Restoring wooden furniture

In Quebec City, there are not many places that sell this type of furniture. So, I look for the words "vintage wardrobe" and "old wardrobe" on secondhand websites.

My secret? Patience. I never find anything the first time, that’s why I go back again and again. And especially, I don't negotiate.

To sand a piece of furniture, I use 80-120 grit sandpaper for large surfaces (doors and drawers) and 220 for finishing. Let me explain: the lower the number, the coarser your sandpaper. The grains on the paper will be thicker and the paper will therefore be more abrasive. The higher the number, the thinner your sandpaper, so it will be perfect for finishes. Also, I use a sanding block to help me sand. My boyfriend tells me I’m a princess… a DIY Princess!

To paint, it’s important to use interior paint for furniture and cabinet, not for walls. You can always take another type of paint, but the risks of your paint flaking are greater.

For the brushes, I like to use those from an inch and a half to two inches . I find that it allows you to do everything, both large and small areas. For this project, I used a brush from the SIMMS brand. It’s also possible to use a four-inch paint roller for large areas.

Depending on the size of the furniture, the sanding can be long or short. If you want to repaint, you can only "scratch" your varnish. No need to see the original wood. On the other hand, if you want to dye it in another color, you will not have the choice to strip everything down to the wood. You can even use a stripper, but I suggest you do this in the summer when you can open the windows or even do it outside.

In theory there should not be many holes. In my case, there were decorative engravings that I did not want to keep. To make these changes, I used a wood filler. It’s important to not use a plaster filler, as it is not suitable for the type of materials.

The best part, which can also turn out to be a nightmare! This is why I advise you to use the paint selector by SICO. This (exceptional) tool allows you to choose online the desired paint color and finish. For my wardrobe, I found the sage color of my dream (Pssst the color is Bonsai from SICO)! I applied two coats of colored paint on this wardrobe and let it dry four hours between the two coats.

And voila! Honestly, restoring an old piece of furniture is simple and easy to do. And it adds cachet to a room, without spending a lot of money.