Rather than purchasing new furniture, you may want to consider restoring your old furniture. Restoring furniture can be a simple and inexpensive way to make it look like you went out and bought new furniture without having to spend the extra money on something new. You can brighten up your home for a fraction of the cost by refinishing your existing furniture. Does this Spark an idea?
Painting or Staining Furniture
Prior to applying paint or stain to older furniture, it is a good idea to strip off the old paint or stain. Stain can be difficult to strip off, so the best way to remove an old coat of stain is to use a rough piece of sandpaper initially and then a fine-grade sandpaper to finish the job. After sanding the piece, wash it down with mineral spirits to remove any excess debris, and then the piece will be ready for paint or stain.
To remove paint there are many different kinds of chemical paint removers that are safe to use. Clean the surface with soap and warm water prior to applying the paint stripping compound. After the paint is stripped you can clean the piece with mineral spirits to remove excess debris, and the piece is ready for paint or stain.
Fill in the Cracks and Holes
One of the extra steps you can take to make your furniture restoration project successful is to fill in the holes and cracks to make a clean surface before you refinish it. Remove the old stain or paint as referenced above, and then use wood filler to fill in the holes and cracks. Allow the wood filler to dry overnight. If a hole or crack did not get completely filled in with the first round of wood fill, then do another layer of wood fill to finish the job. The next day, use a piece of fine sandpaper to level off the wood fill, and it should look like the cracks and holes were never there. Then apply paint or stain.
Kitchen Cabinets
A new set of kitchen cabinets can be very expensive. If you are happy with the layout of your cabinets but not the look, then refinish your kitchen cabinets to get the look you want without spending the money for new cabinets. Strip the paint off the cabinets and then stain or paint them the color of your choice. Replace all of the cabinet hardware with new hardware that you can get at any home improvement store. When you are done they will look like brand new kitchen cabinets but at a fraction of the cost.
Tags: paint stain, kitchen cabinets, look like, wood fill, applying paint, cabinets look