Generally speaking, anything produced before 1850 should be professionally assessed as to whether or not it is worth conserving or restoring. Trying to refinish centuries-old furniture, without using a professional, can damage the furniture and lessen its value.

Is it worth it to refinish wood furniture?

Generally speaking, anything produced before 1850 should be professionally assessed as to whether or not it is worth conserving or restoring. Trying to refinish centuries-old furniture, without using a professional, can damage the furniture and lessen its value.

How do you refinish wood furniture?

Below are six essential steps that address how to refinish wood furniture and how to strip finished wood:

  1. Step 1: Clean the Piece.
  2. Step 2: Assess the Furniture’s Current State.
  3. Step 3: Remove Old Finish.
  4. Step 4: Apply a Coat of Sealant.
  5. Step 5: Stain or Paint the Wood.
  6. Step 6: Apply a Coat of Finish.

What is the easiest way to refinish wood?

Just follow these steps:

  1. Apply a generous coat of stain to the wood.
  2. Remove any excess stain with a clean cloth and wipe lightly with the grain to avoid streaking.
  3. Apply another coat of stain to the surface of the wood.

How do you tell if furniture can be refinished?

When deciding if your furniture piece is worth refinishing do what Masaschi calls “the rickety test.” Put your hands on it, rock it back and forth, and test the drawers, if there are any, to see how much swaying is going on.

How do you tell if you can refinish wood furniture?

Give the wood furniture piece the rocking test. Put your hands on it and rock it back and forth, test drawers, look for sway, sit on it, etc. If the piece is not sturdy, you will have to take it apart and re-glue it using clamps.

Do I need to remove all stain before restaining?

You don’t need to remove all of the old stain to apply darker stain. But you do need to remove all of the lacquer, varnish or anything that will prevent new stain from absorbing into the wood. It’s easy to see the shiny edges of old lacquer, or the scratched surface of old lacquer.

Can you stain over varnished wood without sanding?

Stain over varnished wood without sanding is not recommended. Because staining should do after sanding the wood surface thoroughly. Otherwise, the stain will not penetrate inside the porous structure of the wood.

How much does it cost to refinish a dresser?

The average cost of $100 to $700 largely comes down to the type of furniture you’re looking to refinish and the condition of that piece….Furniture Refinishing Price Guide.

Type Per Piece Price Range
Dining room table set $1,000 – $3,000
Coffee table $150 – $250
Dresser $300 – $1,000
Bed $350 – $900

Is it difficult to refinish furniture?

When refinishing furniture, you must do the most unpleasant part of the job first. Removing the old finish can be a cumbersome and messy task. For a while early in the process, until you start getting down to the wood underneath the mess, you may feel that you have completely ruined the piece. Have patience.