Renovating wooden furniture - how to do it yourself?

Renovating wooden furniture is a great way to give it new life and change the appearance of the interior. We don't have to buy new furniture if the old ones, often made of solid wood, are solid and durable. All it takes is a little work and creativity to renovate old wooden furniture and give it a new character. But what is furniture renovation, why is it worth doing, where to start and how to do it yourself? We will find out by reading the article below.

What is furniture renovation?

Renovation of wooden furniture is a process that aims primarily to restore their original or changed appearance (if we like to experiment). Renovation may include various stages, depending on the condition and type of furniture. Most often it involves:

• Cleaning furniture from dust, dirt and grease,
• removing the old layer of varnish, paint or wax,
• repairing damage such as cracks, holes, dents or detached elements,
• sanding furniture surfaces to smooth them and prepare them for re-painting or varnishing,
• painting or varnishing furniture in a selected color or shade,
• adding decorative elements such as fittings, handles, legs or stickers.

Restoring wooden furniture – why is it worth it?

Restoring solid wood furniture has many advantages. Although it is a labor-intensive process, the results we see can be astonishing. For many, the main benefit of refinishing wooden furniture is saving money because we don't have to buy new furniture. In addition, we care for the environment by not generating waste and not using new resources. Moreover, we use the potential of old furniture that may have historical or sentimental value. We change the interior design at a very low cost, giving it a new style and character that will undoubtedly be unique. After all, by carrying out renovations ourselves, we develop our creativity and manual skills, while gaining satisfaction from the work we do ourselves.

Wooden furniture - where to start renovation?

Before we start renovating wooden furniture, we must first prepare properly. So what steps should we take before starting work? The first and necessary thing will, of course, be choosing the furniture that we want to renovate. It can be old furniture from your family home, found at a flea market or bought in a second-hand store. It is important that they are made of wood or wood-based material, such as plywood or chipboard. Then you should carefully check the technical condition of the furniture. Let's make sure they are not too damaged, rotten or cracked. If this is the case, we can of course try to repair them or replace parts, but in many cases, unfortunately, it will be better to refrain from renovating these furniture, because it may be impossible, and even if we succeed, they will not last very long. If our furniture has already been selected, it's time to decide on the final effect. To do this, let's think about what color or shade we want to give the furniture. We can paint them in one color or create an interesting pattern. Another interesting solution is to leave the natural color of the wood. Then it is enough to clean and varnish the furniture. Moreover, we can add additional elements to the furniture, such as fittings, handles, legs or stickers - all depending on the style we prefer. If we have already completed all these steps, it's time to start working. However, this will not be possible without the necessary tools and preparations. So what should we have at hand to start furniture renovation?

• Furniture cleaning agents, such as dishwashing liquid, vinegar, baking soda or a special preparation,
• sandpaper of various grammages or an electric grinder,
• wallpaper knife, spatulas or scrapers for removing the old layer of varnish, paint or wax,
• wood glue, nails, screws or clamps to repair damaged elements,
• paint or varnish for wood in the selected color or shade,
• brushes, roller or paint gun,
• decorative elements such as fittings, handles, legs or stickers.

Now that we have all this, let's finally prepare a place to work. It should be well lit, ventilated and protected against dirt. It may be a garage, basement, balcony or garden. Spread painting foil or newspapers on the floor to protect it from paint. Let's move the furniture onto it and remove all the elements that will not be painted. Then we can get to work!

Renovation of wooden furniture – should you hire a professional or do it yourself?

Renovation of wooden furniture is a task that we can do ourselves or outsource to professionals. Each of these options has its advantages and disadvantages. Below are some factors worth considering when making your final decision:

• Renovating wooden furniture can be time-consuming and require several days or even weeks of work. Therefore, if we do not have enough time or patience, it is better to entrust this task to professionals. They will take care of everything from start to finish and deliver the finished furniture within the agreed deadline.
• Renovating wooden furniture can be cheap, but also expensive, depending on how many tools and materials we have to buy or rent. If we already have everything we need (we listed the necessary tools in the previous paragraph), we can easily save a lot of money by doing the renovation ourselves. However, if you need to purchase many things, it may turn out that having the renovation done by professionals will be cheaper or comparable in price.
• Quality. Restoring wooden furniture requires certain knowledge and skills. If we do not have experience in this field, we may make mistakes or damage the furniture. This will not be a big problem in the case of furniture on which we train, but if we want to make sure that the furniture will look professional and aesthetic, it is better to entrust this task to specialists. They have the appropriate qualifications and equipment to perform high-quality renovations.
• Finally, we cannot fail to mention satisfaction. Renovating wooden furniture is also an opportunity to express your creativity and personality. Thanks to this, we have an influence on what the final furniture will look like, and we also derive joy from the work we do ourselves.