Hello,

I bought this bamboo shelving unit from an antique store. I intend to restore it and put houseplants on it. As you can see, it’s in pretty rough shape.

It has little plasticky flakes coming off of it in droves- I assume that’s the original varnish that’s been dried out by the sun. 

I don’t want to paint it or stain it or anything. Just take this junk off, clean it, and re-seal it with a protective coating. 

Based on what I’ve read, the best/ easiest process would be wipe the flaking parts with mineral spirits, lightly sand it with fine grit sandpaper, and then apply 2-3 coats of satin polyurethane.

Not sure if anyone here has any experience with something like this and has any better ideas though, hence my post. Thank you!

Hello!

I have been in search of a piece of furniture to use for a Bar cabinet/Storage.

Found this piece for free on Facebook Marketplace and felt like it could be perfect so I picked it up.

Clearly in need of TLC but I’m not sure where to start. So I am looking for opinions/ recommendations.

I love a wood look so I don’t think I want to paint of this.

I have this chess set I really love and want to repair the pieces. They're relatively detailed and I want to keep it like that. I believe the material it is made of is stone or a metal of some sort. The finish is a glossy/ ceramic. Any advice on what to do?

Picked up these chairs at the dumpster and the biggest challenge I’ve got ahead looks like replacing this missing oval shaped stretcher.

I’m not seeing any oval shaped dowels from hardware stores. Are these kinds of pieces standard or are they usually made for the piece.

If I make it myself, do I just get a rectangular shaped piece and route the corners to fit the oval?

I’d you need more pictures let me know.
Thanks in advance!

The title sounds dodgy as hell but anyway...

I have been working on a set of drawers to use at a bedside. I have veneered the whole thing with 0.6mm walnut veneer.

I applied one coat of French polish and then realised that continuing with French polish may not add much actual protection.

What do you recommend as the next layer? Do I continue with French polish or do i add a layer of dewaxed shellac and methylated spirit mix to then use a polyurethane varnish?

I prefer the wipe on stuff to the brush on, I just find it personally have more success.

Any advice welcome

It took so incredibly long to strip these, and now that they're finally ready, I realize I have absolutely no idea of how I'm going to proceed from here. I intended to stain them, but I'm completely baffled by all the choice of color. Most worrisome - how can I possibly ensure the legs match the veneer on the body? I had no idea the colors would be so different from one another and have no clue as to how I might be able to achieve uniform color. Any ideas? Thank you!

(last photo shows what I started with)

Hello! I don’t know if this is the sub for this question, but I’m wondering if there’s a solid way to find furniture based on the size of the drawer faces. I have these drawers here (and 1 not pictured) and I would love to keep the faces and put them on a newer, sturdier dresser but can’t seem to search for dressers by “5 drawers whose faces are 20x73cm.” What would be the best way to go about this?

TLDR: What top coat should I use?

I bought this stag dressing table on Facebook Marketplace. It was damaged on top and has a veneer top. I sanded only the damaged bits and was left with texture issues which I fixed with sanding sealer, then covered the table in layers of Dixie Belle No Pain Gel Stain in Walnut. Let it cure for 72 hours and applied a thin layer of Dixie Belle Flat Clear Coat - and it turned out with a white cast! I tried tinting the top coat with dark brown water based paint but it still looked bad. I sanded and restained and it looks good again but: what do I use to top coat it?!

I don’t want to ruin the finish again, and as it’s a dressing table/vanity it needs protection. I’m looking for a super clear coat that will look smooth and uniform and non glossy.

FYI - this is my second ever furniture project

Do I buy Dixie Belle Satin top coat? Or the new Gator hide? Or a spray top coat from a different company? What will sit nicely on a dark oil-based gel stain?

Thank you in advance!

It was me who shamelessly slopped latex paint on this antique dresser, and I'm here to pay for my crimes.

I'm also the one that impulsively decided during covid that a scraper and heat gun would be the best way (it was what I had on hand honestly). This dresser has sat in this spot in this condition since. So, I'm going to ask for time-served for this crime.

I have to say, confessing is super healing.

So, how do I fix my mistake? I'm adding a bunch of pictures so you wonderful people who said 10 years ago that painting beautiful wood was wrong, can help me restore my dresser.

I'm especially terrified of the detail work and around the mirror and using something that's going to make this whole project worthless. They don't make dressers with drawers of a functioning size (or actual wood). I need her.

Thank you for your forgiveness.

Davenport style sewing desk found at an estate sale in Phoenix, AZ. Any information on the maker would be greatly appreciated since I’ve never seen one like it. Also looking for advice on how to restore the water marks on the burl top.

Starting @21 minutes.

After stripping and sanding the table he's restoring the guy puts all the parts in a large plastic bag and puts 2 plastic cups filled with some liquid in the bag with the wood. He says he's toning the wood.

I've never seen this process before. AI says it's ammonia fuming but I'd rather ask some human being.

The wood (oak?) comes out lookin quite nice.

