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How to Restore and Sand Your Old Furniture at Home?

Antique Furniture Restoration Melbourne
Antique furniture restoration in Melbourne or sanding old furniture isn’t always a designer or woodworker’s work. You can also give your table-top or old chair a new finish in your way. It would seema hard and time-consuming task, but it is not.  Depending upon the old furniture, you can do it by following some simple steps. 


If you wanted to refurbish the old furniture, first you need to gather some supplies.


List of supplies:

  • Paint stripper
  • Paint Brushes 
  • Scraper
  • Sandpaper
  • Wood stain
  • Rags or tack cloths 
  • Rubber gloves
  • Polyurethane
Now, when you collect all the tools and materials, consider a separate area where you can start your work. After placing your favourite chair or table, start the process step-by-step:

  1. Clean the surface

    Cleaning the dirt, oil and grease from the old table or chair is the foremost step. Remove it by using a damp cloth on a smooth table for table refinishing in Melbourne. If you don’t clean the surface, it will be grinding with the wood while sanding, which will make it difficult to smooth processing.
  2. Sand the surface

    For the first sanding process, use the coarse grit (60-100 grit) to remove varnish on your furniture piece. You need to search which sander is perfect for this task.Sand out all the sides and top surfaces. Make sure to replace the sandpaper whenever it is worn out. Also, put some drop sheets on the floor to avoid getting messy. Don’t forget the safety equipment during the process.
  3. Remove the dust

    During the sandpapering process, your table or chair will fully be filled with a lot of wooden dust. Well, an antique restoration in Melbourne can't be done without dust. It is better to clean the dust with a brush regularly. It will help you keep watching how much sanding is needed more on the surface.
  4. Continue the sand process

    You need to continue the process of sanding with coarse-grit until your table or chair is back to its bare wood. And, also, continually replace the sandpaper when it is worn out. 
  5. Smoothing down with fine grit

    Once the bare wood comes out, change the grit of the sandpaper. Use between 220-240 grit sandpaper for the next sanding process. But remember to remove the dust as in the last sanding process.
  6. Wipe with turpentine

    After sanding and brushing down all the dust, wipe the piece with turpentine. It will remove all the remaining dust and residue on the surface top. But, while using the turpentine, put on your dust mask for safety.
  7. Apply the first coat of varnish

    When your table or chair dries out, apply the coat of varnish. Make sure that there will be no lumps in it. Use a paint brush to apply the layer on the surface and make sure to go with the grain. Deeply examine the edges and joints while working over them so that there will be no runs. If there is any, smooth it down with the help of a brush. Leave it for some time to dry out thoroughly. 
  8. Gently sand the furniture

    When your furniture’s surface is dried out, gently scrub it with light grit sandpaper or a fine sanding block. It will give a glossy finish to the top. Rub out all the dust after sanding.
  9. The second coat of varnish

    Now, apply the second and last coat of varnish. But before using it, stir it well. Use the paint brush again to apply varnish in long strokes and follow the grains. Sit for a while and let it dry completely Antique furniture restoration in Melbourne is a little careful task when it comes to varnish.
  10. Apply polyurethane coat

    Once the varnish coat is completely dry, it is time to apply the polyurethane coat to protect your wood. You can also use wax or Tung oil for this.  However, polyurethane is a modern-day finish used for almost everything. The coated finish protects the wood from water damage and likewise. Old wood is prone to damage and this step is necessary.

    Let the coated finish dry, and then your job is done with the fantastic piece of a wooden table or chair.

How is this DIY task more amusing?

Doing table refurbishing work at home and by yourself is such an enjoyable task. No doubt, it is a little time-consuming, but it saves your money on professional handling. Whether you want to do the old table or chair repair in Melbourne, you will get a handy of tips to get the job done, and it is simply creative. 

You can do it on your leisure day and use your knowledge to refinish the old wooden furniture. After, you can place the table or chair in your desired area and decorate it with some other objects like putting a plant, books or any antique piece over it. Surely, this DIY task will make your day in the end.

The final word

Most people think of throwing or selling out old wooden furniture when they are of no use. Some of them may think to refinish it from the professional woodworker. But if you have one at your home, it is not necessary to go for an expert only. With some simple steps given above, you can give your old wooden piece a fantastic new finish. Only take some precautions and go by each step manually.