Best Finish For Antique Furniture

Sometimes the wood doesn t need its existing finish stripped away.

Best finish for antique furniture.

Every piece of furniture whether new or antique needs a finish but no single finish is right for all situations. To restore the sheen on satin finishes rub with 0000 steel wool and paste wax. Wipe off the old dissolved finish with a clean soft cloth. Before diving into stripping the finish off your wood dresser table or chairs you ll first need to decide whether it should be stripped at all.

Determine if washing or stripping the finish is best. Whether your piece is new and unfinished or old and has a worn finish sanding is the first step to create a clean surface before applying paint. Antique furniture comes in all different styles and pieces. Using an orbital sander roughen up the surface.

To remove an old finish use a steel wool pad to scrub antique refinisher into the surface. Instead protect it by applying the absolute best clear coat for furniture. In cracks and crevices use a sandpaper block or sheet of sandpaper to remove any old finish and prep the wood for painting. Although at least 10 varieties and more than a dozen brands of finish are available all can be divided into two categories.

For gloss finishes use auto polishing compound and a rag. Perhaps a rejuvenating coat of varnish will bring it back to its original luster. Generally speaking oil finishes are eco friendly food safe and non toxic. Protect the stripped surface with a coat of stain polyurethane.

If cleaning an unpainted piece hand cleaner containing pumice used with a toothbrush to get into crevices works well. Large scratches and worn edges. After the polish dries sand flush with 600 grit sandpaper. I ve tested 7 of the most popular top coats and compared reviews to find the best protective finish for your next furniture project including the best chalk paint top coat.

Decide whether the old finish should come off or if a thorough cleaning will do. Deciding when to refinish antique furniture. Where a clear finish is chipped but the underlying color is intact fill the ding with a few drops of clear nail polish. 5 of the best oil finishes for wood furniture.

Penetrating finishes those that dry inside the wood and surface finishes those that dry on the surface of the wood. Understanding how to assess the quality of antique furniture and how to care for it can make a difference when selecting a piece. Glue and clamps for repairing and reinforcing furniture. As far as maintenance is concerned wax finishes are best polished with a dry cloth or a little additional wax.

August 28 2019 december 1 2019 riley farabaugh furniture buying guides furniture care. For the other finishes that have a hard surface a little lemon oil preferably with beeswax will brighten and deepen the color. Oil finishes are commonly used on wood furniture and kitchen utensils. Different types of wood craftsmanship and finishing materials contribute to the individuality of each piece.