How to Refinish a Veneer Dresser

Contemporary modular furniture designs are not for everybody. Many people prefer vintage pieces with classical charm. Unfortunately, such pieces are often harder to find, and when you get your hands on a classically designed piece of furniture, it may not be in the best condition. While refinishing some solid wooden piece seems manageable, the peeling veneer on an old dresser can seem overwhelming and unfixable. However, the good news is that refinishing veneer dressers is actually not much more difficult than standard solid wood refinishing. With the right tools and know-how, you can fix up that old dresser for modern usage in just a few simple steps.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Wood glue bottle with applicator
• Wet rag
• C-clamps
• Bar clamps
• Scrap wood
• 120-grit sandpaper
• Varnish remover
• Putty knife
• Wood stain
• Foam brush
• Polyurethane
• Bristled paintbrush

1. Lay a tarp in a well-ventilated area and place the desk on top of the tarp. KJ Woodworking cautions that "fumes generated when refinishing furniture can be harmful," so good ventilation is crucial.

2. Apply wood glue underneath peeling veneer using a narrow applicator. The smaller the applicator the better, because then you can just slide the small tip underneath the peeling wood veneer without causing any extra damage.

3. Firmly press the peeling pieces down to bond with the glue. Use a wet rag to dab up any excess glue that spills out from the edges.

4. Place a heavy object (at least five pounds) on the veneer to keep it firmly pressed down during drying; make sure the object is smooth so it does not scratch the surface. For veneer on the side of the dresser, use c-clamps or bar clamps as necessary to keep the pieces pressed together; use scrap wood as a buffer between the clamp and the veneer so as to avoid scratches or cracking pressure points.

5. Consult the glue's bottle for the most accurate drying times. Remove pressure when the glue is completely dry.

6. Sand off any additional extra glue that may have seeped out during drying. Use 120-grit sandpaper and sand by hand--sanding by hand provides better control than electrical sanding, letting you avoid accidentally sanding the veneer itself whenever possible. This size grit is a light-enough grade that a few accidental passes over the veneer won't do any damage, but do not excessively sand the veneer or else it will start thinning and tearing.

7. Brush a varnish remover on the surface of the dresser using a foam brush. Only apply as much as is needed to thoroughly cover the area without dripping or creating a mess; if you apply too much remover, it could seep underneath the veneer and dissolve your recent glue work.

8. Let the vanish remover sit for as long as is recommended on the container--typically only a few minutes. KJ Woodworking recommends testing a small area with a putty knife to see whether the finish is ready to come off. When the finish comes off easily, use the putty knife to gently scrape off the finish from the rest of the dresser.

9. Wait about 20 to 30 minutes for excess varnish remover to dry.

10. Stain a test patch on the back of the dresser using a foam brush. Wipe off the stain using a rag after about 60 seconds---increase the sitting time if you want a darker finish or decrease it if you want a lighter finish. Once you've settled on a good sitting time for your stain, apply stain to the entire dresser in manageable sections, wiping away stain as you go.

11. Apply a topcoat of polyurethane using a regular bristled paintbrush to seal in the stain and add a nice, glossy finish to the dresser.

12. Let the polyurethane dry for at least 24 hours before handling the dresser.

References

• KJ Woodworking: Furniture Refinishing Tips