Amateur Mistakes When Refinishing Antique
Antique furniture refinishing isn’t as simple as painting an old piece of furniture. While painting may be enough for some things, for others, you must take extra precautions. There are various aspects to consider when refinishing an antique. Here are amateur mistakes you should avoid:
Forgetting to buy the right finish
Just because it is antique or old, does not mean the material is of lower quality. Often, the finish has been applied to protect and enhance the material. Other finishes were made to mimic the patina of years of use, and some finishes can be difficult and expensive to remove. So make sure you buy the right finish, read the label, and follow the instructions carefully.
Forgetting to sand the finish first
Sanding the finish before you apply your refinishing solution will remove it and make it easier to refinish. Most finishes are also very thin and will wear away with age. So make sure you remove the finish using a fine-grit sanding sponge. This is often all that is needed to expose the natural wood. However, if the finish is still in good condition, it may be possible to leave it.
Not doing a hide
This is the process of covering any blemishes in the wood or repairs, before applying your finish. This is before applying any stain or topcoat and should be done once or twice during the refinishing process. Most of the time, you will have to sand the repair or mark and then apply a new stain and another coat of finish. If the repair is small, you can often hide it from sight by applying multiple coats of finish.
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