It's a beautiful spring day and you're out for a drive, perhaps running an errand, and sitting on someone's curb is a piece of furniture - a sofa, chair, desk, table or, for the purpose of this article, a bookshelf. Everyone wants to pick these up but few do. Trying to figure out where to put it or what to do with it is the biggest challenge.
A certain apprehensiveness will stand in the way for someone who has no experience in woodworking or wood finishing. What if refinishing someone else's old piece of junk were made simple, easy, and above all else, fun and exciting?
Old Furniture: It May Be Garbage But It's Also Free
Stop and pick up that piece of furniture that is glaring at you from the sidewalk. The worst that happens is you put it out on garbage day and let someone else decide if they want it or not. Depending on the size of the item in question it may be necessary to return with an extra set of hands. If truly interested, try speaking with the homeowner about holding on to the bookshelf for a little bit longer and arrange a time to pick it up.
After the bookshelf is secured it is time to get to work. If a garage is available utilize it, if not doing the job outside is the best option. The first task at hand is to decide what style you want to go with. This generally will depend on specific tastes and the condition of the piece. Since it is a used piece of furniture odds are it will have some imperfections. If so, sticking to a rustic, antiqued look gives it the most character and eye-catching appeal.
Prepping and Sanding The Wood: Making It Personal
If possible, procure an orbital or palm sander. The orbital is optimal for its rotating motion to give a nice even sanding and finish to the wood. The palm sander requires a little more leg work for the user. It's square shape is perfect for getting in close to the corners but relies more on the user to keep a steady, even motion across the surface of the wood.
While perfecting corners and tight spots isn't necessary, an angled sander or hand sanding will get into the hard to reach places. It is always best to sand with the grain (in the same direction that the grain of the wood is running, usually lengthwise) than across it. This keeps from leaving rough patches unless it is a style you are looking for.
If the bookshelf has a finish on it already, as it most likely will, more sanding will be necessary. The first step is to figure out what type of top coat, if any, you are dealing with. This is generally in the form of a polyurethane, lacquer or other wood finishing oil. The heavier the coating, the more sanding.
For this you will need a lower grit sand paper. The lower the number, the heavier the grain, the deeper into the surface it will sand. Generally starting with a 60-grit or 80-grit (preferred for preserving the face of the wood) is enough. Once the top coat is penetrated, which should be after a thorough first sanding, go to a higher grit. A 100-grit is a little finer and will help get the wood ready for staining.
For lighter top coats, a semi-gloss or satin polyurethane a 100-grit should suffice. One can even go up to a 120-grit after the top coat and remaining stain is sanded off. This adds a smooth, almost glassy finish to the wood and serves for an even coating of stain.
The sanding process is where personalizing and tweaking the bookshelf can occur. When it comes to wood, the rougher the surface the deeper the wood stain will penetrate. If, after the top coat and stain are sanded off, you want to alter the look of the piece, take a few different grit sandpapers and hand sand arbitrarily over the surface area of the bookshelf.
This will create a tonal effect where different spots get different penetration and add character and a look that will be hard to replicate. It will make it yours.
Wood Stain and Polyurethane - A Match Made In Heaven (or A Factory)
Now that the tedious part of your project is over the fun begins. Using a rag, be sure to dry wipe the entire bookshelf to remove any residual dust that may cake up when the stain is applied and stick to the surface.
Make sure to mix the stain thoroughly, more than once. As it sits on the shelves of your local hardware store, sediment builds up on the bottom of the can and, if not stirred into the stain, will effect the overall color quality negatively. Once this is done, secure another clean, lint free rag in order to apply it. The best option available is an old, plain white t-shirt cut up into small rags. A colored t-shirt should be avoided because the color dye can seep into the stain.
Taking the rag, dip it into the stain and start to spread it evenly over the bookshelf. Remember not to overdo it. A little bit goes a long way. You will end up with a puddle of stain and not enough room to spread it. The coat will come out unevenly and look blotchy. As you start applying it, note how the different textures of the wood from toying with different grit sandpaper leads to different, brilliant tonal qualities.
(Note: Too much stain and playing with tones are two different things and can easily be mistaken for one another.)
Generally 6 to 8 hours are allotted for drying time. You may apply another coat to darken the wood but it usually isn't necessary. This ends up coming down to personal preference.
Next up is the polyurethane. Allow up to 24 hours for the stain to completely dry before applying a top coat to avoid any running of the color into the poly. Recommended for use is a satin finish, which coats nicely but still leaves the rough, wood feel to the piece and gives a rustic look, or a semi-gloss, which is not overly shiny, coats evenly, and maintains the integrity of the wood.
Apply evenly with a brush. Make sure to look from every angle at eye level in a well lit area to check and be sure everything is spread evenly. If a second coat is required you will want to take a light sandpaper, around a 200 or 220-grit and lightly sand it before brushing on another coat.
Display the piece openly and proudly. Show everyone that, if given the proper care, an old piece of junk can be come a thing of beauty.
Happy refinishing!
Chris Adimando - ..
Join the Conversation