Friday 14 July 2017

Furniture Restoration

Pain has plagued me more than usual this week, it started on Sunday and was so bad I took some painkillers, something I don't ordinarily do as they don't actually do anything for the pain, just make it easier to sleep as they make me groggy...but I woke the following morning not only pain but with a really bad headache/migraine, nausea and grogginess as a result of the painkillers, so never again as I felt so bad.  

By Wednesday I decided enough was enough and if I was going to be in pain, I might as well be in pain for a good reason!  So I embarked on a renovation project.


We had this old set of drawers that were going to be given away, but I decided that as they were made of actual wood I wood sand it down and possibly paint it.

I set to with my trusty Mouse Sander bought many years ago and although my whole right hand was numb for about half an hour after each use...it did wear off.


Once I had sanded the top, I wasn't sure I would paint it though as the grain was quite nice, although difficult to tell in this photo.


The drawer fronts were equally nice.

The sides were more problematic as they wouldn't sand down very well, so I took a paint stripper to them and then worried that I might have wrecked it!  The sides are more of a hardboard type wood.  I can't recall off hand what the proper name for it was.  However, once I had cleared the stripper off the wood, washed, let it dry and then sanded it down it actually didn't look too bad.  The test would be when I came to wax them which is what I had decided to do with the top.


I started with the drawer fronts...



The sides turned out not to bad after all!



The top was good as well. 

I moved it into the room.



The top.  It isn't as patchy as it looks, I think it is the light - as I took these photos at almost 6pm this evening.  I will have to take some in proper daylight.


In situ.


I was going to change the knobs, but the new ones I bought didn't fit it so the originals will have to remain for now.

I may need to do another coat of wax at some stage, but will leave it a few days to see.

All in all, at least now I can think, yes I am sore, but I actually achieved something and as such I am also really pleased with my first ever project of this type.

8 comments:

  1. what a great make over, so much work. Don't know how you managed it while in lots of pain.
    Glad the little handles didn't go, they look lovely.

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    1. Not sure how I did either! I was inspired, so I think that helped, and just desperate to get on with something positive.

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    2. Then it was a good thing...

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  2. Sorry to hear about your pain but I do admire your strength and determination in completing the makeover. It looks brilliant, such a great job.

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  3. Really turned out good, worth the pain perhaps. Would definitely cost a bit to buy it.

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  4. Great job Lorraine! It really looks nice. I've done tons of wood refinishing, both furniture and woodwork in the house. It's really a rather miserable job, but I find the transformational aspect to be very satisfying - removing something ugly to reveal something beautiful underneath. Perhaps I've just smelled too many paint stripper fumes!
    Steve

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  5. You did an amazing job of transforming that ugly duckling!!

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