If you enjoying DIY or working on craft projects, there’s one type of project you might be hoping to try. Upcycling furniture is a fun hobby and can help you make your home look incredible for less. You can even make things for friends and family, and some people turn their new hobby into a business. Taking an old piece of furniture and giving it new life can give you something to be proud of, and it’s easier than you might imagine. Wooden furniture is what most people try to tackle first because it lasts a long time and you can easily update it. If you want to give it a try, have a look at these ideas.
Source: Jorge Royan
Create a Workspace
To start fixing up furniture, you’re going to need a workspace you can use. Whether you’re working on a dining chair or a large table, you need to have adequate space to move around and possibly to leave the item when you’re not working on it. It could be messy work with sanding or staining, so an area where you can put a cloth down or not worry about dropping anything on the floor would be ideal. You can use your garage or a space outside, or perhaps a shed. Failing that, you might be able to use a corner of your home that you don’t mind roping off while you work on your furniture.
Finding Furniture
If you want to take on a furniture upcycling project, you first need a piece of furniture to use. You might already have one in mind, perhaps that’s already in your home. However, if you don’t currently have anything to work on, you can go looking for something. Start off looking in local stores or at yard sales. If you can find something that you can pick up and take home, you won’t have to pay for delivery. You can also look online if you want to have more choice. You can look on auction sites and listing sites for local (or not so local) items for sale that you can collect or have delivered.
Making Repairs
The first thing you might need to do for some pieces of furniture is make repairs. While a lot of furniture is well constructed, especially some older pieces, they can still sustain some damage. Fortunately, a lot of the time the most you will need to do is apply some wood glue or perhaps a well-placed nail to fix something. Before you start working on the overall appearance of your piece of furniture, check it over to make sure it’s stable and there are no wobbly bits or parts about to come off. Fix any issues before moving on to other things.
Source: Dave Pape
Refinishing Wood
Wooden furniture is often best for upcycling because it can be pretty flexible. You can refinish it, paint it, polish it, and even take it apart and turn it into something else. If you want to refinish wooden furniture, you can start by removing the old finish. You can do this using a chemical stripper or with a sander. If you use a chemical stripper, you still need to sand the wood. Choosing the best orbital sander for the job will help to make it easier. Sanding by hand is sometimes useful, but it will take longer on large pieces. After sanding, the grain of the wood might need to be filled, then a sanding sealer and a new stain can be applied.
Reupholstery
Reupholstering furniture is another fun way to upcycle it. Most people who do this for the first time take on a fairly simple task, such as reupholstering the seat of a dining chair. It’s a good idea to start small, rather than immediately trying to tackle an armchair or sofa. Working with fabric is a bit different to working with wood, so it’s important to take it slowly. It might take a bit of practice for you to master reupholstering and replacing cushions.
Recoloring Furniture
A simple way to transform a piece of furniture is often simply to paint it a different color. Whether it’s made of wood, metal or another material, you can usually change the color using the right paint or stain and the right application method. Make sure you use the right type of paint for the right material and that you prepare the surface before painting.
Upcycling furniture is a fun way to pass the time and a great way to get beautiful furniture for less. Start with a small project, and you can work your way up to something more complicated.
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