6 Steps How to Refinish Wooden Furniture to a Raw Wood or Natural Wood Finish
Bring old or wooden furniture back to life using these 6 simple steps to refinish wooden furniture to a raw, natural wood finish.
Yield: 1 piece
Cost: 50
Equipment
- 1 Piece of Furniture
- 1 Orbital Sander
- 1 Mouse Sander
- 1 Protective eyewear
- 1 Rubber gloves
Materials
- 5 piece Damp Cloth or Paper Towel or Lint Free Rags (You will want something lint-free)
- 1 Gel-Based Paint Stripper or Oven Cleaner.Steel Wool
- 10 60-Grit Sandpaper
- 10 120-Grit Sandpaper
- 1 Stiff Bristled Brush or Dry Paint Brush
- 1 Clear Wax
- 1 Spray Polyurethane or Liquid Polyurethane
- 1 Danish Oil or Linseed oil or Teak oil or Hemp Oil (Wood Conditioner)
Instructions
- Clean the Wooden Furniture Piece
- Paint Stripper if Necessary
- Sand the Body of the Piece
- Sand the Tricky Areas of the Furniture
- Dust and Clean the Wood
- Wax or Spray Finish your Furniture
- Using Wax on Raw Wood Furniture
- Wood Conditioners and Oils
Notes
Tips for Success
- Keep your work area clean at all times! Especially when you are ready to seal your raw wood furniture with wax or polyurethane! The loose dust particles can easily end up on the surface of your piece, leaving it looking grainy.
- Use lower-grit sandpaper, like 60 grit for the first round of sanding. Then go back and use a higher 120 to 220-grit sandpaper for a final smooth finish.
- Warm the wax prior to applying it to the natural wood surface. It will become more workable and apply easier with a thinner layer allowing for a nicer finish.
- Be patient! Don’t rush the process of allowing the paint stripper to work! It will only end up costing you money and time if you have to keep re-applying the product because you haven't given it enough time to remove the old product.
- Always have a professional look over a piece of furniture that may have historical value prior to refinishing. You don’t want to disturb the piece if it is more valuable or has historical significance as is.
- Be sure to use lint-free rags or towels when wiping down or prepping the piece of furniture. You don‘t want to have particles throughout the piece as you begin the sealing or protecting portion of your project.