Many of us have things at home and interior items that need partial restoration or complete restoration. So, some seek help from specialists (in this case, restorers) or modern designers. The latter today have the skills to breathe life into old and shabby items that we want to preserve. Some, in order to save money, try to make something interesting out of an old table / chair / cabinet on their own. This article will help those who decide to restore the surface of the table and the table as a whole, giving it a twist and making it the center of attention in their home.
Restoration of the table
Each of us at least sometimes thought about creating with our own hands something unusual, original and something that could stay with us for many, many years. So, the ideal option for creativity can be the surface of the table, which has already slightly lost its diligent appearance and still asks for help.
Methods of furniture restoration today are simple and accessible to everyone. Having done it with your own hands, you will receive an exclusive item, nothaving analogues all over the world.
Methods for restoring the surface of the table
Some of you who want to restore the table must have wondered how the whole process works and what it takes. Many mistakenly believe that it takes a lot of money to restore the attractiveness of a thing. It's not!
Direct proof of this are inexpensive ways to restore table surfaces, which you can learn about right now:
- Painting using old, unnecessary tulle. To decorate an old table with an interesting pattern, it is enough to arm yourself with tulle and paint in a can of the desired color. Then you need to lay the fabric on the horizontal surface of the table so that the pattern is correctly located. Then paint everything with paint and wait until it dries completely. Remove the fabric and discard it as it is no longer usable. Unless you decide to make the same pattern on old chairs or a nightstand.
- Ceramic tiles can also be a great way to restore an old favorite table. The great advantage of this material is its practicality and durability. The tile will be able to withstand many years of stress and all sorts of impacts on its surface. You can purchase both large pieces of pottery and small fragments, which are very popular today (mosaic). In the absence of the opportunity to spend money on such purchases, the old desktop surface can be decorated with fragments of broken bottles of different colors.
- Self-adhesive film is one ofthe most budgetary ways to restore old furniture. Its cost will allow everyone to feel like a designer and make a cute piece of furniture even from a shabby table.
- If you have some knowledge in the field of burning techniques, then you have every chance to make a real work of art out of a wooden surface. In this case, you can not do without a special device - an electric burner.
- No less popular and affordable is the method of restoring old interior items using decoupage techniques. Using old newspapers or magazines will turn the wooden table surface and the product as a whole into a stylish and unusual element of your home.
What you need for restoration
In order to restore the original appearance of the table or give it a completely new look, first of all it must be cleaned of paint, film (if it is covered with a special material). The recovery process is not as simple as it seems at first glance. We'll have to be patient and such items:
- Gloves and respirator.
- A sheet of sandpaper for grinding the surface.
- Roller or brush (if you plan to paint the table by hand).
- Impregnation for wood products (if the table is wooden).
- Wood glue.
- Varnish or stain for countertops.
- Primer coat.
Preparing the table for restoration
Before proceeding with the restoration, you need to assess the general condition of the product, in our case, the table. You also need to payattention to the legs, if they are loose - fasten more securely with screws. Then you need to check the table for all the necessary parts. Further (if the table is disassembled), it must be disassembled into parts and each separately cleaned of old paint, sanded and reassembled.
Some experts say that with each disassembly of the table, you reduce its shelf life. Therefore, it is worth assessing the condition of the product and only then decide whether it is worth processing each part separately. Perhaps you can handle the furniture unassembled. Often, unreliable structures can be damaged after a punch or hammer. If the table is more solid and made of thick wood, you don’t have to worry about its condition in the future.
Primary processing
Before restoration, the table must be treated with an antiseptic. This is necessary in order to protect its surface from moisture, pests and mold. Thanks to this, the tree will become inaccessible to small insects. After that, the product must be left to dry completely. On average, it takes a day, sometimes two. Then, using a grinder, remove the top layer from the surface. If there is no such device in your household, you can use ordinary sandpaper. Also, at the end of this process, the table can be processed with fine-grained grinding.
Restoration
If there are cracks or cracks on the surface of the old table, they must be filled with putty and sanded again. Then check it forirregularities and remove them with sandpaper. Large defects can be eliminated by making a stencil. This can be done by covering the area around the chip with paint and pressing a piece of clean sheet against it. The blank print will serve as a stencil. Then you need to attach a veneer to it and cut it clearly along the contours. Gently grease the veneer with wood glue and lay it in the problem area. Small veneer can be pressed with something heavy and left to dry completely for 9-10 hours.
After the complete elimination of all defects, the surface of the table is usually covered with alkyd or shellac paint. Due to the special composition, both options are ideal for coating wooden surfaces.
Coloring
After the redecoration of the old table is completed, you can start painting. First of all, you need to decide on a shade. To date, there are many manufacturers that offer a wide color palette. However, despite all the variety, some of us still do not find the right shade and are in no hurry to get upset. You can get out of this situation by buying two paints, by mixing which you can get the desired color.
The most common and reliable paint for countertops is now water-dispersion acrylic. It is very resistant to moisture and dries quickly. It must be applied to the surface of the table with a thin brush. On a large area, you can use a foam roller. Let dry and repaint. If you paint the table dark,you can repeat the procedure three times. If the table you are restoring will stand outside, it is better to use alkyd paint. It does not fade from direct sunlight and is not afraid of moisture.
Drying oil based paint is often used to paint coffee tables. If this product is used, the table will be usable in 4-5 days.
Surface protection
Painted wooden table can be coated with polyurethane varnish in order to prolong its life. Due to its special composition, it will protect the surface from external influences. On a smooth horizontal surface of the table, the varnish must be applied in several layers, allowing each to dry for several hours. After that, the table must be sanded. After varnishing, the surface of the product may be in small dots or light spots. Don't be afraid. After polishing, such defects will disappear.
Wax and foundation
At the end of the work, the table can be covered with honeycomb. To do this, you need to purchase special wax sheets in a beekeeping store. They need to be softened by leaving in the sun for a couple of hours, then rub the table. To do this, you can use old felt or other dense fabric. Despite the severity of such work, in the future it will show good results: the furniture (in our case, the table) will have not only a pleasant aroma, but also a chic appearance.
Also, the surface area of the table can be waxed. To do this, take the usual softcloth and rub the wax into the surface of the product. As a rule, the table after such processing will have a pleasant, refined shine. This laborious process is worth the result. It would be a pity to hide such a table in the kitchen, most likely, you will decide that it belongs in the living room.
How to care for lacquered furniture
The lacquered work surface of the table should receive special care. Those who want to maximize her lifespan should follow these guidelines:
- To care for varnished furniture, it is best to use a special cloth with a special pile, which will make the table/chair/cabinet shiny and beautiful.
- From the lacquered or polished surface of the kitchen table, dust can only be removed with a dry cloth. Wet will cause the veneer to darken more quickly and also peel off the veneer.
- Great old way to care for lacquered furniture: warm beer with wax. The cooled liquid should be rubbed on the surface, and after drying, rub with a woolen cloth or a piece of felt.
In the event that water has fallen on the furniture and the drop has dried up, it should be lightly sprinkled with flour, then wiped with a piece of soft cloth or dry medical gauze. You can also use starch or talc.
