How to Restore Cedar Furniture

Cedar wood in need of restoration requires sanding.

Cedar wood is a warm, reddish colored wood often used to make rustic-looking furniture. Cedar wood is a popular choice with furniture manufacturers because the wood is strong and aesthetically pleasing to the eye. Cedar wood furniture can be used as utilitarian furniture because of its durability. Cedar furniture is also a popular wood used for outdoor furniture and decks. Restoring the wood to a fine finish requires wood stripper, varnish and a good sanding.

Things You'll Need

• Tarp
• Old newspaper
• Paint mask
• Disposable latex gloves
• Old clothes
• Disposable clothes
• Chemical stripping agent
• Paintbrush
• Putty knife
• 320-grit sandpaper
• Wood filler
• Wood glue
• Three rags
• 10 lb. flat weight
• Clamp
• 150-grit sand paper
• Wood varnish

Instructions

1. Place a tarp or old newspaper around cedar furniture on the floor. Open up windows in the work space for proper ventilation. Put on a paint mask to protect against fumes and wood dust, and wear disposable latex gloves. Wear disposable clothes while restoring cedar furniture. Seal off air vents so wood dust cannot circulate throughout the home. Work on cedar furniture outside if the weather permits.

2. Apply a chemical stripping agent. Use a brand made for stripping cedar furniture, and apply with a paintbrush. Wait five to 10 minutes. Before the stripping agent fully dries, take a putty knife and scrape away the top layers on the cedar furniture to get rid of old varnish.

3. Examine the cedar furniture after it is stripped. Look for any obvious flaws in the wood. Take 320-grit sandpaper and go over the entire surface of the wood. Fill in any hairline splits in cedar wood with wood filler. Glue raised sections of cedar wood back down into place with wood glue. Clean away excess glue with a rag. Place a 10-lb. flat weight over the re-glued sections, and let dry for six hours.

4. Re-glue old wood joints on cedar furniture. Take 320-grit sandpaper and remove old glue from inside joints before re-gluing. Roll the sandpaper into a cigar shape so it can easily fit into the hole of the joint, and sand. Apply wood glue to the end of the piece of cedar furniture that is to be inserted, and place back into joint. Clamp the joint, wipe off excess glue with a clean rag, and let dry overnight.

5. Sand over re-glued, wood-filled and newly jointed spots with 150-grit sandpaper after the glue and wood filler is completely dry. Remove wood dust with a clean paintbrush, or use a slightly damp rag to clean the furniture of wood dust. Make sure furniture is dry after cleaning, and apply two coats of waterproof and insect-repellent wood varnish. Let the first coat dry before applying the second coat.

References

• bob vila: Repairing Furniture
• bob vila: Care and Repair of Outdoor Furniture