A good way to decorate, update or give the elements of the decor a certain style is to paint the furniture. From any, even the oldest interior items, you can create a unique work of art. Everything is limited only by imagination and patience.
Of course, there are no restrictions on the choice of subjects. The main factor determining suitability is the material. For the implementation of the plan, old furniture made of wood is better suited. This is precisely its value relative to modern products made from chipboard and fiberboard. “Sawdust furniture” is definitely not suitable.
FROM wooden surface easier to work. Old paint or varnish can be easily removed, various defects(chips, cracks) can be repaired or left to give the effect of "aging". In addition, most of the ways of applying drawings are designed specifically for wood. Any pattern or ornament looks good under varnish on wood texture. Suitable furniture covered with natural veneer. An example of this is an old wardrobe or chest of drawers made of multilayer veneered plywood. After removing the old varnish or paint, the surface is primed, painted in the desired color and a pattern is applied.
But the furniture modern materials should not be crossed off the list. Acrylic-coated MDF facades can be painted in any style after some preparation. acrylic coating is a layer of paint polished after drying. This type of coating is often used in the manufacture of facades of kitchen sets.
Modern paints and varnishes allow them to be applied over various coatings. There are also paints designed for painting glass without special preparation.
Popular painting options
The most common option is simple decorative painting furniture. Basically, this is the application of small elements, ornaments or repeating patterns. For simple drawing paint of the same color is used, and to simplify the process, templates or stencils are used for painting. This type of decoration is suitable for modern furniture. Gilding is widespread. This type of painting is typical for interiors in classic styles. Figured elements of furniture decoration are decorated under gold.
More difficult option is an art painting. This is a rather painstaking work, all stages of the kora are performed manually, including the smallest details. Painting on furniture can be in the form of a pattern or a small fragment, as well as a complex three-dimensional pattern. Author's works are especially appreciated.
A separate place is occupied by the manufacture of semi-antique interior items. This also includes the restoration of old furniture. Various painting techniques and styles are used in the work. Surfaces and trim elements are subjected to "aging" in various ways. Antiques are very popular among wealthy people and collectors. Usually this species decorations are made to order.
Necessary tools and materials
Coating paint
The final result directly depends on the choice of paint. The basis for the coating is a primer. It must be designed for woodworking. Acrylic-based primer does a good job.
Any latex or acrylic paint will work for the top coat. The surface is better to make matte. Gloss doesn't always look good. A good option would be paint in an aerosol can. This will allow you to apply it in an even layer.
Acrylic paints are often used for furniture painting. They are well suited for drawing various patterns. You can also use oil blends. Their traditional purpose is painting.
varnish
It acts as a protective coating. It is possible to use alkyd or acrylic varnish for furniture. Also, like paint, it can be matte or glossy. Applying a layer of varnish over the drawing is the final stage of work.
Paint brushes and roller
A roller may be needed to apply primer and paint over a large area. With curly elements, a wide brush will help to cope.
Paint brushes, pencil, paper and ruler
It is convenient to draw small patterns and lines with the help of thin artistic brushes. For acrylic paint, it is better to use brushes with synthetic bristles. It won't stick. Oil paint will require a brush with natural bristles.
A simple pencil, paper and ruler will come in handy for creating sketches and marking the surface for the drawing. In addition, you may need to make templates or stencils for painting.
Surface preparation tool
You can clean furniture from old varnish or paint by sanding it with sandpaper. You will need "sandpaper" of different grain sizes for a more thorough surface treatment. In some places, the old coating will have to be removed with a spatula.
You can remove some types of varnish or paint from old furniture using special chemicals. You can find them at any hardware store.
To remove dust, stock up on rags. A brush with a long and hard bristle will help to sweep dirt out of cracks and other hard-to-reach places.
How to create a design and bring an idea to life
Do-it-yourself furniture painting is a long and painstaking work. The process may take a long time. Sometimes it takes more than one day or even a week. It is especially difficult if there is no experience in such a matter, it does not matter, we paint old furniture or give the new kind modern items.
For beginners, a few tips will not be superfluous:
- Any work begins with a sketch or sketch. You can develop a design yourself or borrow the idea of painting furniture from a photo on the Internet. In any case, transferring a drawing from paper will be easier than inventing everything on the go;
- In the absence of experience, you should not immediately take on a large amount of work. First, paint a small object;
- If it is possible to disassemble the furniture - do it. The individual parts are much easier to work with;
- Free space. There should be enough space to work. It is possible that the furniture will have to be rotated, tilted or moved;
- Do not neglect the quality of surface preparation. Polishing defects can spoil the look of even a very talented painting. Dust and small particles lead to the same result;
- A primer is a must for painting or painting. It is easier to work on a surface covered with soil;
- Each layer of primer, paint or painting requires thorough drying. Minimum - a day for each layer.
