Step-by-step instructions on how to restore a sideboard with your own hands
Restoring vintage items is the best way to make them look attractive again. As a result of the restoration of the sideboard, it is possible to change its design and realize many creative ideas. Handling a sideboard is easy to do, even without practical experience.
Benefits
Self-service furniture restoration has many advantages.
These include in particular the following:
- Save money on buying new products. A restored wooden sideboard can last for many years, while buying old furniture will cost a lot of money.
- For finishing wooden furniture, you can use materials at hand, especially for cosmetic repairs.
- Restoration allows you to restore the original color, eliminate chips, cracks, stains and other defects that appear due to negative external influences or during prolonged use.
Tools required
Before starting restoration work, you need to prepare tools that will be useful for processing a wooden surface.... Having the list of necessary tools, it will be possible to quickly complete the work without being distracted by the search for inventory.
putty knife
It is convenient to scrape off old varnish or paint with a spatula. Also, the tool can be applied and distributed on the surface of finishing materials.
furniture scraper
A metal paint scraper is often used instead of a trowel to remove paint. The tool effectively cleans the surface of excess paint, grout, adhesives and polyurethane foam. The presence of a rubberized handle with a textured coating creates convenience in using the scraper. The fastening mechanism ensures a solid fixation of the specially sharpened blade.
foam sponge
Thanks to its high density polyurethane, the sponge helps remove dirt from any surface. It is best to purchase a foam sponge with a large surface area to speed up the buffet cleaning process. This type of sponge has the following advantages:
- absorbs water and cleaning products well;
- forms large amounts of foam;
- does not leave fibers and streaks;
- easy to wring out and dries quickly.
Set of brushes, waterproof varnish
To paint a wooden surface, you need brushes of different sizes. Large brushes paint the main area and small ones are used for hard to reach areas. After staining, a water-repellent varnish is applied to the sideboard.
Wax, stain or acrylic
These products are used to restore the stain of the wood and improve the appearance of the sideboard. Of the options offered, an oil-based stain is most often used, which makes it possible to make the color of the tree the most natural possible. Absolute spoto harmless to human health and the environment, dries quickly and protects the surface from destruction.
Wood clamps
Clamp means a device with a clamping mechanism for holding products during processing or when gluing individual parts. With the help of clamps, the tree is fixed in a stationary state, which simplifies further work. The design of the clamps includes an F-frame or brackets. Another important element is the movable part, which compresses or releases the locking elements. The movable element is driven by force.
Adhesive, Quality Nail Polish Remover Remover
You can remove the old layer of varnish using a special solvent, sold in any hardware store. Glue will be needed in situations where the sideboard has begun to peel or some decorative elements are not securely fastened.
Stirrups
The purpose of calipers when restoring a buffet is to measure distances. Using the tool, it is possible to calculate the dimensions and determine the desired angles.
Fittings
Door hinges and sideboard handles wear out over time, cease to perform their function properly and lose their original appearance. During restoration, fittings must be replaced by purchasing new sets.
Electric jigsaw
Using a jigsaw, you can effortlessly cut wood and make looped cuts.Modern types of tools are equipped with speed regulators, noise and vibration dampers. For safety reasons, there is a guard on the saw guide of the electric jigsaw, which protects against accidental contact with the sawing element.
Marker pen
You can apply markings for cuts and laying decorative elements using a marker. It is better to use a permanent marker so that the marks are not erased during the work.
Fasteners
Fasteners are used to attach the buffet top to the base. You can also use wall brackets to fix the cabinet in one place, to ensure its stability and immobility.
Step by step instructions
Moving on to the direct implementation of restoration work, you need to follow the sequential instructions. This will help restore correctly and avoid common errors.
We disassemble and remove all removable parts
To facilitate the restoration of the sideboard, it is recommended to disassemble the product so that each detail can be dealt with separately. When disassembling, remove all parts, remembering their location for further assembly in the reverse order.
Shelves
As a rule, the shelves of the sideboard are not supported by fasteners and are located on several metal parts embedded in the walls. With this design, all you have to do is lift the shelves and remove them from the sideboard.
Fittings
You can unscrew the fittings using screwdrivers. To restore appearance, repair or replace hinges, door handles, legs and other elements are removed.
