How to restore old furniture at home, tips

Chairs

Kitchen furniture renovation includes restoration of chairs. Most often, their seat wears out, which requires replacing the upholstery and filler. A cover will help to hide the imperfections in the appearance of the chairs. But he is not able to correct the inconvenience of the seat if it is deformed during operation. Repair of chairs is performed in several stages:

Remove the old upholstery.
Take out the filler.
They clean the wooden slats and grind them with sandpaper, removing the varnish. Chair legs can also be sanded.
Cover the wooden elements with varnish.
Lay the filler.
The seat is upholstered with durable fabric.

Modern kitchen

How to update kitchen sets with your own hands, you cannot transfer a photo, but you can see the result. Sometimes these updates look so amazing that they seem to be the fruit of the efforts of professionals. In fact, the secret lies in modern materials.

Vinyl decorative decal is the simplest, most affordable, and perhaps the most effective method to transform any kitchen into something completely new. A self-adhesive film is often used for this purpose (a layer of glue has already been applied to its back surface). The design is very different: monochrome, with images, patterned, imitation of natural textures and even 3D images - there are a lot of options.

To give a unique look to your headset, do this.

Remove the sash and remove the fittings. An additional plus of this decoration method is that facades can be of any shape and size.
The film is cut to the size of the facades. You should not do this without preliminary measurements, even if the dimensions of the headset are quite standard: during the operation, the dimensions have changed at least a little. When cutting, it is necessary to take into account the coincidence of the borders of the images and the motives of the ornament.
The surface of the furniture is thoroughly wiped and degreased.
Peel off 2-3 cm of protective paper and fix the adhesive side to the sash. Then, holding the film with one hand, the other gradually unfasten the paper and press the film. Smooth with a spatula if necessary.
Fittings are mounted (preferably new) and the facades are put in place.

Today's fashionable trends are facades with different designs that allow you to combine single-color sashes and doors with images or patterns. This technique is very effective when it is necessary to change the proportions of the room and is readily used by professional designers.

We change accessories

To restore the functionality of furniture, you should initially pay attention to hinges, handles, guides. The fittings can work properly, but the places of their installation are often loosened, the material of the case and front panels crumbles, the fastening loses its reliability

This situation requires the relocation of door sheds or handles.

The work is carried out in several stages:

dismantling of old elements;
marking of holes in the selected attachment point;
drilling holes;
installation of accessories.

Old holes must be hidden under an acrylic-based filler. As a result, the cabinets will again delight with smooth doors and excellent work.

Dyeing

Restoration of solid wood facades can be carried out by using paint compositions. Some craftsmen recommend using car enamel, which is not afraid of moisture, or high temperatures, or the ingress of acidic cleaning agents.

The procedure takes place in several stages:

disassembling the facade: the door is removed from the hinges, glass inserts are removed or temporarily sealed, the fittings are unscrewed;
the surface is sanded with sandpaper;
with a special primer for wood processing, cover the entire part in 2 layers;
proceed directly to staining using a brush or roller.

Restoration of home kitchen furniture from natural solid wood requires subsequent varnishing. Using a brush, the transparent composition is evenly applied to the painted wood, making its color brighter. To achieve an aesthetic result, it is necessary to apply 3-4 layers of varnish, trying to make each upper layer thinner than the lower one.

The nuances of working with natural wood

Furniture made of real solid wood is a classic option that has not lost its attractiveness and practicality over the years. Wood is very durable, resistant to environmental influences, environmentally friendly material that has a presentable appearance and a long service life.

When renovating natural wood kitchens, you must adhere to a few simple but effective rules:

if we find scratches or small cracks on the wood, we immediately restore the surface with furniture wax. Otherwise, there is a risk that the tree will begin to dry out in the damaged area;
if you need to remove the chip, putty for wood will help. Apply it layer by layer until the surface is even. After complete drying, treat the site of the defect with emery and varnish;
restoration of the damaged varnish layer - this often happens in places where the tree has been subjected to severe mechanical damage. Just fill the deformed area with a layer of clear varnish and let it dry.