The process of implementing an idea consists of several stages. The first of these is preparation for priming and painting. Classic version with old wooden furniture involves the removal of paintwork. To do this, you will need coarse and medium grit sandpaper or a special chemical agent- wash and spatula.
- After cleaning from varnish and paint, the surface must be sanded with fine sandpaper. This will get rid of excessive roughness and small scratches. If there are large chips and cracks on the furniture, they are puttied and sanded;
- The next step is the application of soil. This is done with a brush or roller. Drops and streaks should be avoided. In extreme cases, you can get rid of them using a sponge, or wait for the layer to dry and sand it with sandpaper;
- Next comes the painting. The paint is applied in two or three thin layers. The result should be a smooth and even surface. After drying, you can proceed to the most interesting, but no less time-consuming stage - drawing;
- Painted furniture is not necessarily an old wardrobe or chest of drawers, covered with patterns on all sides. More often it is a small pattern or a repeating pattern. To apply the same patterns, use a stencil or template. These can be simple butterfly stencils, small patterns, or large patterns with complex patterns.
There is more than one way to apply a pattern to furniture. Hand painting is especially appreciated. Painting can be considered the pinnacle of skill. Combining various ways and techniques of painting, it is possible to create truly unique things:
- Those who do not own a brush can use the decoupage technique. This method is usually used on small pieces of furniture, but large surfaces can also be decorated;
- The final stage of work is the coating of the painting with a transparent varnish. It is advisable to apply several layers. This will save the drawing from accidental damage and make it possible to wipe or wash the furniture.
The art of painting makes any item unique. You can paint furniture using any traditional or modern direction. Furniture painting in the Russian style is very popular: Khokhloma, Zhostovo, Mezen. Each of them is unique in its own way. And of course, nothing prevents you from creating your own, no less unique style.
Clearing from old paint
Padding
Painting
Lacquering
A photo
The times of shortage of furniture are long gone, and today we can buy whatever we want for an apartment and a house to our taste. But until now, many owners of furniture from the era of socialism are trying to repair them, to give them a new life. And this is not from greed or a keen attachment to things. Just something like old chest of drawers, may not turn out to be rubbish, the place of which is only in the country, but a challenge to one's own imagination and the ability to create with one's own hands.
Restoration of an old chest of drawers: pros and cons
The processes of repair and restoration are similar, but have several significant differences. When repairing old furniture, we simply transform it most often: remove peeling paint, sand it, apply a new layer, and fasten loosened elements. Restoration is a deeper work that goes far beyond the boundaries cosmetic repairs. In addition, a restored chest of drawers can become more valuable if it was originally a rather original, exclusive product.
Before you decide to restore an old chest of drawers, conduct a thorough assessment of its value. Inspect the product for tags or stamps indicating the name of the master and the time of manufacture. It may turn out that your chest of drawers is an old piece of furniture art, and, having started processing it, you will lose a truly valuable thing.
An old chest of drawers may be of antique value
Signs of antiquity can be the following:
- sharpening of internal corners as a result of long-term operation of the chest of drawers;
- uneven notch on the fastening screws;
- different distances between the turns of the notch.
The last two signs may indicate that the fasteners were made by hand, and not industrially.
All of the above can be seen with the naked eye. A deeper analysis will be carried out by a specialist whom you invite to evaluate the product. Until the final conclusion, it is not recommended to start restoration or repair work.
Restoration process from start to finish
So, you have decided to restore the old chest of drawers with your own hands. The work will be painstaking, requiring attention and time. Each step is extremely important, so try not to miss anything.
Old chest of drawers in need of restoration
For work you will need:
- putty and glue for wood;
- sandpaper of different grain size in a set;
- a hammer;
- Screwdriver Set;
- rubber mallet;
- gloves and respirator;
- toothpicks, toothbrush;
- a tool for cleaning accessories (tooth powder is suitable);
- brushes;
- paint and varnish.
Product cleaning
An old chest of drawers must be cleaned so that the surfaces and decorative details are not damaged. First, wipe the product with a sponge and soapy water. Water should be warm, but not hot, but as detergent- Laundry or stain-removing soap without chlorine.
Antique pieces of furniture, especially chests of drawers, are often decorated with small details and carved inserts. A toothbrush will help you clean them well.
Remove the furniture fittings (this will give you access to the surfaces under the parts for better dirt removal) and rub with a cleaner. For example, tooth powder works well for silver.
