You’ll need to know how to refinish chair once you’ve purchased one. Striping, staining, and sanding are three actions in refinishing. Although, it depends on the kind of chair you have.
Refinishing a chair is easy and can be done in the presence of your home. You don’t need to always hire a professional to do the job. Well, unless there is a severe issue that needs to be fixed.
Reconditioning A Chair
Extend your chair’s lifespan with sandpaper, stripper, and some cleaning materials. Use this guide to spot the essential materials you will need for this project.
It’s essential to get your materials right, so check their availability in your homes first. It’s wise to avoid immediate purchases in a store if materials are already available in your home.
Gather your materials and prepare for refinishing. Choose a place that will be easy to clean and accessible to you. A garage is often ideal for these tasks.
Step #1. Clean chair
Mix some dishwashing soap with lukewarm water and use this as a cleanser. Wipe the cleaner all over your chair.
Other items can also be used to produce your own cleanser. Avoid harsh ingredients that can alter the color of your wood, such as bleach and other strong chemicals.
Make sure that you remove all impurities in the wood. These impurities can include oil, residual dust, and dirt. Remove them from all of the chairs’ nooks and crannies.
After wiping, get another towel or cloth to dry the chair. Choose fabrics that can absorb water well to make your job quicker.
Step #2. Apply initial fixes to the chair
After cleaning the chair, more impurities can come to view. Scratches, paint residues, or holes in the chair are easily mendable.
For scratches and nicks, you can use sandpaper and sand them. Medium-grit sandpaper is recommended for this task.
Apply wood putty or filler for holes and deep scratches. Use a stick to apply it evenly and also to guarantee a neat task. Leave it to dry and sand it to smoothen.
Once finished, you can proceed by putting the primer in your chair. Use a thin stick or cloth if there are narrow parts in the chair. Let it fully dry before continuing the next step.
Step #3. Strip the chair
Stripping a chair is most dangerous for the one doing the task. You need to protect your eyes, skin, and lungs. Suit yourself with goggles, masks, or long sleeves if you are going to do this task.
However, stripping needs to be done under some conditions. One of these conditions is if it’s previously painted or it’s very beaten up. You can also strip if the chair has many nooks and crannies and if you want to lighten its color to look fresh.
Don’t strip your chair if you only got a few dents or scratches. You also don’t need to strip if your chair needs a lot of wood filler. There is also no need to do this step if you’re planning on repainting it.
Decide if you need to strip your chair and do it with proper precautions. If it isn’t necessary, you can skip this step.
Step #4. Sand your chair
Use 180-grit sandpaper to sand your chair. Doing this would remove the stripper and residues of the old stain altogether. Wipe it clean using a cloth to remove the sand from the chair.
Step #5. Apply the stain
It is wise to use staining sponges in applying stains. It can provide more control than brushes can do. Although you can use what is available in your house.
Rub stain in the direction of the grain. Don’t rub across it because it needs to blend in. Use a light hand in applying stain and avoid overlapping ones.
Leave your chair for a while and let it dry itself. Sand the chair using finer sandpaper before applying the second coat of stain.
Step #6. Seal the chair
You are finished with the project! What’s only left is to seal it completely.
Use a brush-on sealer or spray and let your chair dry. The sun is a good helper in these tasks, so doing this step can take longer for damp areas.
Is It Worth It To Refinish Your Chair?
You don’t need to refinish every chair you find in your home. Some chairs need replacements too. Besides, not all can be repaired with our own hands.
First, antique chairs need professional eyes and hands in refinishing. Doing it without proper knowledge can result in further damage to the property.
You also need to consider the chair’s structure and sturdiness. Shake your chair back and forth to test its sturdiness. You can also place books on it and see how it supports weight.
Some chairs need to be repaired by professional carpenters. Inspect them first before starting a project to avoid facing severe issues. Save yourself from the trouble!
Conclusion
Do you still have questions on how to refinish a chair? Reread the article and follow the steps carefully.
Your chair is never too late to blossom. Take your time to refinish it, and its glow would be visible once more!