Start with the least invasive fix
Many old pieces look worse than they are. Grime, old wax or a tired finish can make a table look ruined, but cleaning and a light topcoat often bring it back without stripping. Start with the gentlest option that could work, and move to more invasive steps only if you need them.
The order of work
A typical restoration follows this order:
- Assess the piece
- Clean it
- Repair the structure
- Repair or remove the finish
- Sand
- Stain (optional)
- Apply a topcoat
Working in this order saves you from undoing work. Sanding before you have cleaned off wax can push the wax into the grain. Staining before the joints are tight can trap glue squeeze-out under the color.
Assess the piece before you touch it
Look closely before you buy supplies:
- Solid wood or veneer. Veneer is a thin layer of wood over a core such as plywood or particleboard, and it can’t take much sanding. How to tell solid wood from veneer furniture explains the checks.
- Joints. Wobble, gaps and creaks mean the joints need attention first.
- Damage. Look for chips, deep scratches, water rings, and any sign of rot or insect activity.
- Lead paint. Paint from before 1978 may contain lead. Test before you sand, scrape or heat it.
If the piece might be an antique, get it appraised before you refinish it. How to tell if furniture is antique or a reproduction explains the first checks. Refinishing a genuine antique can cut its market value sharply, and the amount varies by piece.
Identify the existing finish
The finish decides which solvent or stripper you can use. Test a hidden spot, such as the underside of a tabletop or the inside of a leg:
- Denatured alcohol softens shellac within about a minute.
- Lacquer thinner softens lacquer.
- Neither solvent softens varnish or polyurethane.
If the finish reacts to neither solvent, it is most likely varnish or polyurethane. Those finishes are tougher, and removing them usually takes a chemical stripper or sanding.
Clean before you repair or refinish
Clean the piece before anything else. Use a few drops of dish soap in warm water on a damp, not wet, cloth, then dry it right away. Use mineral spirits to cut wax and built-up grime.
Avoid silicone-based furniture polishes. Silicone can cause fisheyes, small craters that appear in a new finish. If the piece has been treated with them, clean it with mineral spirits and then naphtha before you refinish. How to clean old wood furniture before refinishing covers this step in more detail.
Repair loose joints and surface damage
For a loose chair or table joint:
- Take the joint apart if you can.
- Scrape off the old glue. New glue bonds poorly to old glue.
- Reglue the joint and clamp it until the glue cures.
Traditional hide glue can be reversed with heat and moisture, which is one reason it is the standard for antiques. Yellow and white PVA glue is much harder to reverse. For cracks, splits and other structural damage, see wood furniture repair.
Surface damage is usually easier to fix. White water rings sit in the finish and often respond to gentle heat. Black rings have reached the wood itself and usually need a bleach such as oxalic acid. For scratches, gouges and burns, see how to repair damaged wood finish.
Decide whether to strip, sand or leave the finish
Many pieces only need cleaning, a light scuff and a new topcoat. Others need stripping because the old finish is flaking, sticky or heavily stained. Stripping removes the finish. Sanding removes the finish and a little wood.
Sanding down to bare wood is a common mistake. It can ruin veneer, wipe out the patina and round off crisp edges. If you do sand, go up through the grits in order and don’t skip more than one step. What grit sandpaper to use on wood furniture gives a full progression. Can I just sand varnished wood? covers when sanding off a varnish works, and how to strip varnish from wood furniture safely covers the chemical route.
Stain and topcoat
Staining is optional. If you like the wood’s color, a clear topcoat may be enough. Blotch-prone woods such as pine, cherry, maple and birch often need a pre-stain conditioner or a thin washcoat of shellac first. If you only want a deeper color on a sealed finish, restaining wood furniture without stripping explains the approach.
Common topcoats include shellac, lacquer, oil-based and water-based polyurethane, and oil or wax. Each one looks and wears differently. Oil-based polyurethane can take around 30 days to fully cure, depending on conditions, so go easy on the piece during that time.
Common mistakes
- “Every old piece needs stripping.” Most finishes can be cleaned, revived or overcoated.
- “Sand everything back to bare wood.” This is a fast way to damage veneer and patina.
- “Wood glue fixes any wobbly joint.” Glue over old glue or dirt usually fails.
- “Furniture needs oil to feed it.” A finish protects the wood. Polish only maintains the finish.
- “Veneer means cheap.” Many fine antiques use veneer.
For the most frequent finishing faults, see common furniture refinishing problems.
Safety basics
- Wear an N95 respirator or better when sanding, and use dust extraction if you can.
- Use an organic-vapor respirator and good ventilation for solvents and strippers.
- Rags soaked in linseed oil, tung oil or oil-based stain can catch fire on their own as they dry. Lay them flat outdoors to dry, or store them in water in a sealed metal can.
- Test for lead before sanding, scraping or heating paint on older pieces.
Where to go next
Once you have the basics, the rest of this section goes deeper on specific tasks. If you are working with a particular wood, see oak furniture restoration tips, how to restore rimu furniture or how to restore mango wood furniture. If you are unsure what equipment to buy, what tools you need to refinish furniture lists a starter kit. Before you spend money on a professional, check how much it costs to restore furniture. If you’d rather paint a piece than refinish it, start with which paint to use on wood furniture.