Natural wood is an expensive material, work with which requires special knowledge and skills. In order to be sure of the correct approach to repair, it is better to turn to professionals.

The main condition for extending the life of wood furniture and preserving its visual appeal is proper care of the products:

do not use abrasive substances or solvents. To clean the surface, use only soft cloths soaked in a mild soapy solution;
do not allow hot steam and moisture to accumulate in the kitchen. The optimal percentage of moisture for natural wood is not higher than 70 percent;
do not place hot dishes on the surface of solid wood furniture;
regularly carry out minor furniture repairs - rub over scratches, cover the wood with mastic, check the fasteners.

By making the restoration of kitchen furniture with your own hands, you will not only save your family budget, but also be able to realize your artistic ideas and ambitions. The original decor, the choice of colors, your own design will turn the work not into a banal furniture repair, but into a real creative process.

Countertop restoration

If there are chips, scratches and other damages on the countertop, then restoration and this part cannot be avoided. The methods and options for carrying out manipulations directly depend on what material it is made of.

The question of how to update the countertop of a kitchen set is most often encountered, since the surface is systematically exposed to mechanical damage and quickly deteriorates.

Old stains on artificial stone countertops can be removed with special chemical mixtures, they are sold in any household chemicals store. Small scratches are sanded with a special sandpaper, after which the surface should be polished, and it will look like new.

Tabletop polishing is an important step in its restoration.

Such material as chipboard and MDF is notable for its low cost, quite often they are influenced by external factors, but repair work on it is much easier. Chipped small areas are repaired by gluing the part with a special glue. If the chipped part cannot be restored, then you can make a special mixture, apply it and wait until it dries completely.

The final touch is sanding the coating.

Natural wood also lends itself quite easily to restoration, scratches and chips are sanded, chipped areas can be planted with glue.

How to restore a burnt countertop

The complexity of countertop restoration depends on the material (chipboard or wood), depth, size and location of damage. To restore large and deep markings, you will need special tools and skill in handling them.

A rectangle or square is drawn near the burned place. Using a chisel and a hammer, the wood is selected and the inner surface is leveled to a solid mass. The bar is sawn to size, polished, and mounted on glue. After drying, seal the cracks with a filler with a pigment. In the final phase of the restoration, grind, primer and tint in the color of the countertop.

If the laminated tabletop is damaged, you will need a portable cutter with attachments. With its help, the burnt piece is removed in layers. The recess is filled with putty and leveled. After drying, it is sanded, polished, primed, painted to match the laminate.

Sanding elements of wooden furniture

Sanding wood elements can be done in 2 ways:

sandpaper;
drill with a special attachment.

Varnishing of kitchen fronts and countertops

Facades are varnished only on a pre-treated surface. Remove old varnish or paint with special removers. The surfaces are sanded and only after that several layers of varnish are applied to them.

Decoupage of kitchen furniture

A creative way to update furniture is decoupage. To implement the idea, prepare the fabric and furniture varnish. Decoupage is a spectacular and inexpensive finish that can make furniture unique. For decoration, you can use any decorations:

cabochons;
napkins;
braid;
stickers.

Stages of work:

Level, clean and degrease the surface of the countertop.
A layer of varnish is applied.
A fabric or a pattern cut from it is glued to the varnish layer.
After drying, apply the next layer of varnish and repeat the process 2-3 more times.
If necessary, glue the rest of the decor elements.

Varnishing is a mandatory process using decoupage technique. Thus, they protect the fabric from moisture and give the surface a spectacular look. The furniture takes on a rustic, cozy design that matches the loft style.

Rattan

The restoration of MDF facades also involves the use of natural materials. The appearance of the kitchen will transform the rattan canvas. Thanks to its interesting texture and warm shade, the room will become more comfortable. Before starting work, pieces of canvas cut to a suitable size are soaked in water for half an hour. The wet material is applied to the prepared surface, lubricated with superglue or PVA glue. For greater reliability, fix the rattan at the edges with a furniture stapler. Moldings are installed along the perimeter of the facade - thin strips docked with each other at an angle of 45´.