Glass
In order not to break the glass inserts of the sideboard during restoration, you must first remove them.If the glass is inserted into wooden frames, it is easier to remove them completely. In situations where individual glass elements cannot be removed, they are covered with paper or masking tape.
Clean the old pavement
After dismantling the sideboard, they begin to process the old upholstery. You can remove the top layer with a spatula or a special furniture scraper. Then the surface is rubbed with fine-grained sandpaper so that the pile of wood does not create problems when degreasing and applying the paint. Polished items are removed to a clean area as they are processed for subsequent stages of restoration.
Washing and degreasing
After cleaning the old upholstery, the buffet parts are dusted and degreased. To effectively degrease the surface, you can use white spirit or ordinary alcohol. After applying the product, you need to wait for it to dry.
puttying
The degreased parts of the sideboard are inspected for any delamination and irregularities, after which the cracks are puttyed. When performing the work, the following recommendations should be taken into account:
- the width of the spatula should be slightly greater than the crack or irregularity in order to cover the defect in a single movement;
- before direct use, the putty must be thoroughly mixed;
- if the gap on the wooden surface is too deep, it is better to fill it with putty several times, allowing each previous layer to dry.
The putty process itself is simple: apply a sufficient amount of the mixture to the spatula, then, pressing it to the surface, make a downward movement. With an additional movement, you need to remove excess material, if it remains.
Sharpening
Using an automatic grinder allows you to speed up and simplify the workflow. Work should be done in the garage or outdoors because sanding creates a lot of waste, including dried paint, dust, and pieces of lacquer.
Padding
The priming procedure is carried out to fill the cracks with a special compound, thereby preventing the development of mold and the formation of fungus.
To process a wooden sideboard, you can use the following types of primer:
- Alkyd. Used if the wood has not been previously treated. Primer allows you to make the surface smooth and even. The drying time is 12 to 16 hours.
- Polyurethane. The composition is based on synthetic polyurethane resins, solvent and tonic additives. The material is suitable in cases where it is planned to cover the sideboard with parquet varnish.
- Silicon acrylic. After applying this type of primer, the tree becomes more resistant to fluctuations in atmospheric humidity.
- Aerosol. It differs from other varieties in the way it is used. If in other cases you have to use a brush and roller, here you need to spray the structure. The benefits are the ability to handle hard-to-reach areas and quick drying.
Paint
It is best to start painting with the main surfaces of the sideboard, and then move on to decorative elements. As a rule, the paint is applied in two coats, but if you want to leave the visual effect of the aging of the tree, one coat will suffice.
Decoration
There are several options for decorating a prepared wooden surface. The use of various techniques makes it possible to change the appearance of the sideboard and make it more sophisticated.
Cutting
Decoupage is the process of decorating wooden surfaces with decorative applications using napkins with pictures. The drawings are cut out of napkins and transferred to a tree. Then the surface is coated with acrylic paint and varnish to preserve the pattern.
Paint
With the proper skills, you can paint on wood. For painting, all you need to do is use brushes of the right size and paint in the color you want.
Varnish
Applying varnish to a wooden surface not only transforms the appearance and changes the visual perception, but also protects the sideboard from external influences. Wooden furniture elements can be varnished immediately after treatment or after painting.
antique finish
A special type of decoration helps to restore the sideboard while preserving its old look. Several techniques can be used to give antiquity.
Cracked varnish
When starting to restore the sideboard, crackle varnish is applied between layers of acrylic paint with an exposure time of 35-40 minutes. After drying, the varnish creates a crackle effect over the entire surface of the applied paint layer.
Mechanical aging
For mechanical aging of a wooden surface, you need to use a hard brush, with which some fibers are removed. The relief created can be restored with paint and varnish to emphasize the structure. The final result depends on the degree of surface treatment with the brush.
Painting with gilding
You can paint a Soviet sideboard for gold using materials created from artificial components. The most common choice is decorative acrylic paints that simulate gold. To apply the material, it is permissible to use foam rollers, a spray gun and brushes.
Depending on the type of paint chosen, it can be applied in one or more layers, then polished and varnished, providing a visual resemblance to gold.
Rules of care
Compliance with a number of simple rules helps to extend the life of the sideboard. Wooden surfaces should not be exposed to heat or direct sunlight. From time to time you need to wipe the furniture from dirt and apply a polishing agent.