Ways and ideas for restoring a chest of drawers at home with your own hands

Don't rush to throw away your old furniture. It is worth trying your luck to transform it. Fantasy and skillful hands are able to create a unique product. Restoring a chest of drawers is a business that requires time, tools, and patience. Designers offer dozens of options for changing the appearance of an outdated interior item. Wear defects can be eliminated without large cash outlays. The creative process will bring satisfaction with the result.

Benefits

Before you start repairing and changing the decor of an old chest of drawers, you need to determine its value. It may be an antique object that should be restored by specialists.The age of furniture is determined by the grinding of the corners, the types of fasteners. For example, the way the screws are notched can lead to the conclusion that the fasteners are handmade or industrial.It will be much more expensive to restore furniture in a workshop than to do it yourself. An order to a designer will not be able to take into account all your wishes. During the work, new ideas often appear, which modify the original idea.

What is necessary

The set of tools and materials depends on the degree of deterioration of the chest of drawers, the idea of ​​​​decorating it.

Sander

Removing old paint from furniture by hand is a laborious process. Using a sander makes the job easier. An ideal surface is required for painting.

Types of grinding devices:

1. Orbital.Application: intermediate and finishing treatment. The name characterizes the method of application: simultaneous rotating and back-and-forth movement with a radius of 3 to 8 millimetres. The sanding discs are attached to the Velcro base of the round sole. All models are equipped with cassette dust collectors. Advantages: low noise level, good processing speed, grinding profile, curved surfaces. Disadvantage: inability to process internal corners.
2. Vibrant. Application: fine finish. The sole is rectangular or triangular. Mode of application: low amplitude movement. Disadvantage: thorough cleaning of the surface of small solid inclusions is necessary before starting work. Otherwise, there will be "lambs" - scratches.

The budget option is a vibration machine. Orbital is more expensive, but more functional.

Sandpaper

Fine-grit sandpaper is needed to sand putty areas on furniture during restoration.

Jigsaw

Hand tools for precise straight and curved cutting of dresser elements in wood, plywood, plastic, chipboard, MDF.

Hammer

Carpenter's hammer. High precision impact tool. Head weight - from 100 to 800 grams. The attacker is flat, with a flat surface. The back side is a wedge or nailer. Purpose - installation of auxiliary decorative elements.

Carpenter's hammer - for the installation of supporting auxiliary furniture structures (hammering nails, wedges). The striker is corrugated/smooth, flat, weighing 300-800 grams. The back is a nailer.

Metal saw

The classic hacksaw is designed for longitudinal cross-sections of furniture elements, a narrow cut for cutting along a curved path.

To file

Cutting tool for cutting in layers.When restoring a chest of drawers, you may need a file with a velvet notch: a small file for cleaning hard-to-reach places with 4-5 notches per centimeter.

putty knife

The size of spatulas for furniture putty is 25-15 and 10-5 centimeters.

ruler and pencil

To mark on the chest of drawers, you will need a meter ruler and a TM lead pencil.

Roller and some brushes

Tools for painting dresser surfaces:

• foam roller, up to 15 centimeters wide, for applying hydro-adhesive solutions;
• flute brush for painting large areas;
• paneled brush for coloring the outline, hard to reach places.

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To add decor to freshly painted surfaces, a trim brush can be useful.

mdf tile

Veneered MDF panels are used for the manufacture of furniture. Laminated MDF is used as a decorative material.

Nails

Decorative eyelets have a cap diameter of 4 to 12 millimeters, a length of 30 millimeters. Hats are round, rectangular, shaped. Nail body material: copper, brass, stainless steel with chrome, nickel, silver, gold plating.

Wood paints

The surfaces of the dresser are painted with acrylic latex paints.

AVP

In furniture restoration work, household PVA and PVA superglue are used.

Self-tapping screws

The wide wooden panels are connected using confirmations (self-tapping screws with a flat end). In other cases, self-tapping screws with a pointed end are used.

Coaching

Decorating furniture requires a preparatory stage. The chest of drawers must regain its original functional properties.

Release all boxes

The drawers are taken out of the chest of drawers, freed of their contents.

Unscrew the old fixing handles

All exterior fittings are unscrewed from the front of the cabinet.

Clean the surface of dirt and dust

The furniture is washed in lukewarm water with mild chlorine-free detergents.

Use a toothbrush for hard-to-reach places

Corners, openings in the chest of drawers are cleaned with a toothbrush and detergent.

Surface treatment with a grinding machine

The old layer of paint, varnish on the chest of drawers is removed using a solvent. Smooth out irregularities with a grinder.