Even in the photo, the restoration of kitchen furniture with rattan cloth looks cozy at home. This option is ideal for transforming classic style headsets. The dried rattan will be taut like a string. The elegant material retains its external attractiveness for a long time, does not react to the adverse effects of external factors.

Painting

A radical change in the color of the facade is a simple and quick way to restore both furniture and the interior as a whole. This method can be applied in different ways:

Choose one color for both base and top cabinets.
Make the top of one shade and the bottom of another.
Add some color patterns that will be repeated not only on furniture, but also on walls or textiles. Such patterns are made using stencils.

For restoration using staining, choose resistant paints that can withstand heat, high humidity and do not wear off. Car paint or chalk paint is a great option.

Work is performed in this order:

The facades are being removed.
Cleans from dust, stains and fatty deposits. The latter is given more attention.
Allow the base to dry.
Parts of kitchen furniture for restoration need to be sanded, especially if there is a varnish coating.
Apply 2 coats of primer, letting each dry.
Sand again to get an even base.
Apply paint and allow to dry.
After restoration, fittings and facades are installed in place.

This is done if everything is completely painted. But when small patterns are made in certain areas, it is not necessary to remove the facade, you just need to clean and degrease well.

Self-adhesive

Another way to make completely new kitchen furniture from old ones. Self-adhesive tape is suitable for substrates that do not have ornate patterns. Otherwise, the restoration will be difficult and time-consuming.

How to properly glue the film if we restore it completely:

we remove the facades and unscrew the fittings;
we clean all impurities including fat;
let the base dry;
cut out a piece of film to the size of the part with a margin of 2-3 cm, depending on the thickness of the facade;
we release a small section of the material from the protective bottom layer and apply it to the workpiece;
we straighten it with a rubber spatula or a rag, removing all bubbles;
move on - separate the bottom layer and smooth out the film;
when the facade is pasted over, proceed to the side sections;
cut the film at the junction of two edges at an angle of 45 degrees and wrap one edge first, and then the second and cut off the protruding sections;
at the end of the restoration, we put everything in place.

Veneering / veneering

Veneering is one of the ways to restore interior items. Pasting the countertop with veneer, you will transform it beyond recognition, give it a rich look. Thanks to the huge number of colors and textures, it is possible to choose the material that will fit perfectly into the overall interior.

There are three methods of veneering:

Hot. The material is glued to the base with glue.
Cold. The material is pressed with special equipment.
Membrane. It is used in industrial conditions and is suitable for difficult surfaces.

At home, only the first method can be used. It is implemented in several steps:

Removal of old coatings, fittings, elimination of damage with putty. After filling the cracks, the putty is leveled with sandpaper until an absolutely flat surface is obtained.
Preparing the veneer - unwinding the roll, moistening with a sponge. In order for the material to become straight, it must be laid wet between the boards and left to dry.

Glue is applied to the prepared surface, then the veneer is glued. From above it is ironed through the paper.

DIY kitchen restoration

In some cases, a few touches are enough, and the furniture will look updated. Restoring a kitchen can only mean replacing fittings - it can be pasting with a special film or chintz, decoupage, replacing facades or glass, decorating with various inserts and much more.

Consideration should be given to the most popular restoration methods that are available to everyone, both in terms of financial costs and physical capabilities.

Adhesive tape

This is the most inexpensive and uncomplicated restoration method. It is enough to cover the facades and shelves with a special film. Modern stores offer a huge selection of vinyl-based materials, so it's easy to find the right one. There are films that imitate different surfaces: wood, stone, leather and other natural surfaces. There are options for photomurals with different landscapes.

Self-adhesive foil is an excellent option for updating kitchen furniture, as it has the following advantages:

the material can withstand high humidity;
the film is resistant to temperature changes;
perfectly wiped off with detergents;
if any area is damaged, it is easily replaced with a new one.

