Restoration of old furniture: giving new life to a chest of drawers

Preparing the base

You can remove the old coating from a chest of drawers in various ways: using washing liquids or a hair dryer. Both options are quite effective.

Using flushing fluids

To remove old coating from the wooden surface of a chest of drawers, it is convenient to use removers. This may be the well-known drug Antikras-Universal. The optimal temperature for working with the composition is from 8 to 25⁰C.

To remove grease, it is necessary to treat the surface with a solvent, and to remove dirt, it is enough to rinse thoroughly with water. After cleaning the surface from dirt, treat it with a remover, then leave for 5–15 minutes.

When the paint begins to bubble and crack, you can begin to remove it. To do this you will need a metal spatula. Old paint must be removed within 2.5 hours. Otherwise, the remover will dry out, making it difficult to remove.

After the paint is completely removed, re-treat the work area with solvent.

Many substances are highly toxic or have an unpleasant odor. Do not forget to use personal protective equipment and ventilate the room well.

Using a hair dryer

In order to get rid of paint using a hair dryer, you need to heat the paint layer, moving from bottom to top. Due to the hot air, the temperature of the paint will increase and it can be easily removed with a spatula. This must be done with a hairdryer until the surface has cooled down.

Putty

After you have cleared the chest of drawers of old paintwork, it’s time to start puttingty. Wooden furniture often contains cracks, fallen knots, chips and other damage. Such defects must be puttied, otherwise after painting the chest of drawers they will come out. Acrylic putties are best suited, and they can be applied using a rubber or steel spatula.

Grinding

After puttying, the surface will have various types of unevenness and roughness. For this reason, sanding is necessary to remove visible imperfections. Sandpaper No. 160–200 is suitable for this. If possible, it is put on a grinding machine, and if there is not one, then the surface is leveled manually.

How to paint an old chest of drawers white

Most people can easily paint wood furniture, but have difficulty when trying to freshen up or change the color of already painted furniture. This old chest of drawers would fit perfectly in the hallway, if not for the dark stained wood and terrible handles. After cleaning it, painting it and changing the handles, the dresser looked like new.

Paint Primer Two brushes Two rollers Two paint trays Masking tape Newspaper Sponge, soap and water Sandpaper Wet cloth New pens Screwdriver *Note: We liked the semi-gloss finish, although it doesn't hide some surface imperfections that would be hidden well by a matte finish. If your furniture has a heavily scratched surface, we recommend using a matte finish.

First, wash the furniture with soap and water. Wait one to two hours for it to dry completely. Lightly sand the surface. We skipped this step because the surface was already quite worn. Use a damp cloth to remove any remaining dust. Wait until it dries. Remove all drawers and doors. Use a screwdriver to remove handles, hinges, door hinges, etc. Use masking tape to separate the areas you will not paint. If you're remodeling a cabinet with drawers, leave the sides of the drawers and the inside of the cabinet unpainted. If they are painted, the drawers may not fit freely when you put the cabinet back together and will not slide freely. Lay newspapers on the floor to avoid getting paint on them. Add some primer to the first paint tray. Use a brush to apply primer to the corners that the roller cannot reach. Using a roller, apply a thin layer of primer to the rest of the surface. If you use too much primer, uneven surfaces may appear when it dries. Wait a few hours for the primer to dry. In a warm, dry environment this will happen faster. In damp, cool conditions it will take longer. The dried primer is non-stick and should be smooth. Add some paint to the second tray. Use a second brush to apply paint to the corners. Using the second roller, apply a thin layer of paint to the remaining surface. Here, too, try not to overdo it. After a few hours, the painted surface should become smooth, dry, and not sticky. Apply a second coat of paint (repeat steps 11-13). Once the item is coated with one coat of primer and two coats of paint, you are almost done. Usually two coats of paint are enough, but you may need a third if you applied particularly thin layers or the surface is very damaged. Once everything is dry, install the new handles. Reinstall drawers, hang doors. All is ready!

DIY decor: 3 new faces for an Ikea chest of drawers.

Once in my life (4 years ago) I had the opportunity to upgrade a simple wooden chair from Ikea - as part of my participation in a decorating competition. Since then, the topic of modifying the furniture of this company has been haunting. In my opinion, it is good not only for its combination of affordable prices, wide range and modular variations, but also because there are very simple and cheap models made of natural wood. If you apply your imagination and a little effort to it, you can get a piece of furniture with a number of obvious advantages:

firstly, it still remains a natural, environmentally friendly piece of furniture; secondly, this will not happen to anyone except you; and thirdly, you can proudly say: “author’s work.” The author, of course, becomes you yourself. And create the design absolutely according to your wishes, adjusting it to the chosen interior style. To clearly show how this is possible, today I will show 3 options for transforming one simple chest of drawers - in all the details.