PVA tie treatment for a secure fit

The furniture fixing points are lubricated with PVA. After drying, process with a file or sandpaper.

Use a primer

On the dried surface, for better adhesion with the paint, a primer for wooden products is applied. Before painting, the chest of drawers is again lightly sanded with sandpaper.

Catering possibilities

The main objective of the restoration is to modify the surface of the facade.

Dyeing

Repainting a chest of drawers in a different color is the easiest way to change its decor. The main requirement is the complete removal of the previous layer of paint and varnish. Using a grinding tool, remove 1-2 millimeters from the surface of the furniture elements.

Cracks are covered and ground. They are primed, polished. Furniture painting starts from the inside. For corners and hard-to-reach places, panel brushes are used. After drying, they begin to paint countertops, facades, side walls. The result is fixed by varnishing the surface of the chest.

Aging

The crackle method is used in the manufacture of furniture in the style of Provence, country, shabby chic.The essence of the method is to imitate scratches and cracks on a new paint coating. The processing of the chest of drawers begins with the definition of the decoration zone on the chest of drawers. Marked areas are colored black, brown, blue. After drying, rub with wax. The entire dresser is painted white. Then peel off the paint with sandpaper with the wax coating. Dusted, varnished.

Additional decoration

You can decorate the chest of drawers with original handles, overlays, patterns of furniture nails. Different coloring methods are used: contrast and gradient, optical illusion. A variety of options are provided by the use of stencils. To change the style of furniture, simply change the drawers, raise the structure on the feet.

Cutting

Gluing appliqués is a practical and simple method of decorating a chest of drawers. Pictures are cut from magazines, napkins, newspaper sheets, scraps of wallpaper are used. The base tone should be lighter than the sconce to enhance the accent of the design on the furniture.

Renovation work

Furniture restoration work is divided into 3 types:

• planning regulations;
• cosmetic;
• complete renovation.

The adjustment involves:

• pull up the curls;
• strengthen loose handles;
• level the legs.

Redesigning a usable dresser or restoring the original color is considered redecorating. Restoration is the replacement of broken furniture items, design changes, restoration of furniture functionality.

Restoration of fixings and fittings

Loose handles, fallen hinges, broken clips and door closers make it difficult to use furniture.If the fittings have retained their functionality and appearance, then they are removed, repaired and put back on the chest of drawers. The old holes are covered with wood putty. After drying, they are sanded and tinted. The details are screwed in a new place.

Cracked handles are replaced with new ones, worn ones are painted and varnished. Door closers and clamps are dismantled, cleaned, lubricated, installed and adjusted.

Editing at home

The chest of drawers can break down due to poor quality MDF, chipboard, which leads to deformation of the facade, loss of drawers, shelves. The coping is a load-bearing structure and must be solid and stable.

In such cases, reinforcement of the frame is necessary:

• replacement of the bottom of the boxes with lacquered plywood of the same thickness or laminated particleboard;
• the back wall is reinforced in the same way;
• joints are pulled together with corners.

With the hanging type of mounting from the bottom, the chest of drawers are removed, the old fasteners are removed. The replaced panel is nailed with nails or staples. With the cut-in method, the box is disassembled, the grooves are cleaned.Prepare a replacement, insert the bottom into the groove and apply glue.

The detached front is unscrewed, coated with PVA and put in place using new fixings. Pins, grooves, joints with screws, staples are reinforced with PVA. To renew the coat of paint, remove the old coating using a solvent or a spatula, emery board. The surface is degreased, cracks and holes are puttied. To obtain a flat surface, it is polished and dusted. Then they are primed. After drying, the chest of drawers is painted in 2 layers or varnished.

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Replacing the guides with your own hands

The reason for the inclination of the drawers and the difficulty of pulling them out (case of fittings with rollers) may be the sagging of the fasteners, the curvature of the guide half on the chest of drawers, the destruction of the rollers. In the first case, the slides are removed and reinstalled. The roller guides can support up to 25 kilograms. If the cause of the bend is the weight of the box, change the guides. Silicone grease extends the life of your furniture casters.

Ball guides are designed for a weight of up to 36 kilograms. If the frame detaches from the wheels, these are disassembled, disassembled, cleaned, lubricated. Wooden guides were used in the construction of old chests of drawers. Replacement with modern mechanisms is possible if the width of the drawer is 2-2.5 centimeters narrower than the opening of the chest of drawers. New guides are installed in their original place, checked for ease of movement and fastening.