First, preparatory work is required. Place the removed facades on a flat surface, spreading polyethylene under them. Next, you should measure the dimensions of the facades, the surfaces of the boxes and shelves, which are conceived to be pasted over with foil. The restoration is then presented in the sequence:

1. Cut the film into pieces of the required size, adding 4-5 cm at the folds, so that it can be properly stretched. On the reverse side of the film there is a centimeter grid, it is easy to measure the required length and cut out parts on it. It is necessary to check when cutting the coincidence of the patterns on the front side of the film.

2. You can glue the film to the surface as follows: attach the cut-out part to the surface to be decorated and separate the protective film by a few centimeters, glue it to the surface, then carefully and gradually peel off the protective layer until the whole part sticks. Then iron the film with a rubber roller so that no air bubbles remain. Do this from the middle to the edges, as when pasting wallpaper.

3. In this way, glue all facades and shelves with drawers. Put them in their places and attach new fittings.

The restored headset will last for many years until you decide to replace it with a new, more modern version.

Restoration of kitchen facades

Renovation of facades implies restoration of old doors or their complete replacement. It should be noted that replacing facades with new ones is a costly option. You can update them in another way: cover them with varnish or paint, stick wooden decorative moldings on them, or simply replace the glass, if it is present in the facades of the headset.

Along with the glass, the shelves can also be replaced, because, old and damaged, they will look bad behind glass doors. Modern furniture is equipped with frosted and colored glass.

Glass inserts can be ordered at any store, where they will be cut into pieces according to your size.

The cut glass is easy to put in place of the old inserts. The headset will appear new and more interesting.

If there are no funds, but you want something new, you can use the old-fashioned way: mix a powder of chalk with silicate glue and apply on glass in two layers. To add originality, you need to prepare a stencil and attach it to the glass to create a beautiful pattern. You can build lighting in the closet, it will look amazingly beautiful.

Further care

Kitchen sets are often made of high quality and durable materials. But if you do not properly monitor the furniture, then even the highest quality material will not last long.

Care measures:

You should monitor the humidity of the work surfaces on the headset. The material and special impregnations protect against moisture, but they cannot cope with excessive moisture.
Try not to scratch the surface of the headset. This means not to cut on a table without a board, not to put dishes and household appliances on sharp legs on the countertops.
Place hot items and products on special stands.

Changing the color of the facade

Restoration of kitchen facades using staining

In order for the kitchen to sparkle with new colors, it is enough to change the color of the furniture fronts. This is easy to do, since modern building materials offer many options for the execution of this venture with their assortment.

Thanks to the use of a roller when painting furniture, the texture of the facade is not disturbed

The most practical and affordable of them is the pasting of facades with a special film. The choice of colors and patterns will allow you to choose the material for absolutely any kitchen design. You can choose any shade of the film, as well as many patterns that copy natural (stone, wood, metallic, etc.).Ease of use, affordable price, good moisture and wear resistance have made self-adhesive films one of the most popular materials for the restoration of old furniture.

If the facades of the headset have glass inserts, only the back walls of the cabinets can be decorated with foil.

When gluing, you must first prepare the facade

It is important that it be free of irregularities and roughness, because otherwise the film will not fit smoothly and beautifully. Special skills are not required in this work, you just need to show accuracy and patience.

The fastest, cheapest and easiest way to restore kitchen furniture is to decorate its surfaces with self-adhesive film

Rattan inserts are gaining more and more popularity, covering the facades with which will also help transform the appearance of furniture for the better. Before cladding, measurements and cutting of the material are required, which is subsequently attached to the facade using a construction stapler. Rattan can cover, like the entire surface, and only its middle. If necessary, the staples can be closed with decorative strips. Before attaching the canvas, it must first be soaked in water.

Renovated facade with rattan inserts

If there is no obvious mechanical damage on the material being processed, the option with painting is possible. This method works great for facades, but not for worktops. You can paint in any convenient way, however, when working with a spray gun, the layer of paint lays down more aesthetically than with a paint brush or roller.

