HOW TO REFINISH WOOD FURNITURE

So you have a piece of furniture you love, but it’s needing some attention. Here’s my process, start to finish based off years of experience, to help you refinish it right!

Follow this step-by-step tutorial to learn how to refinish wood furniture, including intricate details, without sanding, from an expert.

Remove heavy finish with Citristrip

If the existing finish is really “heavy” I first coat it with Citristrip.

After removing the really heavy old finish or the majority of the paint, mix 1/2 acetone and 1/2 lacquer thinner in a glass or metal bowl.

Scrub with steel wool, acetone and lacquer thinner mixture

Sand as little as possible

You should almost always use chemical strippers if your goal is to remove all the old finish or paint and only sand a tad

Inspect your wood furniture piece

Once you strip all the old finish, you are REALLY going to see the “character” (grain) of the wood.

Clean up with mineral spirits

After you have stripped all the old finish, wash the entire piece with clean rags and mineral spirits.

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