Solutions for children's furniture

Children's chests of drawers have their own specificities in terms of materials, design and safety requirements. If the chest of drawers to be restored is intended for a children's room, then its elements should be made of natural wood. The maximum height of the cabinet is 95 centimeters. For the safety of the child, the legs are not used in the structures. The chest of drawers rests on the floor around the entire perimeter. The drawer guides are equipped with reliable latches to prevent them from being pulled out.

The thoracic functions combine:

• laundry and diaper storage;
• things;
• toys.

Furniture design takes into account the age of the child and the purpose of the interior item. The general background of the room for a small child should have a calming effect. The dominant colors are pastel.Growing children are encouraged to get creative with lemon yellow paints. The color of the chest of drawers should take into account the gender of the child. Boys are preferable to blue-blue, brown, green. For girls - pink, combinations of white with red, green, beige.

Decoupage of the facade in the form of a collage of cartoon plot images, favorite fairy tales will decorate the room. The magnetic paint on the dresser is useful for reminding students of important things.

Decoration ideas

It is difficult to list the methods of restoring antique furniture. The main directions of decoration are changes in color, decoration, shape.

Patterns using stencils

To apply a geometric pattern to the surface of the chest of drawers, use ready-made or homemade stencils.

Stencil material:

• cardboard;
• vinyl film;
• polyvinyl chloride.

The easiest way to represent your design is on cardboard. Working with thin films, including self-adhesive, requires some skill. The stencil pattern can be monochrome or multi-colored, flat or three-dimensional. The picture is obtained using acrylic paint, putty. The front is painted with latex paint.

Place the base on the legs

A chest of drawers with legs turns into a decorative element, for example, in the style of the mid-century. Laying the base on thin legs is not an easy task, it requires experience in working with furniture. Legs can be purchased at the store, made to order, or made by yourself.

Color matching for general design

The chest of drawers should be in color harmony with the walls, ceiling, curtains or be in a contrasting shade.It is necessary to take into account the compatibility of colors so as not to have dissonance. For a comfortable feeling, the human eye should not perceive more than 2 primary colors and 5 shades.

vintage furniture

Antique stylization is a fashionable trend in the interior. Vintage furniture does not mean fake, but handcrafted from a unique piece. Stylistic elements should correspond to the period from 1914 to 1990. Such a chest of drawers has smooth lines that go well with the interior of a modern apartment.

The main signs of a vintage chest of drawers:

• monochrome (blue, Provence style, shades of brown, blue);
• massive support or slender curly legs;
• antique handles;
• the ability to use crackle.

Vintage furniture is suitable for all types of rooms.

Enhancement of raised parts with contrasting shades

Painting relief details in contrasting colors will emphasize their volume. For example: orange on blue, purple on yellow, red on green.

Basic color

The design of the room is based on the color scheme of the furniture. The choice of the basic color of the restored chest of drawers should be determined by the destination of the parts.

The main tone can be:

• hot;
• cold;
• neutral.

Examples of color choices:

• for children - pink, turquoise;
• entrance hall - gray, cream;
• living room - blue, burgundy.

A chest of drawers in light colors will be "lost" in a large room, but it will be appropriate in a small room, visually increasing it.

Choice of different accessories

Handles are always a part of dresser design that people pay attention to. Replacing accessories will change the style of the chest of drawers, in which nothing else can be changed.

Experiment with drawing

The dresser is painted in a solid color. The finished sketch is transferred to the facade, painted with acrylic paint.

Use curtains

Using the material will change the texture of the dresser. The fabric is glued or upholstered with a sheet, covering the sides and top of the table, or in part. Fixing materials - wallpaper glue, PVA, furniture stapler. To protect the surface, a varnish is applied.

Remnants of old wallpaper

The segments are glued on a wooden base (not on varnish and enamel), varnish, for vinyl this is not necessary. The table top, sides and panels are painted to match one of the wallpaper ornament elements.

Floral print

Flower and floral patterns on the furniture will "revive" the interior. They will make the room more cozy and picturesque. Depending on the purpose of the chest of drawers, it can be large bright flowers or a small ornament.

Lace

Old capes and lace curtains are used as a stencil. A canvas is applied to the prepared surface (all or a fragment) and paint is sprayed, combined with the main tone. The lace is removed, the ornament is left to dry. The fittings are inserted in place.

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Lacquered chest of drawers

Furniture varnish has different shades, which can be used to decorate the details of the chest of drawers.

Commemorative inscriptions

Using a cardboard stencil, any inscriptions are made on one or all of the front drawers, the table top.

Carriage

The chest of drawers, painted to look like a stylized trailer, looks original.

