We understand refinishing wood furniture at home can be fun, but doing it properly is another thing, and for that, you need proper gear. Read along to learn everything you need for this.
First, the terminology needs to be laid out so that you will know what you are handling here. When we talk about refinishing furniture, it is the process of removing the existing finish and giving it a new one. This article talks about tools and supplies for this work only.
Then there is furniture restoration, which is at another level as it involves returning a piece of furniture to a state of how it was originally made. It can involve both refurnishing and some minor repairs to damaged parts. The last one is refurbished, which essentially replaces some parts of the furniture as they cannot be restored. When we talk about refurnishing, it is basically a low-tier job but still quite a skill-demanding job.
Your worn-out furniture deserves a new life, and doing so can be quite fun and rewarding, but you will be surprised how quickly you will find yourself stuck if you don’t have all the tools, supplies, and our tips and tricks, of course. Below are the must-have tools you need for refinishing wood furniture ranging from restoring a table of some sort, a sofa set, or your chair:
1. Scraper (a plastic or wooden one, great for removing stains and damaged varnishes)
2. Biodegradable chemical stripper (used instead of conventional scraper)
3. Denatured alcohol or mineral spirits (used before sanding to remove any stripper left on the surface)
4. Sandpaper from 120 to 200 grits or an orbital sander for large surfaces
5. Wood glue and filler along with clamps
6. Putty knife (helps application of fillers and glue)
7. Tack cloth (handy for removing fine dust)
8. Drop cloths (to protect from stain spills and wood grain)
9. Gloves (quite obvious)
10. Stain or paint (based on your furniture type, professional advice is needed).
11. Varnish or sealant (used to seal off your refurnishing work)
When it comes to sofa sets, you will need additional tools depending on the restoration type. If you plan to just do frame restoration, which is quite a common problem, especially with couches in living areas, then you need screwdrivers or Allen wrenches to unbolt the frame. If you are planning upholstery removal or repair along with its cushion padding, then you need to add these things to your list:
1. Staple Remover & Tack Puller (Needed when removing old upholstery fabric)
2. Scissors & Fabric Cutter (the upholstery fabric requires precise cutting)
3. Foam Cutter or Electric Knife
4. Measuring tape
5. Staple Gun (New fabric has to be secured with this.)
6. Webbing Stretcher (used to fix quite a common problem of sagging seats)
Another investment that you can consider making in these tools and supplies is a heat gun, which is extremely useful for removing stubborn finishes from the furniture. If you are planning to take your refurnishing to the next level or the furniture you are going to treat is just too big, then investing in a paint sprayer will save so much of your time.
Moreover, always make arrangements to let in natural light during your next routine of refinishing wood furniture. If that’s not possible, then you can always arrange bright artificial lighting to spot the imperfections even after you have stripped a finish.
Another common mistake people make during such tasks is that they skip the drop cloths and use plastic sheets. This can really be annoying during work and can actually damage your new furniture, as these plastic sheets are prone to shift or billow with the slightest breeze. One hard breeze, and these can easily end up unintentionally getting stuck against your new, shiny, refinished surface.
Speaking of furniture, investing in durable and premium-quality wood furniture is far better than occasional maintenance of a mediocre investment. The pieces from the Oak Furniture Collection, like the coffee tables, living storage, and dining tables, are made from pure American woods in their purest and best form, free from defects.
Woods like white oak, ash wood, and walnut wood are used in such pieces covered with an environmentally friendly oil and wax finish, which requires much less maintenance and refurnishing as compared to others. Like the Nardo coffee table, it’s definitely worth checking out.