Clean hard-to-reach places such as crevices and corners with an awl or toothpick. Plaque and ingrained dirt can be removed with fine sandpaper. It should be used very carefully, otherwise the finish may fade as a result of strong pressure.
If you decide to change the color of an old chest of drawers or cover it with a new layer of varnish, the surface must be carefully sanded.
Preliminary preparation
After the old chest of drawers has been washed and dried well, repair or replace the damaged items. Finding suitable parts is likely to be difficult. To do this, it is better to contact an antique shop or a carpentry workshop to order the manufacture of the necessary decor items. You can also get professional help with installation parts there.
Check how well the screws and bolts are tightened, if the wood is cracked. Loose or rusty bolts must be removed and replaced with new ones. Fix small cracks on the surface with wood glue; those that are larger, cover with putty on wood, picking it up strictly in tone. If you plan to subsequently cover the chest of drawers with stain, then use a special putty.
Painting work
Now you rarely see furniture made of natural wood in a wide sale. An old chest of drawers may not match the modern style of your home. Therefore, apart from fresh look this product can be given a new image. The easiest way is to paint it in one color, for example, white.
First of all, remove the old coating from the surface. Do this carefully so as not to damage the wood and leave no traces of the old coating in the cracks and corners.
Thoroughly clean the surfaces of the chest of drawers so that there are no bumps
Now sand the surface to get rid of bumps and small imperfections.
Sand the surface well
After sanding, proceed to putty. Carefully repair all chips and unnecessary holes. After the putty has dried, rub it with fine-grained sandpaper.
To paint the chest of drawers, use a special paint for wood. It may be necessary to re-sand the surface. To give the chest of drawers a gloss, a layer of varnish can be applied over the paint (naturally, after complete drying).
Replacement of old parts
The old chest of drawers used in our example had iron handles. Of course, they are beautiful and give the furniture an antique look. But unfortunately, some of these pens are hopelessly damaged. The easiest way out is to completely replace them with new ones that are more suitable in style. This is easy to do: drill holes of the desired diameter in suitable places and insert the fittings.
Replace your old dresser handles with new ones for a modern look.
As you can see, the chest of drawers has become completely different: new, modern and exclusive.
New life for old furniture
Decoupage chest of drawers
If pure white is not enough for you to breathe new life into an old chest of drawers, decoupage.
- Paint the surface with white acrylic paint. Let dry well.
- Cut out patterns from decorative paper napkins. Stick them on the dresser with PVA glue.
- After everything is dry, varnish the chest of drawers.
That's all, your chest of drawers sparkled with new colors! Decoupage is good because you can choose any pattern and pattern that your imagination allows.
Master class on decoupage chest of drawers (video)
Another repair option
This method will help you turn an old and boring bulky chest of drawers into a light and elegant piece of furniture. For the transformation, we will take the classic model without special decorative ornaments: three wide drawers and two small ones.
Classic chest of drawers with three large and two small drawers
You will need the following tools and materials:
- means for removing an old layer of varnish or paint;
- sandpaper;
- chisel;
- matte putty;
- PVA glue;
- self-tapping screws;
- polyurethane foam decorative moldings;
- wallpaper;
- paraffin;
- acrylic water-based paint;
- transparent water-based varnish;
- 8 decorative handles.
Training
Unscrew the knobs on the chest of drawers. Examine it carefully from all sides. Special attention pay attention to the lid and legs: in these places the wood is usually subject to the greatest damage. If the deficiencies are minor, it is not necessary to eliminate them. But in case of detection of more serious damage, sometimes it is necessary to replace some parts completely.
Free the chest of drawers from the old varnish or paint. The upper layers can be removed with a chisel; they usually come off easily. Carefully rub the remains with emery so that clean wood is visible.
Thoroughly clean the product of old paint and remove accessories
In places where noticeable bumps and dents are found, apply mastic with a spatula and level the layer. After drying, sand these areas with fine-grained sandpaper. Do this carefully, do not press too hard, otherwise you will damage the fresh layer of mastic. As a result, the surface should become perfectly flat.
The new chest of drawer handles you purchased may be smaller or bigger size than the old ones. In this case, you need to seal the holes left from the old handles that you removed with mastic and make new ones in right places using a drill.
Note! There are handles that are attached to special self-tapping screws. They do not need to drill holes. If you have the opportunity, purchase such accessories to make your work easier.
Dilute PVA glue with water. Using a brush, treat the entire surface of the chest of drawers. You can replace the glue with any primer. When the surface is completely dry, you can start decorating.
decorative elements
First of all, prepare the main elements of decor - frames for sidewalls and drawers. They can be made from conventional polyurethane moldings. In this work, the main thing is the correct measurements. Frame for drawer should be located strictly on the edge. On the sidewalls it is better to make a small indent.