This theme can be developed further, and “dress up” tables and chairs, cabinets and shelving. But let's start with the chest of drawers: it has quite a lot of surfaces and fittings to allow your imagination to run wild. If you think this item is too difficult, try it first on a mini-nightstand

The purpose of the chest of drawers and its color

When choosing a design for a chest of drawers, it is important to consider in which part of the house you will place it: bedroom, living room, children's room or dining room.

Bedroom furniture should have many drawers of different sizes; such models are presented in abundance on the Ikea website. As a rule, the upper compartments are small and are intended for storing accessories and linen. The lower ones are more impressive and can accommodate bedding. If you attach a mirror to the tabletop, you can combine the chest of drawers with the dressing table.

It is better to choose calm pastel colors for this piece of furniture for the bedroom. These colors can be: beige, soft pink, white, milky, cream.

Chests of drawers for the living room have more of a decorative function. Such furniture is decorated with beautiful carvings or all kinds of inserts made of leather, rattan and even precious metals. The color palette should match the overall design of the room.

If the chest of drawers is intended for the kitchen, then models with opening doors and drawers are best suited. The color should be in harmony with the rest of the furniture in the room and the tone of the walls.

For a child's room, a chest of drawers with large drawers is suitable, in which you can put toys, books, pencils and all the accessories necessary for a child. This time you can experiment with the palette.

Stylish DIY furniture

The easiest way to repair old furniture is to decorate the surfaces in a modern style. With the help of simple techniques, used items can be given a modern look in different styles. Homemade kitchen sets and chests of drawers from the 30s and 40s of the last century will always find a place in country, shabby chic, Victorian and similar styles that imply not entirely modern details. Soviet products 50-70 years. will fit quite well into a minimalist modern interior. You just need to slightly change their standard appearance and restore the furniture in accordance with your requirements.

New life for an old nightstand can begin by removing dirt and old paint. Some amazingly elegant, exclusive handmade items have been repainted several times over the years. This completely deprived them of the attractiveness and charm of antique furniture. It is best to remove the paint completely, until the wood is clean.

Before updating old furniture, it is worth determining whether it is an overly valuable antique.

The same should be done if the cabinet was varnished. As a rule, the coating is in very poor condition. The easiest way to remove both paint and varnish is with a sharp knife, file and emery cloth. It is better to remove loose or poorly closing doors to replace the fittings.

If cracks and gouges are found on the furniture, then you need to make a special putty based on wood glue or acrylic resin. For 1 part of the binder you need to take 3-4 parts of small sawdust (if possible, even sift them). Cover the defects with this composition, covering the undamaged areas around the recess. After the mastic has completely dried (up to 48 hours), treat the surface with emery cloth stretched over a flat wooden block.

The beautiful pattern of peeled wood can give ideas for finishing without painting. In this case, you need to cover the product with a valuable wood stain. Dry the bedside table, add decor to your taste (painting, decoupage) and cover all parts with clear varnish. Install door and drawer handles in their original places; if necessary, you can replace them with more modern ones or, conversely, corresponding to the style of noble antiquity.

The easiest way to repair old furniture is to decorate surfaces in a modern spirit

How to choose the right paints and varnishes

The modern market offers the consumer a wide variety of paint and varnish coatings. How can an ordinary person understand the characteristics?

In order for the painting of a chest of drawers to be successful, and the result to please the owner for a long time, you need to choose dyes that are resistant to abrasion and mechanical damage. Oil or enamel coatings have these qualities, which are not suitable for restoring a chest of drawers. But, the best option would be acrylic compositions.

They have the following characteristics:

• no pungent odor;
• harmlessness;
• optimal price;
• ease of use;
• the ability to change color using tint;
• can be diluted with water.

Selection of materials and tools

To restore a cabinet, you should prepare everything you need in advance:

1. Sandpaper. It is also permissible to use a grinding machine. This will help give the surface an even and smooth structure.
2. Screwdriver and screwdrivers. They must be selected taking into account the diameter of the bolts. This will help you adjust the product and remove the fittings before cleaning.
3. Putty knife. The device is used to cover up chips and holes.
4. Paint roller. A narrow brush is also often required. These tools are used to update the surface.
5. Wood glue or PVA.
6. Set of self-tapping screws.

Additional accessories and materials depend on the selected technology. To decorate a cabinet using the decoupage method, napkins with a pattern are used. You will also need acrylic varnish. In addition, it is worth preparing a thin synthetic brush.

