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topicnews · September 15, 2024

These people know how to turn trash into treasure, and you can too

These people know how to turn trash into treasure, and you can too

In recent years, furniture renovation has become a trend that is gaining more and more momentum. In many homes, old and nostalgic furniture is given a new life, becoming a central object of the home. This process is not only fun and satisfying, it also has an environmental value that preserves sustainability, which in itself has received a lot of attention recently, and when we approach the renovation of an old piece of furniture, we are partners in preserving the planet, taking into account the environment and giving uniqueness and character to furniture that may have lost a little of its identity over time. And another advantage is that it also pays off financially and you don’t always have to spend money on buying a new piece of furniture.

So how do you restore furniture? Where do you start? And what do you need to do it yourself? With the help of the experts at Tambour, we have created the complete guide to refinishing wood and Formica furniture – from mission to renewal, so you can do it yourself:

Plan ahead

Before you start painting, it is important that you decide what the end result should be: wood can be restored with an opaque or transparent paint. The main difference is that a transparent paint highlights the natural look of the wood, while the opaque paint hides it. You should take into account that extra work will be required to restore a piece of furniture painted with an opaque paint to its natural look.

For a natural wood look, use wood stain, a transparent water-based varnish. You can choose the color Warnet from the color catalog.

You can choose the natural color of the wood or paint it with an opaque color (and you can also combine). Refurbished vintage bar dresser (Source: BOAZ LAVI, Jonathan Blum)

If you prefer a piece of furniture in an opaque color, paint it with a water-based paint with a matte, satin or vintage finish.

It is important to know: Water-based paints are environmentally friendly paints, have a green standard symbol and are suitable for use in children’s and baby rooms.

Tip from the expert:

Before you even start, it is important to choose high-quality brushes and other painting tools that will not leave hairs in the paint. Read the instructions on the paint container carefully – each paint has its own application instructions, and only correct use according to the instructions will guarantee you a high-quality result. It is recommended to consult a professional who can help you choose the most suitable painting tools for the furniture to be painted, so that at the end of the process you can enjoy a perfect look.

Preparation before painting furniture

Before you start painting, use a damp cloth to remove any layers of dust and dirt from the furniture and sand off any flaking paint with fine sandpaper. If you prefer an opaque paint, it is recommended to sand with a coarser sandpaper to create a fine roughness that will help the paint layers adhere firmly.

If the piece of furniture has small imperfections, repair them with putty glue. After drying, sand again to smooth the surface of the wood and clean the piece of furniture of dust again. This step is particularly important to ensure that the paint lasts a long time.

Carefully cover areas that you do not want to paint or that you want to paint in different colors with paper tape.

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Tip from the expert:

To ensure a clean environment, place furniture on a nylon tarp or canvas that will absorb dirt and paint drops, and wear comfortable work clothes.

It’s a style you won’t find in any store. Colorful vintage items (Source: SHUTTERSTOCK)

Formica painting

Almost every home in Israel has at least one type of Formica furniture that was fashionable a few decades ago. Old Formica furniture is very easy to renew. To paint a piece of Formica furniture, lightly sand the surface with fine sandpaper to roughen it and help the paint adhere better. Clean the Formica of dirt and grease with soap and water or another household cleaner and dry it well. Apply a coat of multi-purpose solvent-based primer and wait an hour for it to dry completely. Once completely dry, paint two coats of water-based paint in the shade of your choice.

Tip from the expert:

An important secret of professional furniture restorers that helps to achieve a perfect result is “more layers, less paint”. This means that you should not try to completely seal the paint in the first layer. Patience pays off!

First, apply a thin layer of paint, wait until it dries completely, and then apply another layer until you achieve the desired result. Such painting prevents color unevenness and guarantees a professional result. It is important to paint the furniture with at least two thin layers.

Vintage-look furniture made easy

If you like retro furniture and want to paint a new piece of furniture to look like you bought it at a flea market in Paris, you can do it easily. Acrylic chalk paints with a matte finish (Vintage Polyure for example) will give your furniture an antique vintage look. If you are choosing the refurbished furniture for a child’s or baby’s room, make sure it has a green standard mark. You can use it to paint on different materials such as metal, wood, Formica, glass and more and just one coat of paint is enough to give the furniture the perfect retro look.

If you are painting a wooden piece of furniture, sand the surface, making sure to remove any flaking or loose paint residue. Thoroughly clean the surface of dust and paint a coat. To paint Formica, roughen the surface with sandpaper, clean and paint. To accentuate the aged look and desired vintage look, gently sand the surface with sandpaper after the paint has dried. It is recommended to apply a matte water-based vintage varnish at the end of the painting process to protect the paint.

For those who want to experiment and become a professional in furniture restoration, Tambour offers a professional workshop



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