Everything new is well forgotten old. Few people have not heard the saying, and it can be easily related to the restoration of old furniture. Vintage items, also known as antiques that have seen several generations of families, are becoming increasingly popular. However, in Soviet times, many items had the same appearance, since they were mass-produced, but were famous for their quality.
That is why most houses in the post-Soviet space are still filled with them. But everything depends on desire: restoring your grandmother's sideboard with your own hands will add originality to any interior.
Content
Beginning of restoration
It is not enough to just want to make a unique thing in a fashionable vintage style. Grandma's sideboard or cupboard can get a second life only with sufficient effort. Before starting work, you need to prepare everything you need.
First, you should learn everything about the restoration of the selected piece of furniture and decide on the restoration technique and subsequent decoration, because simply painting the old sideboard will not be enough.
Essential tools for restoring old furniture
- Sandpaper and solvent
Any old piece of furniture is first of all covered with a factory layer of paint and varnish, it is possible that they have also tried to change or restore it before. Therefore, it is necessary to rid the sideboard of any old coating. Coarse sandpaper is needed for grinding and cleaning all surfaces. It is easy to ruin the wood by simply trying to tear off the top layers with sandpaper, so you need a solvent, acetone is ideal. It is applied with a brush over the entire surface, special attention should be paid to the carved parts. Another way is to soak a rag or fabric, covering the sideboard for a few minutes. The layer of old coating will come off on its own, the sideboard can be cleaned with a simple rag.
- Tools
It is better to process furniture in a disassembled state, so you will need a lot of tools. It is possible that the sideboard will only require cosmetic repairs. But sometimes you may need to tighten loose doors or secure legs. You need to have a set of screwdrivers and keys, a hammer, etc. at hand.
- Accessories
Updating a sideboard will also entail installing new fittings - handles, fasteners, etc. All of this can easily be found in specialized stores or made to order in workshops.
- Additional materials: wax and putty to remove irregularities; primer for surface treatment.
- Brushes, sponges and rollers for painting.
- Paints and varnishes (acrylic and oil paints, varnish, stain).
- Masking tape, PVA glue.
The doors of an old sideboard are often glazed, so you'll need tape to protect them from paint. And you'll need glue if the furniture has already started to peel off.
Recovery technique
Restoration begins with cleaning the surface and restoring problem areas. Before starting work, the furniture is disassembled: all fittings are removed, shelves and glass (if removable) are removed. If the glass cannot be removed, it is covered with tape or paper. In general, there are no special rules or methods for restoring old furniture.
- Deep restoration
The next step is to clean the old coating. It is better to do the cleaning outside the room - dust, dried paint and pieces of varnish will be difficult to remove later. After cleaning, you should thoroughly wash the buffet, degreasing the surfaces.
The sideboard should be inspected for unevenness or delamination, after which you can begin filling the cracks and subsequent sanding. If necessary, additional parts are restored - handles, legs or chipped edges. Most often, other similar furniture is used, or cut out of wood. Then priming is carried out. Only after all repair and preparatory work can you begin painting.
It is better to start painting from the main surfaces, and then move on to decorative elements (crown or carved sides). The paint is applied in two layers, but for simple aging of wood, one thin layer will be enough.
- Decorating
Decorate the updated surface in decoupage style - this is the easiest way. For this, napkins or fabric with a pattern that matches the idea are selected. The pattern is cut out and glued to the sideboard from the front side. In this simple way, you can get vintage furniture with an original pattern.
Painting is also used. Thin brushes and multi-colored colors are selected for it. The ornament is either drawn or outlined using a stencil.
The finishing touch of decoration is varnish. It is applied in two layers after the glue or paint has completely dried, depending on the chosen method of decoration. After the work is completed, assembly can begin.
Caring for restored furniture
Restoring an old sideboard has minor drawbacks, which, however, are no different from caring for new furniture. The surface should be carefully washed when dirty, ideally with clean water and a soft cloth, so the sideboard will not be scratched.
It is not recommended to place old restored furniture in places of high humidity or heat emission. Near the stove in the kitchen, near the radiator or even just near the window - the condition of the paint can quickly deteriorate. You should also not leave the buffet on the veranda.
Restoring a sideboard with your own hands begins with inspection and repair, after which you can begin decorating the surface. In this way, you can give an old sideboard a completely new life and update your home interior.
Video: Restoration and decoration of an old Soviet-era kitchen buffet
Photo gallery with the best DIY restoration and renovation works of sideboards:
