Wooden Furniture Restoration
A cost effective way to furnish a room is to buy wooden pieces at car boot sales or second-hand furniture shops. It saves even more money if you are able to do the restoration on these pieces yourself.
To start the restoration process, clean the piece thoroughly with warm soapy water. When the piece is dry, put on protective gloves and coat it with paint stripper, and then leave it on for the recommended time period so that it will completely penetrate the varnish (or paint). Use fine wire wool to take off the softened varnish, replacing the wire wool as soon as it gets clogged with material. When the varnish is removed, sand the piece with fine sandpaper, always working in the direction of the grain. Do this until all that is left is the original wood.
Wipe the wood down with white spirit using a clean, lint free cloth; this will serve to both remove any dust and neutralize the paint stripper. Do not skip this step because if the paint stripper is not neutralized it could negatively affect the new finish. Next, apply wood restorer to the entire piece with a clean cloth; this should be applied using a circular motion, and will help to get rid of marks and bring back the natural look of the grain.
There are a number of ways to finish off the piece including painting, staining, varnishing, oiling, or waxing it. Which finish you choose will depend in large part on the purpose of the piece. A piece such as a chair that will be used a lot will need a hardwearing finish, and in most cases should be varnished. A table may only require a few coats of wax or oil.
Whichever finish you opt for, follow the instructions on the packaging to the letter, and do not skimp on the number of coats you apply; along with making the piece look great, the finish helps to protect the furniture from wear and damage.