Toys painted as handles

Soft toys (whole or partial) can be used as handles for a baby dresser.

Ombre style

The transition from light to dark (and vice versa) on the chest of drawers can be smooth or contrasting. With a smooth change of tones, 2 paints are used: white and any other of your choice.Depending on the number of transitions, paint mixing containers are used. The concentration of the basic component changes smoothly, in the same proportion. For example: 50 milliliters, 100 milliliters, 150 milliliters. Contrast shade is a four color option. For example, from deep turquoise to light turquoise and from light crimson to crimson.

Staining should be done in two layers, observing the original ratio when mixing paints.

Wooden plank for cladding

The natural wood plank around the front suits a country dresser style.

Replacement of boxes with baskets

If you want to have a chest of drawers in a rustic style, baskets are inserted instead of drawers. Products must be made from natural raw materials, of the same type, of the same color.

Maps of the different countries of the world

Card-covered furniture looks unusual. Such a surface does not require additional protection due to the laminated layer.

Magnetic paint

Magnetic paint is applied to the entire facade of the chest of drawers or part of it in 2-3 layers (after the previous one has dried). Covered with acrylic paint. Furniture acquires the holding properties of magnets, which are used for decoration.

Newspapers

Sheets of newspapers are glued to the doors of the drawers/dressers, varnished.

Gift wrap

Wrapping paper has a wide variety of textures:

• silk;
• varnish;
• polymer;
• packaging.

Festive packaging can be monochromatic or multicolored. Textile and polypropylene ribbons are used to decorate gifts. Using this high-quality material, you can create appliqués, accentuate the relief parts of the chest of drawers.

Optical illusion

The optical illusion is achieved through the play of colors and shades, asymmetrical lines, geometric shapes and the use of mirror reflection. So, for example, painting the surface of all rooms in black and white triangles transforms furniture.

Carnations with hats

From furniture nails with hats, you can make any ornament, pattern on the front of the chest of drawers. Hats can be decorated with leather, gold, silver. With the help of nails of the same type or of a different shape, they can decorate the facade of the cabinet.

Cross Stitch Effects

A pattern imitating embroidery is applied to the surface of the front of the chest of drawers. To obtain it, use a stencil and an aerosol of a darker color than the basic one. In this way, you can decorate the front of a drawer or the entire front.

Stylization

Styling an antique chest of drawers involves restoration with specific color and finishes. For example, the rustic style is a bold floral print with rope handles. Restoring Provençal-style furniture means using only natural materials: wood, textiles, metal, wax, baskets. The color range of products is pale blue, light blue, white. Complementary techniques: ageing, decoupage.

Sheet coating

Self-adhesive aluminum foil will create the illusion of a mirrored facade near the chest of drawers. Decorating the convex parts with materials imitating silver, gold, bronze will create the illusion of an expensive product. To repeat the relief, hot glue is used as a substrate.

doodle

Hand painted on a white background, it looks just as fresh as other design ideas. The letters are applied with black acrylic paint on the chest of drawers and varnished.

Brass clips and handles

The use of this type of fittings requires a dark plain color of the chest of drawers to emphasize its elegance.

The square-shaped handle can have:

• right;
• round;
• curved corners (in the shape of an arc, letter P).

The handles are comfortable, versatile and reliable. The plasticity of brass makes it possible to create forms of risers, buttons and shells.

color texture

A flower chest of drawers delights the eye with bright colors. To get a picture, use decoupage, stencil.

numbers like pens

Metal house and apartment numbers successfully replace traditional fittings on drawers and furniture doors.

Inner surface of drawers

Painting the inner surface of the drawers with a contrasting paint will give the cabinet an exclusive look. Color Matching: Cool light colors do not match warm dark colors and vice versa.

family photography

The image is glued with the front side to the surface (on varnish, decoupage glue). After drying, the paper layer is moistened with water and removed. The resulting print on the chest of drawers is varnished or waxed.

Dealing with former leaders

School rulers cover the entire surface of the chest of drawers, combining their layout.

Chalkboard paint

Slate paint, after drying, forms a uniform matte finish on the surface of the chest of drawers, as a decorative element.

Old suitcases instead of boxes

Suitcases on dresser shelves are the solution to the problem of decorating and storing things. The main requirement is to match the width and depth of the chest of drawers.

pvc pipes

Rings, cut from plastic pipes, decorate the entire facade of the cabinet. Using this method requires installing overlays around the perimeter of the boxes.The basic tone of the furniture can be the same, be darker than the color of the rings.