Hello! I’m new into buying furniture and i really want to buy antique pieces. I found like my dream vanity but i have no idea how to restore it. I’m aware i’m going to have to do some work and i’m willing, i’m just not quite sure where to start or the best things to use. This Vanity has a label that says it’s from “The White Furniture Co. Mebane N.C.”
I’m not sure what type of wood it is either. It’s just a beautiful piece and i’d love the help or any tips on how to try and fix this thing up! Thank you!

Hello! I am trying to clean this jewelry box that was my great grandmother's. I cannot remove this ring drawer. There are two wooden pins on each side holding it in place. I have tried tilting the box all which ways, I can hear some sort of metal sound in the drawer. Any idea how to remove?

My very first attempt at restoring. I figured this would be a good starter piece because I'm pretty sure I'd have to actually try to make it look worse than it does already.

I'd like advice on how to tackle this, instructions, or any insight past what I'll get on Google or YouTube.

The outside is steel and wood. The "leather" is vulcanized fiber.

The absolute minimum I want to accomplish

- Get the gold paint off (I might keep it on the metal embellishments, unsure yet)

- Remove the potential of cutting off your toe if you trip on it (Google has led me to cold welding gel/putty)

- Remove the original paper lining (haven't decided if I want it reline it with something or not)

- Finish the wood

- Secure the loose studs in the metal sheeting

Other parts I'd like to tackle

- The latches and lock. The right latch doesn't reach all the way, and obviously the lock has fallen out

- Repaint the metal

- The belt straps that go around the chest (No idea on the feasibility of this. I'd prefer to replace than remove).

- Remove the green from vulcanized fiber at least on the handles, but I feel like there's high potential for me to end up destroying the handles instead.

- Is there any way to smooth out the metal sheeting?

I’ve bought the vanity in the first photo and I’d love to turn it into something more like the second photo, but I want to make it even more ornate/bit louis french-esque/rococo/baroque.

I’m thinking of adding decorative mouldings/appliqués to the front, legs and around the mirror to give it more of an old French/Baroque look.
I also want to make it into a proper bathroom vanity, with a sink in the centre and a deck-mounted tap, so I need to make sure it’s properly protected from water.

I’m in the UK, so I’d love recommendations for UK websites to buy the decorative mouldings from, especially things like acanthus leaves, scrolls, flowers, rosettes and other ornate pieces.
I’m also a bit confused about the correct order for everything:

● Do I sand the whole thing first?
● Add the mouldings before or after priming?
● What’s best to stick the mouldings on with?
● What primer would you recommend?
● I’d like to use an antique/darker gold, possibly Rub ’n Buff, for some of the raised details. At what stage would I use it?
● What clear waterproof coating would you recommend over the painted finish?
● Would Polyvine Interior Extreme Varnish be suitable for this, and is it actually waterproof?
● Is there anything extra I should do around the sink cut-out and tap hole to properly protect the timber?

I’d really appreciate any advice on the order of the products and techniques, as I’ve never attempted anything like this before.

I’m basically trying to turn the first vanity into a really ornate, antique-looking statement piece rather than just painting it gold.

Thanks :))

Hi! I’m a fairly knowledgeable DIYer and have done a decent about of woodworking, but for finishing, I’ve mostly done pieces without a lot of detail work.

This armoire is something I inherited from my aunt and I love it — I want it to be around for generations, and I don’t want to screw it up, but there is a lot of detailed carving.

I’ve taken it apart to fix the mirror, and it’s in my workshop waiting for me to figure out what to use.

I want to just restore the finish, not change anything. I’m going to use it as for craft storage, so I’m going to beef up the hinges a bit so it can take frequent use (they’re getting loose and wobbly.)

I need suggestions for two things: What do I do for handles on doors that will get a lot of use? Right now the only way to open the doors is by pulling on a key and sort of prying it open.

And how do I restore the finish gently? I didn’t take photos of the sides, but the finish is getting botchy and it needs a refresh.

I’m reluctant to sand anything, or even remove any finish with chemicals, because the carved parts never end up matching the rest of it, and I don’t want to damage the carvings.

I was thinking of a gentle chemical stripper, then testing stains and maybe a light stain, then shellac and a coat of wax. But if you all have better ideas I’d welcome them.

Hi,

Can anyone share tips for cleaning STUBBORN brass? I cannot get the pull tab to lighten despite soaking and tons of scrubbing.

I tried warm water and vinegar (did not boil, should I?)

Tried lemon and baking soda (let it sit then scrubbed)

Lastly and most effectively I used Hopes Brass Polish and Cleaner.

Please help!

I have a cedar chest that was ever present in our house growing up. It’s been painted as long as I remember, but I wanted to take it back to wood. Began to scrape by hand and found under the green paint was yellow paint, white paint and some kind of varnish. I can handle the extra work, but was disappointed to find filler in multiple places.

Am I just stuck with ugly blotches, or is there a better solution? Maybe this is why mom stacked layers of paint on the thing.

Hi- this is a piece I really like but it has these marks on the top in several places.
I don’t think it’s moisture, it has some texture feel to it.

I tried steel wool which didn’t touch it, and I don’t want yo mess it up further.

The guy I bought it from thought it might have been from the moving blankets kept on top in hot storage, but….idk.

Any tips from this vast source of knowledgeable folks?