This article will tell you how to select unfinished furniture; tip to stain furniture with applying clear finishes. We also show how to disassemble furniture and apply contrasting stains to create an artful and appealing piece
The down-and-dirty truth about buying unfinished furniture and finishing it yourself is that it won’t save you much money. In fact, you may be able to find finished pieces at about the same price as an equivalent-quality raw piece. So why bother? The big advantage of doing it yourself is you can custom-finish a piece of furniture to match existing furniture and color schemes. You can also choose exotic colors or combine several colors on a single piece. Let’s turn ordinary unfinished furniture into distinctive.
Let’s start!
Choosing wood types
Most of the unfinished-furniture stores will carry many styles in maple, pine, oak, and alder. Every piece we looked at was labeled with the name of the wood it was made of. If you’re trying to match a piece of your furniture and are unsure of its wood type, take a drawer front or door to the store with you and ask.
Different woods take stains differently, an important factor to consider when selecting your furniture. Stained furniture is often displayed in showrooms. If they don’t have stained furniture on the floor, they’ll probably have a variety of stain samples on different types of wood to help you envision a finished product.
How to find good unfinished furniture
Don’t bother looking for large pieces of true solid wood on hardwood pieces. Practically every piece of furniture made today uses veneered particleboard on larger surfaces such as cabinet sides and tops. However, you should expect to see solid wood on the legs and exposed framework. If the company is chintzy out by using particleboard for these elements, look elsewhere. Once you decide on a piece, ask the salesperson to see the one you’ll actually be taking home. Its quality may not match the one displayed, and you should inspect it in good light for flaws and workmanship. Examine doors and drawer fronts for how well they line up with their neighbors. If you see uneven gaps and crooked lines, you can be sure there’s plenty of poor craftsmanship you can’t see.
Can you take it apart?
Number parts in inconspicuous locations to make sure you can get them back together with their original partners. For example, mark the top drawer front and its drawer with a “1.” Mark parts for right and left or front and back orientation.
Sanding techniques that guarantee a fine finish
Sand the surfaces with fine-grit sandpaper to remove fingerprints, standing grain, shallow scratches, burrs, dirt, and surface blemishes. fell the surface with your fingertips to find rough areas
While you may be tempted to dig out the random or orbital sander, resist the impulse! An electric sander greatly increases the chances of sanding through veneers and you’ll give up the meticulous, tactile advantages of hand sanding.
All sanding should be performed in an area away from the finishing area. If that’s not possible, wait a few hours between sanding and applying coats of finish to give the airborne dust particles a chance to settle.
Mix, test, and experiment with stains first
Experiment with stains and practice application techniques on a scrap of wood that’s the same species as your furniture): Sand it with the same grit sandpaper and use the same application methods you intend to use on the furniture. Veneered areas may take stain differently than solid ones, so it’s important to try your techniques on each.
To avoid getting stuck with color or effect you don’t want on your furniture, test, test, test. With custom colors, make sure to mix enough to finish the whole piece of furniture because you’ll never be able to get an exact match if you come up short.
Choose the right clear coat for the job
CAUTION!
When applying lacquer, wear a respirator with organic vapor cartridges and a paint spray prefilter.
Spray lacquer on surfaces by starting the spray off the work and then moving it over the surface and off the other side before taking your finger off the trigger. Allow a few hours before sanding and recoating. If you’re not in a hurry, it’s easier to sand if you allow overnight curing. Remember that several thin coats are preferable to a couple of thick ones. Always vacuum and use a tack cloth on the surface before the next coat.
Use the right brush in a clean work area
The key to a good finish is cleanliness. That means the brushes, the furniture, the work area and you have to be clean. Dust from the air, your dusty clothes, or the floors and ceiling can ruin the finish or cause a lot of unnecessary additional sanding. Use a clean, medium- to high-quality brush for brushed finishes. Select a synthetic-bristled brush for applying water-based finishes and a natural-bristled brush for oil-based finishes. You should start with the edges and work your way toward the middle. Use a raking light to highlight surface irregularities. Remove edge buildup with short, light strokes toward the edge.
After any sanding, clean the furniture with a soft-bristled vacuum cleaner nozzle and a tack cloth (a soft, sticky cloth you can buy at paint stores).
Required Tools for this Project
- 4-in-1 screwdriver
- Bucket
- Cordless drill
- Paintbrush
- Rags
- Sanding block
- Shop vacuum
Have the necessary tools for this DIY project lined up before you start—you’ll save time and frustration.
Required Materials for this Project
- Disposable cups
- Mineral spirits
- Polyurethane
- Sandpaper
- Spray lacquer
- Stain
Avoid last-minute shopping trips by having all your materials ready ahead of time. Here’s a list.
About Stains
Pigment stains, aniline dyes, and gel stains are the three classes of stain you can buy for your project. All stains contain colorants (colored particles) suspended in a solvent of either water, alcohol, or oil. Read the label so you’ll know which solvent you need to buy for thinning colors and cleaning up. To achieve custom colors, you can mix colors—as long as you stick with the same type and, preferably, a brand of stain.
A store that caters to woodworkers is the best source of stains and application information. They’ll also have a larger selection of colors on the shelf than a hardware or paint store. You also can ask their advice on which class of stain is best for the wood piece you select.
Editor: Vietnam plywood – Fomex greenwood