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Welcome to my new site, check in often-- we're adding content all the time!
Flipping old furniture: it's sustainable, it's frugal, it's fun! Sometimes. Other times, your roommate walks in and complains that the room reeks of turpentine and failure. Here's how to stay on the winning end of upcycling!
Safety gear. Drop clothes. Ventilation. All non-negotiables. Make sure your piece is clean and dust free, as well as patched in any beat up spots. If you are repainting, you'll want to rough up the surface well with a fine grit sandpaper and invest in a good bonding agent as a primer, or your beautiful creation will scratch easily.
Stripping, you don't want to do it unless you have to. Get your mind out of the gutter, I'm talking about chemical stripping of old finishes. It's messy, it's bad for the environment, and did I mention how messy it is? Buy-- or better yet, rent-- a sander and put some muscle into it! It's hard work to get the finish completely off an item; if you're looking to re-stain, consider just staining a portion of the piece and painting over the rest (like those pesky chair legs).
Equally important to your primer coat is your top coat. If you don't have a professional sprayer (like most of us), use a brush to apply a top coat. Top coat in a spray can does exist, but I find that the texture tends to collect dust easily and it harder to keep clean than a good ol' coat of polyurethane.
Don't forget the hardware! New drawer pulls are easy. I avoid replacing hinges unless they are super ugly because new ones don't always hang the right way. When in doubt, spray paint is your go-to for making hardware look brand new again.
Practice definitely pays off with refinishing so don't be discouraged if your first try is a hot mess. Or second, or third... you'll find your inner designer in no time!
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