To restore an old cabinet, a primer layer, dyes, and masking tape are used. Wood putty is also often used. To use craquelure, you will need a varnish with the same name.

Painting of chipboard and plastic products

Restored furniture is not always made of wood. It can be made of chipboard or plastic.

To paint chipboard furniture, follow the same steps as for wooden furniture:

• removing old paint;
• putty;
• grinding.

You will have to apply paint to the chipboard surface in several layers to obtain an aesthetic appearance of the object.

Plastic products are best coated with acrylic paints or other water-based dyes. Brushes should be of good quality. It’s better to overpay and achieve the desired result than to save money and end up with damaged furniture, the surface of which will be covered with brush hairs.

We paint old furniture white or give life to unnecessary things

Often an old chest of drawers, chair, table or cabinet made of solid wood is very dear to us, like a memory. It’s a shame to throw them away, and they no longer fit into the new interior. Therefore, the task is to update it. How to paint furniture at home?

I suggest the most elegant, fresh color is white. Painting furniture is a great way to extend the life of old furnishings and equipment and give them new life.

For example, white distressed furniture can be finished in such a way that it looks very stylish. You will need to process the furniture in two stages:

• whitening;
• light sanding with sandpaper.

Wooden products made from solid wood are best suited for this purpose: oak, pine, birch, beech.

To work you should prepare:

• dark dye and white acrylic paint or two colors of acrylic paints;
• white wax candles;
• brushes;
• coarse and fine-grained sandpaper;
• textile;
• knife.

1. Clean the surface of the chest of drawers or chair from dust, wipe it several times with a damp cloth and leave until completely dry.
2. If the surface is painted, you need to remove the varnish layer with sandpaper (first coarse and then fine-grained).
3. Places that you want to highlight: carved decorations, slats, edges, should be covered with darker paint (brown and blue shades are ideal here). Leave the paint to dry.
4. To get an uneven and natural effect of worn corners, wax the areas previously painted with dark paint. The wax will make it so that the next coat of paint will not adhere tightly to these areas.
5. Cover the entire surface with white paint, preferably several times, with breaks to dry. Avoid stains.

6. Areas covered with an additional layer of paint and wax should be rubbed with a knife. Don't press too hard - this way you will get a good effect.

7. Rub the entire surface with fine sandpaper to level the surface.

Whitening with whitening paste

Bleaching using a bleaching paste consists of rubbing the wood with a special paste containing wax and pigment. The wood surface will develop distinctive white lines, making it look older. Porous wood is suitable for such bleaching - trees such as oak and ash.

You need to buy in the store:

• special paste,
• prepare paint in the chosen color,
• metal brush,
• hard brush,
• textile,
• a piece of coarse and fine-grained sandpaper.

1. Wipe the clean surface of a chair or chest of drawers from dust several times with a damp cloth and leave until dry.
2. If the surface is painted, you need to remove the varnish layer with sandpaper.
3. Paint the surface with paint and let it dry.
4. Using a wire brush on the wood, make tiny grooves according to the grain orientation.
5. Apply the whitening paste, fill the grooves well and wait for the paste to dry.
6. Wipe the surface with a dry cloth.
7. Cover the surface with varnish.

Express whitening

If you want to give a simple wooden stool new life, you can do it with a washed-off white paint effect. Nothing could be simpler.

1. Rub the wooden surface with sandpaper.
2. Using a brush, apply a coat of paint.
3. When the paint dries, remove excess paint with a napkin.
4. Coat the wood with varnish.

Painting furniture with acrylic paints

If you decide to repaint the chest of drawers with acrylic paints, then you need to choose the right tool. You can paint furniture with either a roller or a brush designed for working with such paints. It all depends on personal preference.

When going to the store to buy a tool, you should remember a few rules:

• choose only high-quality tools;
• To thoroughly paint furniture parts, you may need brushes of different widths.
• Even if you decide to work with a roller, it is better to handle small parts with a brush.

Before starting the process, the surface must be coated with a primer. Acrylic-based compositions are best suited. When choosing a material, you need to pay attention to three points: drying time, surface area to be treated and color, which should match the tone of the paint.

Apply the primer in a small layer and be sure to let it dry. After this, you can begin applying acrylic paint.

Restoration

Restoration is the longest and most boring stage, but at the same time the most important. You won’t do the splits without first warming up your muscles, will you? So the chest of drawers needs to be carefully prepared for the upcoming changes. Don't be alarmed - we have prepared step-by-step instructions for this process.

