Furniture decor is considered to be an art that should be done slowly. Many household products look unattractive after a long service. Many may be damaged. How to update an old closet? To do this, you can use one of the proven ideas, which uses improvised means.
Is every wardrobe suitable for an upgrade?
In many houses there are various lockers. Over time, they lose their relevance and aesthetic appearance. Please note that the update is not suitable for every product. For example, when working with MDF and chipboard, positive results cannot be achieved, and a lot of money will be spent on updating.
If the furniture is solid, for example, made of natural wood, then improving its appearance will cost less than buying a new one. The decor of the old cabinet can be done independently, without using the services of specialists. You just need to choose the most suitable method.
Decor types
How to update an old wardrobe? For this, original ideas and various techniques are used. Some work can be donewithout special skills. But there are options for restoring the appearance of furniture, for the execution of which you need to learn a little.
Clothes or crockery can be upgraded using the following methods:
- Photo printing or photo wallpaper.
- Color stained glass film and vinyl stickers.
- Frosted glass or mirrors.
- Vinyl or plain wallpaper.
- Decorative plaster.
- Updating cloth.
- Restoration and painting.
Each of these methods has its pros and cons. But if you do the job right, the cabinet will take on an original look, and then you won’t need to buy a new one.
Photo printing or photo wallpaper?
This method is used to decorate wardrobes. Large format printing has long been used in interior design. Specialists use a printer to draw a picture on paper or another surface. The disadvantage is that it is expensive. Decorative panels with photo printing on glass are called "skinali".
How to update an old wardrobe in a more affordable way? To do this, you can choose wallpaper. They should be purchased at hardware stores. The price is approximately 300 rubles. The theme of photo wallpaper is different - landscapes, flowers, animals. Glue with starch is used for gluing, since, using it, it will later be possible to eliminate the old pattern by replacing it with a new one.
Using stained glass film or vinyl sticker
How to update an old wardrobe with these tools? They are simply glued onsurface to make the product presentable. Stained glass films are now considered fashionable. They can be purchased from specialized stores.
In addition to the beautiful decor, the film protects the cabinet from damage. Removing stickers is very easy. The cost of such decoration is relatively small. The self-adhesive backing can be changed frequently as it is easy to attach and remove.
Frosted glass and mirrors
Do-it-yourself renovation of an old wardrobe will be done using matting. The method is suitable for glass and mirror structures. In industrial matting, the top layer of a mirror or glass is removed. It may turn out to be a multi-level volumetric product.
It will be possible to independently perform matting of glasses or mirrors using a special paste. To work, you need a stencil or a rubber spatula. The stencil must be put on the surface, apply the paste on it with a spatula. Then everything must be left for the period set in the instructions. If an abrasive paste is used, then you need to rub along the lines for about an hour. The remaining paste is removed with water.
Using vinyl and plain wallpaper
A closet for clothes or dishes can be made new if you paste over it with wallpaper. This decor option is suitable for old wooden or "Soviet" furniture. These products will last a very long time. Classic paper wallpapers are great because they are easy to glue and stick. And they are cheaper than vinyl ones. But simple wallpapers have disadvantages: they are of poor quality, and the pattern on them is toosimple.
Vinyl wallpaper can have a paper or non-woven base. They are considered heavier than simple ones. By the way, vinyl with a paper base is easier to stick if you use glue with starch. Before wallpapering, the surface must be degreased. This is done with alcohol, gasoline, acetone. The wallpaper must be straightened with a rag so that the paper does not go in waves. Then you get a neat job.
Decorative plaster
This decoration method is called stenciling. The use of decorative plaster and stencil allows you to achieve voluminous original details. They are repainted in any color, gilded.
Used at work:
- Stencilled.
- Decorative plaster.
- Flat spatula.
- Making tape.
- Acrylic paint.
- Lakom.
- Sandpaper.
If there is old paint on the surface, then it is processed with sandpaper so that the wooden base becomes visible. If the furniture is not painted, then it is necessary to remove the top layer, clean it of dirt. Cracks must be covered with putty. You should take a stencil created from cardboard, which is attached to the door with masking tape.
Then you need to take a flat spatula, apply a solution of decorative plaster on the stencil, filling in the recesses. Before the plaster dries, it is necessary to remove the stencil, and eliminate the defects with a knife. After drying, the cabinet is treated with acrylic paint, which has a protective effect. Then varnishing is required.
Fabric Upgrade
The use of fabric to update the wardrobe looks beautiful. How to remake an old wardrobe with it? The material is covered with furniture. In this way, you can decorate cabinet doors by placing foam or synthetic winterizer under the material. The fabric on the back is fixed with a furniture stapler or liquid nails.
Upholstery material is desirable to choose the color of the wallpaper or other interior elements. It is advisable to purchase dense fabrics so that they stretch easily and do not deform over time. This decoration can be changed at any time using another option.
Features of restoration and painting
Often an old cabinet needs to be restored to improve its appearance. In order for the furniture to last a long time, the following tips should be used during this work:
- In places, decayed wood is treated with a metal brush. This removes dead tissue. Fine dust should be washed off with a jet of water.
- Before painting the cabinet is dried, which takes 1-2 days.
- If there are holes from nails, scratches and other imperfections, the surface is treated with a spatula. All layers must dry thoroughly.
- If the furniture contains parts with rust, they are treated with a special solution.
- For painting it is better to choose acrylic. If you use enamel, then it is better to purchase alkyd, since it is of the highest quality. The work is more convenient to do with a roller and a sponge, because the paint penetrates deeper.
- Lacquer comes in matte, glossy andsilky. It is better to spray furniture.
These tips will help you get the job done right. Restoring an old wardrobe helps to update its appearance. It is necessary to choose a suitable idea, and you can begin to implement it. After that, the furniture will delight the original look. In addition, a successful self-updating of furniture definitely raises not only your mood, but also your self-esteem. The main thing is to understand that there is nothing complicated in the options proposed above!