Wood furniture is a staple of any home interior, but time and frequent use can weather away its charm over the years. If you have worn, old wood furniture in your home, you can rescue it through furniture refinishing! You could consult a professional group of furniture restorers to do the job for you, but if you’re a creative, hands-on type of person, why not tackle a project on your own?

Furniture restoration can be a fun DIY project, and it’s incredibly satisfying to see the results of your labor once you’ve finished. There are many different ways to restore or refinish wood furniture — here are 7 fun ideas to get you started on your refurbishing project!

Install New Hardware or Legs

Updating or swapping old hardware or table/chair legs can be the perfect finishing touch on a project or just a nice way to add a little flair to a piece of old furniture. Consider installing new knobs, hinges, drawer pulls, and other types of hardware.

The nice part about updating hardware is that it’s cheap and faster than a full-on DIY furniture project. If you don’t want to drill holes for new hardware, a simple coat of spray paint, some wax buffing, or just a good cleaning can also make old hardware look brand new.

Polish and Clean

Clearing your furniture of dirt and grime can help bring out the wood’s natural charm and beauty. There are a couple of ways to approach cleaning and polishing. For more general, routine cleaning, soap and warm water can do the trick. Use dish soap and a microfiber cloth to gently scrub away dirt and residue on furniture, especially immediately after a spill or mess occurs.

You also may want to polish your furniture as a protective measure. Polished wood doesn’t absorb liquid as easily, so one of the benefits is that polishing makes your furniture more stain-resistant. This will help preserve the beauty of the furniture.

You can polish using wax, a ball of steel wool, or a sanding tool like a sanding block or power sander. You can take things a step further by buffing. Buffing a surface removes the brushed/lined surface of polish and creates a brighter, more lustrous appearance.

Re-Upholster Old Chairs or Sofas

Sofa or chair looking a little worn down? Update old furniture with a new look by re-upholstering them. Transform the back of an old chair by covering it in a contrasting fabric in a bright color or interesting pattern.

Choose your fabric carefully— avoid stripes or certain patterns for rounded furniture, as this can stretch out and ruin the pattern. If you have animals in your home, be mindful of choosing more durable fabrics a pet won’t be as likely to scratch or tear up.

Also, keep in mind that upholstery is a significant project to take on! The first step in upholstery is choosing the right furniture. Here are some things to consider when deciding what furniture is worth your time:

• Check the bottom frame. The furniture best for this type of project will be sturdily built with strong corner braces.
• Look for any damage that needs to be addressed before upholstery, and test to see if it rocks back and forth.
• Know what brand or company the furniture is from. Brands such as Vaughan-Bassett, Henredon, and Hickorycraft are examples of reputable brands known for durable furniture.

Apply a Coat of Stain or Paint

This is a go-to method to refinish wood furniture for a reason; staining or painting a is straightforward and easy way to restore antique furniture or bring life into faded wood.

Before you begin staining or painting, make sure you sand first using fine-grit sandpaper (the best utility-grade sandpaper). This will give your surface a rough finish ideal for helping paint, stain, or primer stick to the wood.

You can also use chemical strippers to get rid of an old paint job before you go in with a fresh coat. Paint stripper is an important part of creating a more workable painting surface.

Once your wood is fully stripped and prepared, it’s time to decide if you want to paint or stain it. This choice comes down to personal preference, but generally, paint is best for covering up flaws while stain gives a more natural wood finish.

When it comes to stains, you have a lot to choose from! There are oil-based stains, gel stains, water-based stains, and more. Take your time looking through all the options of different stains to find the one that works the best for your furniture.

Attach Appliques

Appliques are an elegant and stylish touch to your furnishings — and they’re cheap, too! Depending on whether you want the applique in wood or metal, they can cost anywhere from $10 to $30. Shop around at hardware or home stores to see what’s available in your area, or look online for custom-made appliques.

It’s easy to attach one once you’ve got the right applique. Simply mark the area you want to attach in pencil, spread a small amount of wood glue on the back of the applique, and place it over where you marked in pencil.

Embellish Old Surfaces

Drawers, cabinets, dressers, and pretty much any sort of wood furniture can be enhanced with embellished designs! You can add small design touches to introduce pops of color in a room, or transform the whole thing with painted details. You don’t have to be a master artist for this fun project, either — there are all sorts of beautiful stencils available at your local craft store suitable for furniture, or you could try using furniture/ wall stamps to imprint interesting patterns and images.

(use stencils, furniture stamps, etc.)

Repair Furniture with Polyutherane Foam

Using polyurethane foam for home improvement is a popular choice for those looking for an excellent way to insulate their home, but it can also be used to seal and repair furniture. Before applying the foam, make sure you’re working with a clean surface.

Then, you can apply the foam. Silicone Depot’s Expanding Foam Sealant comes with a nozzle that allows for a more precise application of the product. Polyurethane foam is a great wood sealant and an ideal choice for touching up nicks, gaps, holes, and unsightly cracks in furniture.

Make Your Wood Furniture Last Longer with Silicone Depot

We hope this list has given you some ideas for your next DIY project or even inspired you to take up refurbishing some of your own old furniture. Furniture refurbishment isn’t rocket science — it’s an art anyone can take on with the right amount of time, patience, and practice.

Of course, it’s also important to have good products for the process, too — that’s why Silicone Depot is dedicated to offering the highest quality home improvement products at affordable prices. Shop our website for a wide variety of sealants, caulking, and accessories to help you on your next project!