How to Recondition a Sofa Settee

A settee is a fancy word meaning a medium-sized sofa with arms and a back. If you have an older sofa settee that needs reconditioning, the basic tips in this article will help with that task.

Things You'll Need

• 120 grit, 150 to 180 grit and 220 grit sandpaper (power sander or sanding block if you have)
• Tape measure
• Pliers & coil springs (may be optional)
• Water base polycrylic & foam brush
• Soft, clean cloth
• Fabric
• Sewing machine, scissors and thread
• Velcro strips (optional)
• Stencil & stencil brush
• Black latex craft paint
• Small plastic putty knife

Instructions

1. Remove existing cushions on the sofa settee. Check arm rests and upper edge of back piece for excessive hand oil. Note the oily residue can be removed from the wood surface by gently scraping the top surfaces of oil with a plastic putty knife. Sand all exposed wood surfaces with a 120 medium grit sandpaper. Remember to always sand in the direction of the wood grain.

2. Follow up the medium grit sandpaper by using a finer grade of sandpaper (150 to 180 grit) on the sofa settee until wood surface is smooth to the bare hand. Wipe down surfaces well with a clean damp cloth and let dry.

3. Stencil wording on the sofa settee, if desired. Replicate the stenciling shown working from the center point of the front horizontal support on the sofa settee. Dab black latex craft paint with the stencil brush. Let dry well.

4. 

   Apply water based polycrylic to the sofa settee, making sure to follow the woodgrain. Let dry well.

   Sand very lightly by hand with the 220 grit sandpaper. Wipe with a soft dry cloth. Reapply two more coats of polycrylic, sanding between the second and final coat. Let dry well.

5. Reuse whatever seat cushions you can, but discard the covers. The back cushions on the pictured sofa settee are all new. Make or buy assorted pillow forms for the back cushions.

   Sew simple covers for the cushions. You may wish to include an opening panel on the back of the cushions with a strip of velcro. This type of sewing requires only basic sewing skills, but a sewing machine is definitely recommended.

6. The last procedure to recondition a sofa settee like the one shown, is to check the coil springs which support the seating. Replace them if they are too worn or rusted.

   Remove one of the old springs for reference and take it with you to the hardware store as a guide. Set in place the new coil springs; adjust if necessary. You'll find this sofa settee truly is a CHEAP SEAT.

Tips & Warnings

• It's much easier to clean paint brushes after using a water based polycrylic than an oil based one. However, between coats of polycrylic, just wrap plastic wrap firmly around the brush and you won't have to clean between coats.

• Look carefully through the remnant section of the fabric store or local discount store and you'll often find excellent bargains with the $2 and under fabric remnants. Mix and match the fabric for the sofa settee cushions.