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12 products to help you refinish and refurbish old furniture
12 products to help you refinish and refurbish old furniture
Megan FosterMar 5, 2019, 21:48 IST
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Anyone who recently moved into a new home or refurnished their space knows that buying new furniture can be enormously expensive.
But with products like wood polish, paint medium, and a little elbow grease, you can fix or salvage your old furniture, giving it a totally new look or improving on its condition.
As an avid DIY-er, I rounded up some of the best and most useful products you can use to restore your household favorites or cheap thrift finds.
Whether its your phone or your canned goods, everything you purchase comes with a shelf-life. Though we'd like to believe our material objects are made to last a lifetime, some things - like your old lunchbox - should probably be disposed of at some point in time. Tossing a $2 can of beans isn't cringeworthy for most, but when it comes to large or expensive items that cost more out of pocket, the disposal process becomes more difficult.
Take furniture, for example. People spend hundreds (if not thousands) of dollars on quality pieces only to see them damaged from everyday use - leaving owners with the option to toss their pricey investment pieces or to let them linger as defective additions to their otherwise decent-looking room. Though there is the option of buying new, what are you supposed to do with the old furniture? I know enough people who would rather sleep on a broken bed than carry a new one up five flights of stairs.
Through a little research and personal experience, I found a dozen ways to completely refurbish old furniture. The best part about all these projects is that they're all pretty simple to carry out and they all cost way less than investing in a brand new piece.
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These 12 products can help you refinish and refurbish old furniture, countertops, and more:
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This scratch cover is an ideal solution to obnoxious surface-level scratches in dark-wood furniture. Though it does not fill indentations, it polishes wood and hides visible scratches by staining them to match your original piece. The formula is intended to be permanent to keep your furniture looking pristine for an extended period of time.
Why should you use it?
This 12-ounce bottle is rated 4.5 stars out of 5 on Amazon and for a good reason. Customers have left tons of before and after pictures of their projects in the reviews section and have claimed that their heavily worn furniture was left looking rejuvenated and remarkable after use.
This glue is the perfect solution to broken cabinets or trimmings that have become detached. It works like a normal glue, takes 24 hours to completely cure, and is versatile — meaning you can use this stuff for all types of indoor or outdoor projects.
Why should you use it?
It seems that no matter what type of item Gorilla Glue releases, the products live up to their esteemed standards. I've used it for home decor projects like creating baskets for my desk supplies and the glue bonded the wood without ever creating a mess or coming loose.
Brushing over old paint might be the easy route, but without stripping the previous layers, you will deal with chipping and accelerated wear. This solution removes paint, urethane, enamels, sealers, and other coatings prior to the application of new layers — so that you can properly prep your surface.
Why should you use it?
There are multiple ways to remove paint, but this option is biodegradable and does not release toxic fumes. One user left a review explaining they had to strip all the floors in a house that was built in the 1950s, and they found that the paint remover was able to quickly break down the finish without the harmful or headache-inducing smells we've all come to expect from products like mineral spirits.
This glass cleaner is best used for tough-to-remove residue on glass, stainless steel, fiberglass, ceramic, or composite surfaces. A lot of times, it's hard to notice residue on surfaces until the build-up is too stubborn to remove. This formula allows you to wipe off that unsightly film on appliances, sinks, showers, or countertops.
Why should you use it?
Reviewers have ranked this product almost five stars out of five and have said that the product worked when no other cleaning solution would do the job. Typical glass cleaning tasks only require a small amount of solution, so the eight-ounce size will last you a long time.
Countertops can change the look of an entire room and this kit, which allows you to paint on a new finish, will make altering your kitchen a simple task. Giani created its paint kits to revamp old or unwanted countertops to make them look new — and you can choose an entirely different look than the one you currently have (including a marble option, available at The Hope Depot).
Why should you use it?
Avid users have said that the paint is easy to apply, provides good coverage, looks like a high-quality product, and that the instructions were simple to follow. Giani also makes multiple colors so that the customer is provided with a wide variety of options.
This pack of wood polish is made with light mineral oil used to give wood a natural-looking glow. It should be used when wood begins to look dull or needs some extra shine. The solution actually provides protection to defend against regular wear like fingerprints, food spills, watermarks, candle wax, or other daily mishaps.
Why should you use it?
This is another Old English product that is used and loved by many. There are multiple reviewers who have said the polish make their old furniture look new again, and one buyer said that after application, it brought out a natural color in the wood that they hadn't seen in the past.
A small knick in a wood surface can ruin the entire piece. This putty was created to repair and rebuild wood by curing to the same density of the wood after applying. The best part about this product is that it comes in a conveniently sized stick that can fix even the smallest of furniture imperfections.
Why should you use it?
Even first-time repair-ees have said that they were successful when using this product. With sanders, people often experience a mess, but this product can fill small cracks without unnecessary residue, dust, or stripping.
This crafting essential is perfect for refurbishing your drab upholstered chair. I was unaware that upholstery could be painted, but according to Ananda, blogger from A Piece of Rainbow, doing so is a pretty simple process. This medium can be mixed with your favorite color paint so that the painted material stays soft to the touch.
Why should you use it?
DIY devotees have said that this fabric medium mixes well with paint and acts as a perfect bonding agent to the fabric. One reviewer used the Martha Stewart Crafts medium on a 10-year-old patio cushion and was thrilled with the results of her newly painted seating arrangement.
Not every spray paint was created equal, and the proof is in this protective spray paint from Rust-Oleum that offers additional defense against future rusting. It can be used for indoor or outdoor projects and is perfect for hiding imperfections like scratched or pitted metal. It also comes in a ton of colors, including bronze for an antique look.
Why should you use it?
I will be the first one to tell you that this product deserves the renowned ratings it has received from buyers. This spray paint has a neat hammered texture and worked wonders on my rusted wrought iron table and chairs that were used outside on my patio. The furniture looked severly neglected, but with a couple coats of the Rust-Oleum paint, it looked as though it was just purchased from the store.
Shoes, car seats, and belts will all benefit from a few swipes of this product, but this leather cleaner is particularly ideal for your dull household couch. The concentrated formula, when mixed with water, can be used to remove oil, stains, and dirt from leather without being too abrasive.
Why should you use it?
Over 1,000 Amazon buyers have agreed that the Leather Honey Cleaner deserves its top rating of about 4.5 stars out of five. After a couple cycles of some gentle scrubbing, reviewers said that their stained leather chairs and couches looked like they were just delivered from the store.
Primer is essential for any painting project. Without it, topcoats cannot properly adhere to surfaces. Over time, painted surfaces that don't have a base primer will experience early chipping — meaning the time and effort you put into your project will go to waste.
Why should you use it?
Kilz, a painting company that has been around since 1954, is known for its reputable primers. I am a long-time fan of the products and have used the primer in multiple projects from painting a glass vase to painting the walls in by bedroom. I find that it goes on smoothly and that it dries in a timely manner — perfect for when I'm in a rush.
For only $30, you can actually melt the paint off your furniture. It might sound unsafe, but this TackLife gadget provides a simple solution to tough-to-remove paint. This can be used to strip the surface of small or large items — and with seven temperature adjustments, it can even be used to light charcoal, shrink PVC, or remove rusted bolts.
Why should you use it?
One buyer said that they were not expecting the heat gun to live up to the great reviews, but that they were extremely impressed with the product. Reviews have said it feels comfortable to hold and that the quality is top notch.