Stage 1. Internal examination of the chest of drawers. We remove and measure damaged boxes and parts in order to buy/make new ones.

Tip: take a close look at the handles and legs of the chest of drawers. If they vary slightly in shape or size, there's a good chance they were handmade. In this case, it is better to change all the fittings.

Step 2: Clean the surface with soapy water. For hard-to-reach areas, use an old toothbrush.

Stage 3. Remove the top layer of paint or varnish. To do this, apply acetone to the prepared surface and cover the chest of drawers with film or oilcloth for an hour to enhance the effect.

Stage 4. Remove any remaining paint or varnish with a spatula and carefully sand the surface with a sander. For small parts we use sandpaper or a sanding sponge.

Stage 5. Cover chips and scratches with wood putty.

Stage 6. Final. Cover the chest of drawers with paint or stain using a brush/roller. Then we coat it with varnish, and then apply one or two more layers of paint. The final coat of varnish remains until the bitter end. Then fanfare sounds and fireworks are heard.

Tip: when choosing a color, be guided by the style and color scheme of the interior. Muted shades and pastel colors are suitable for the bedroom.

Furniture varnishing

If the chest of drawers was made of solid wood, then its surface can be varnished in several layers. You should choose the coating responsibly; the result of the work will depend on it.

There are special varnishes designed for working with furniture. You should not take shiplap varnish or the one intended for the floor. These compounds can ruin the appearance of a piece of furniture.

There are two types of varnishes: water-based and solvent-based. It is better to choose the first option, as it does not have an unpleasant odor. This makes it possible to work without personal protective equipment. In addition, these compounds dry quickly.

Master class on chest of drawers restoration

On thematic resources, connoisseurs of old things and those who like to create something with their own hands will find wonderful master classes. The videos show how to restore and restore an old chest of drawers, provide detailed step-by-step instructions, talk about the necessary tools and materials, and reveal the features of decoupage.

You can get many ideas for decorating furniture from master classes.

Master classes will help you do everything correctly, in the required sequence.

Decorating a chest of drawers yourself is a great opportunity to show your artistic taste and create an updated and completely unique interior object. A simple thing can be turned into an example of almost any stylistic direction.

Thanks to the art of decoupage, you can turn a simple boring thing into a unique art object.

Unusual ways

By showing ingenuity, imagination and creativity, you can decorate the chest of drawers beautifully, unusually, individually. The result of your efforts will be an original item that has no analogues.

Idea No. 1: Flower meadow

This design will fit perfectly into a bedroom or the interior of a country house.

To work you will need:

• wallpaper with large floral print;
• furniture handles made of glass or acrylic;
• pencil;
• ruler;
• scissors or stationery knife;
• transparent PVA glue.

From a sheet of wallpaper you need to cut out a piece with an allowance of 10 cm. Glue it to the front of the chest of drawers, tucking the edges inward. To avoid swelling of the wallpaper and the formation of wrinkles, the sheet must be carefully smoothed with a dry cloth or a special spatula. When the surface is dry, coat with clear acrylic varnish.

After waiting for the inside to dry completely, carefully make a hole for the handle. In the same way, you can glue linen or cotton fabric to a wooden surface.

Idea #2: Stencil Lettering

This chest of drawers is suitable for laconic interiors and children's rooms.

To work you will need:

• stencils with letters;
• light paint for wood;
• brushes

After painting the chest of drawers, you should wait until the color dries completely. Then apply the stencils to the surface, draw letters and words in a contrasting color. To secure the effect, coat the top with clear varnish.

In order to turn an old chest of drawers into an interesting interior element with your own hands, no special skills are required. The main thing in this matter is patience and creativity.

Preparatory work stage

All parts to be painted must be prepared. Procedure:

1. Clean the part. Previous layers of paint and varnish materials should be removed. Small parts that can be detached are best removed. Elements can be aged or replaced with retro analogues.
2. Sand the surface, eliminate unevenness by first applying coarse-grain sandpaper to the surface, then fine-grained sandpaper.
3. Remove excess dust or dirt from the surface.
4. Apply a layer of antiseptic primer. This is protection against rotting and mold formation, and on metal – against corrosion. The primer will promote greater adhesion of the paint to the decorative element.
5. There is no point in putting putty on the indentations on the object. If the item is in perfect condition, without chips or pits, it is better to apply them artificially. Cracks will add authenticity to the item; antique doors look organic or when we paint a table with our own hands.
6. The preparatory work is completed - the main work can begin. Initially, it is worth experimenting in hidden areas to check the aesthetic result.

Interior designers use a number of techniques for artificial aging of household items, selecting them based on practicality and aesthetic factors.