A piece of wooden furniture with a protective coating, over time, loses its shine and finish. To make it look beautiful again and bring back the shine, you need professional furniture refinishing in Peoria. Make your antique furniture look brand new again with reliable Peoria furniture refinishing.

Do you want to know how to refinish furniture? Here are the top things to know about furniture refinishing.

• Clean the Furniture

Before refinishing furniture, start with basic cleaning. Cleaning is done to remove the dirt, grime, and dust from the furniture's surface. Wipe the entire surface of the furniture with cloth and a mixture of warm water and dish soap. Rinse off the furniture with a damp sponge and dry it with a microfiber towel.

• Do an Overall Assessment

Examine the furniture and determine if it needs repairs. It helps you to figure out if any additional supplies such as wood filling compound or epoxy putty to fill cracks or gashes are required.

• Remove the Paint or Varnish

Scrapping the old finish or paint is time-consuming but essential for furniture refinishing. Sanding and chemical strippers are used for removing old paint and varnish from the furniture's surface. Heat guns are used occasionally for removing a stubborn furniture finish.

• Chemical Stripper

A chemical stripper is the fastest method to remove the finish from your wooden furniture. Make sure to use rubber gloves, eye protection, and arrange adequate ventilation for the chemical stripper process. Chemical stripping products come in a gel, liquid, or spray form. Always use a stiff paintbrush to spread the chemical stripper over the wooden furniture surface in a thick and even layer. Apply the stripper to a manageable area of the wooden furniture and allow it to sit. Use a putty knife to scrape away the paint or varnish. Once you remove the finish, clean the stripper from the wooden furniture. Wait for the furniture surface to dry up, and then smooth the surface using sandpaper.

• Sanding

Sandpaper does the best job in removing the rest of the paint or varnish from the furniture after the stripping process. Use a sanding block, coarse sandpaper, or power sander to remove the finish off the surface. Sand until the old finish or paint is gone and the surface becomes smooth. Use medium-grit sandpaper to remove the old paint patches still sticking to the furniture. Switch to fine-grit sandpaper to smooth the rough patches on the piece of furniture. Always sand evenly and check your work as you go.

• Seal the Wood

Applying sealant protects your wood furniture and creates a smooth base that ensures paint glides on it evenly.

• If your furniture has holes or cracks, use filler that matches the grain and color of the wood.
• Apply a coat of sealant all over the wooden furniture.
• Allow the sealant to dry, use fine-grit sandpaper to smooth out the furniture surface.
• Paint

Now is the time to apply a new coat of paint to your wooden furniture.

• Apply your selected paint all over the furniture
• Let the paint dry
• If needed, apply another layer of paint

Final Finish

After painting your furniture, apply a coat of wood finish. There are several options for wood finishes, like lacquer, oil finishes, and polyurethane. Using a wood finish protects the furniture from moisture, damage and enhances the wooden furniture’s beauty.

If you want furniture refinishing in Peoria for a piece of old furniture or a family heirloom, trust Better Than New to get a professional touch and achieve the best results. We are the experts to preserve your furniture for years to come.

Contact us today at 480-429-7615 to discuss your furniture refinishing project!