How to Refinish Distressed Furniture

Refinish distressed furniture to prolong its life.

With time, furniture becomes distressed and worn. It is easy for scratches, nicks, and dents to appear in much-loved furniture. Refinishing distressed furniture will require stripping the old finish from the piece, staining the furniture a desired color, and applying several coats of varnish.

Things You'll Need

• Mineral spirits
• Soft cloths
• Chemical stripper
• Paint scraper
• Hand sander
• 220-grit sandpaper
• Vacuum
• Tackcloth
• Nuts and bolts
• Towel
• Wood stain
• Paintbrush
• Polyurethane

Instructions

1. Clean the furniture with mineral spirits and a soft cloth. Cleaning the distressed furniture first will remove grease, dirt, and other residue from the furniture before refinishing.

2. Remove the finish from the distressed furniture with a chemical stripper. Apply the chemical stripper with a paintbrush. Allow the stripper to sink into the finish per manufacturer directions. Remove the stripper with a paint scraper and neutralize the stripper according to the manufacturer's directions. Let the furniture dry completely.

3. Sand the furniture, using a hand sander with 220-grit sandpaper to smooth the surface of the wood. Vacuum the furniture and wipe it with a tackcloth.

4. Distress the furniture with nuts and bolts in a towel. Simply place the nuts and bolts into the towel and swing it against the furniture. If you do not want a distressed finish, skip this step.

5. Apply stain to the furniture with a paintbrush. Use a soft cloth to wipe away the surplus stain from the piece. Allow the stain to dry.

6. Spread polyurethane on the piece of furniture with a paintbrush. Wait for the polyurethane to dry before lightly sanding and applying a second coat of polyurethane. Let the furniture finish cure for 48 hours before use.

References

• Furniture Knowledge: How to Refinish Furniture
• Wood Web: Distressed Finish