Photo of a kitchen with film facades before and after painting with paint

Eco style kitchen

The ideal option for this renovation is a rattan fabric offered in rolls or cut. The material is not cheap, but the type of furniture is also very effective. Preparing for rework takes a little longer.

The rattan cloth should be moistened with water and left for at least 30 minutes to allow the material to absorb moisture. Having swollen, rattan increases in volume, and when dry, it stretches like a drum.
You will need wooden slats, with which you will need to hold and press the canvas against the sash. Reiki is selected by color and texture. The shade can be changed with wood stain or colored varnish.
The facades are measured and the canvas is cut to size. The sash, on which the rattan occupies the central part, looks more elegant, so that fragments are cut out slightly smaller than the sashes, and the strips are selected wider.
The material is fixed to the kitchen facades using a conventional stapler.
Planks press the edges of the rattan insert and secure with furniture studs - without hats.
After the upgrade, the sash is installed in place.

There are many methods for updating a kitchen set. Most of them do not require large expenditures at all, take very little time and are done by hand.

Restoration of the ends of the facades from chipboard

The front surface of a chipboard headset is often subject to various damages. This can be paint abrasion, chips and scratches, defects in parts in the places of fittings and fasteners. Such damage can be easily removed without disassembling the hanging cabinet using wax crayons, retouching agents, fixing varnishes.

Most often, the problem occurs with chips at the ends. A melamine edging is used to restore these areas. Repair work takes place in several stages:

Selecting a new edge in the appropriate size and color. It is necessary to measure the length and width of the end of the door, add a few centimeters for the stock;
Removing the old edge. We heat the iron and apply it to the element;
Cleaning irregularities. To do this, you can use a chisel, fine sandpaper;
Installation of a new coating. Apply a self-adhesive edge and iron it with an iron. When the glue hardens, cut off the excess with a knife, grind the joints.

How to restore veneer

Veneered furniture requires a special approach. The means are basically the same, the methods are different. For example, if the veneer is swollen after being hit, add PVA glue into a disposable syringe, pierce the bubble, and inject glue into the cavity. Put a piece of thick fabric on top and place the load. If the surface is uneven (convex or concave), use a bag of dense fabric with heated sand as a load.

Such damage to the veneer is restored in two stages. First, the swelling is eliminated, then the scratch is painted over and the coating is restored

If the veneer is glued with alcohol glue, the swollen part can be returned to its place by ironing it through a rag with a hot iron. But do not overheat the iron: the veneer can stretch. The degree of heating is medium.

If ironing through a dry cloth does not work, try repeating the operation with a damp cloth (wet it and wring it out well). There is a chance that the wood will swell and become more elastic. For reliable fixation of the bulge, you can insert PVA there, and then heat it with an iron.

If the bulge is cracked, you can also try to seal it with heating (through a rag). If it doesn't work, tear off the peeled piece. Do not cut, but break off: on the veneer, fractures after restoration are less noticeable than cuts. Therefore, you break off the lagging piece. From the place of damage and a piece of veneer, clean off the old glue (with sandpaper or a nail file - depending on the size). Further, the repair of the veneer on the furniture is standard: they smeared it with PVA glue, laid it down, aligning the fracture lines, laid a thick cloth on top and put the load to dry.

Such veneer flaking can most likely be eliminated simply by ironing it with an iron.

Scratches and traces of restoration on veneer are removed in the same way as on wood: they are painted over with a furniture marker of a suitable shade. If the scratch is deep, a little melted furniture wax is applied to it (with a spatula). After drying, the wax is ground, if necessary, using fine-grain sandpaper, but after such processing, the restored piece is covered with a layer of varnish.

Do-it-yourself furniture restoration requires patience and accuracy. We have to act gradually and methodically: smeared, wait for drying, leveled, smeared again, etc. Sometimes you have to try several methods: the damage is different, as are the materials used in the manufacture (glue, varnishes, etc.). But the furniture will look much better as a result.

