the paint to stick better and makes sure that its true colour will be more strongly visible. A gray primer is recommended for use with dark coloured paint, while paint of a lighter colour will require a white primer.

Varnish is then applied to seal the paint and ensure the item is protected from outside elements. 

Anyone intending to embark on a project involving the refurbishment of furniture should have a checklist of things they will need to do in order to successfully achieve this goal before actually starting such a project.