Restoration methods

There are several ways to restore. They are selected depending on the type of item, material and complexity of damage. First, examine the condition of the furniture, carefully examine every detail. If in front of you there are small scratches on the wood, then they can be easily removed with wax crayon, which can be bought at a hardware or furniture store. For deep scratches, putty is required.

Minor furniture flaws can be eliminated quite easily:

If the facades have lost their shine and color, then a special product containing orange oil will help to restore their original appearance. It must be rubbed in with a soft sponge, pre-moistened and heated. Remember safety - be sure to wear rubber gloves before starting work.
Light scuffs and stains can be easily removed with a fresh banana peel. Wipe the stains, and then run with a dry, soft cloth to remove the banana fibers.
Whitish stains on the countertop are removed with toothpaste. It should be applied to stains, left on for a couple of minutes, and then removed with a cloth.
Minor scratches and abrasions can be removed with a construction marker

But here it is important to choose the right color so that stained spots do not stand out on the facades of furniture. To make the marker look natural on wood, blend it with a sponge or finger after application.
Iodine is another effective remedy for small scratches

True, they can only be masked with iodine.

The listed methods are suitable for repairs if the furniture is not seriously damaged and does not require complete restoration.

Do-it-yourself restoration of the varnished surface

It is difficult to work with a varnished surface. It is difficult to restore, most often complete removal of the varnish is required. But there are still several ways to fix minor damage:

Small scratches are masked with a construction marker or iodine.
Deep scratches can be removed with a camouflage mixture of 3 parts turpentine and 4 parts molten wax. The resulting mixture is applied to the damage and rubbed with a cloth.
Try shoe polish to repair scratches on dark colored surfaces. Use it to fill in the damage and leave to cure, then polish with a soft cloth.
You can remove stains with gasoline, alcohol, a mixture of alcohol and drying oil.

To restore the shine to the surface, rub it with a mixture of 1 part vinegar, 2 parts turpentine and linseed oil. The composition is applied with a swab for 30 minutes.

Veneer restoration

The restoration of veneered furniture is carried out with the use of construction putty intended for the repair of wooden surfaces. With it, cracks and chips are filled, and then the surface is painted. If there is a relief pattern, then it is created before the putty hardens.

Bloated areas are removed with PVA glue. They need to fill the resulting bubble by piercing it with a needle. Then the working surface is covered with a cloth, and the load is placed on top.

It is more difficult to work with veneers that have multiple damages, such as bulging and cracks. In this case, the furniture is restored in three stages:

The swelling is filled with PVA glue.
Cracks are filled with putty.
After the putty dries, the cracks are painted over with a marker or paint.

Restoration process: step by step instructions

If the "native" bolts connecting the supporting structure are loosened, then they are strengthened with an additional washer. For greater security, you can add a little all-purpose adhesive to the grooves.

Replace old seagrass and horsehair fillers with foam rubber.

A leaky seat is refurbished by replacing the lamella base and / or completely refurbishing the upholstery. The worn-out surface is freed from old material. The chair is prepared for further restoration:

cut a piece of plywood to fit the seat;
foam rubber is glued onto the base (width - 3-4 cm);
fix the plywood around the perimeter;
pull the upholstery fabric onto the finished base;
fix the material with a stapler and staples.

A chair that is refurbished at home can be decorated better than it looked before.

You can completely replace the back with a curly one, if the design allows.

It is possible not to run the fabric on the outside of the seat. Then the upholstery is tucked inward around the perimeter. The seat frame will then be visible.

The fabric is selected to be resistant to abrasion and mechanical stress, sufficiently dense.

The restored chair can be additionally decorated - to make the wooden surface lighter or darker, to arrange the back or legs in a different way.

Changing a leaky or worn upholstery is a matter of one hour.

You can use a wide variety of materials when upgrading. With good carpentry skills, the restored chair takes on a personal touch. This takes into account the material - wood species, density, texture.

Scratch (crack) size	Means
Small shallow scratches	Iodine solution
Small cracks	Putty (carpentry, automobile)
Deep scratches	Shoe cream, mastic (heated beeswax + turpentine at a ratio of 4: 3)