Correctly calculate the dimensions of the decorative frames on the boxes
It is also very important to properly trim the corner parts of the molding.
When you have prepared all the details for the frames, proceed to fix them. For greater reliability, fasten the frames with screws, then seal the places where they enter the moldings with mastic so that the hats do not stand out.
Cover with mastic the places where the screws enter the moldings
Now paint the installed frames with acrylic paint. Choose any color that you like or suits the interior of the room. For example, for a chest of drawers french style well suited light coffee or beige. Apply the paint in several layers, each time waiting for complete drying.
Paste wallpaper inside the frames. It is good if they have a thick texture and a fancy pattern. The ornament should be darker than the general background. After you finish pasting the wallpaper, carefully screw the handles into place.
For original decor, use wallpaper
The final touch is the coating of the chest of drawers with a transparent varnish. It should be applied in several layers.
Chest of drawers after restoration in the interior of the bedroom
To make the drawers slide out of the grooves easily, grease the wooden parts of the pull-out system with paraffin. Sliding will be greatly facilitated.
How to restore an old chest of drawers (video)
As you can see, turning an old bulky chest of drawers into a completely new and attractive interior element is not at all difficult, although troublesome. But all the difficulties fade before the result of the work. Tell us in the comments about your ideas for restoring and reworking old furniture. Good luck and enjoy your home!
Today there is a chest of drawers in almost every home.
do it yourself
In addition to being a very beautiful piece of furniture, it is also very functional. After all, you can store so many things in it! progenitor modern chest of drawers was an old Russian chest. It just got a little modified and redesigned. In ancient times, only representatives of a noble family could afford a chest of drawers.
After all, back then it was quite expensive. And now it is an indispensable attribute of any room in the house.
- Sander;
- screwdriver and jigsaw;
- hacksaw, spatula, hammer;
- ruler, pencil;
- MDF board;
- putty, paint, PVA glue.
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Stages of work
When all that is needed is prepared, you can proceed to work.
Pull out all the drawers from the chest of drawers, unscrew the old handles. At the next stage of the restoration of the chest of drawers, you need to remove the old varnish and paint. To do this, you will need sandpaper or a grinder.
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Finishing and its options
Coloring
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The next step is to transfer all the pictures to the chest of drawers. Apply glue to each picture individually and cover the entire surface of the chest of drawers with them. Side walls cabinet should be decorated not only with pictures, but also beautiful frame on topic with them.
pictures and you're done.
At the end of the work, the chest of drawers should be varnished.
So, you protect the pictures and extend the life of the cabinet.
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Unusual decision
Do-it-yourself restoration of an old chest of drawers
Today there is a chest of drawers in almost every home. In addition to being a very beautiful piece of furniture, it is also very functional. After all, you can store so many things in it! The progenitor of the modern chest of drawers was an old Russian chest. It just got a little modified and redesigned. In ancient times, only representatives of a noble family could afford a chest of drawers. After all, back then it was quite expensive. And now it is an indispensable attribute of any room in the house.
Although most often they put a closet in the bedroom - because this is where bedding and other things are stored. If you attach a mirror to the chest of drawers, then it can be a great alternative to a modern dressing table.
What is needed for the restoration of a chest of drawers
In Italy, it is customary before the New Year to change all the furniture in the house, starting life clean slate. But in Russia it is not customary to throw away old furniture, especially if it was inherited from relatives and retained its outwardly attractive appearance. However, over time, even the most durable and reliable furniture can fail and lose its appeal. That's why you have to buy a new one.
As an alternative, you can consider restoring furniture with your own hands. This is especially applicable to the old grandmother's chests of drawers, which are as strong and reliable as the Soviet system. And for this you only need your imagination. And the result will be a completely new designer piece of furniture in your home.
First you need to prepare everything necessary materials and tools:
- Sander;
- screwdriver and jigsaw;
- hacksaw, spatula, hammer;
- ruler, pencil;
- roller and several different brushes;
- MDF board;
- putty, paint, PVA glue.
Stages of work
When all that is needed is prepared, you can proceed to work. Pull out all the drawers from the chest of drawers, unscrew the old handles. At the next stage of the restoration of the chest of drawers, you need to remove the old varnish and paint. To do this, you will need sandpaper or a grinder.
After the cabinet is cleaned of paint, you need to check the reliability of all furniture fasteners. If there are loose areas or unreliably screwed legs, then they should be disassembled and twisted again, having previously walked through the joints with furniture glue.
Carefully check for chips, scratches and cracks on the surface of the furniture. If they are, then you need to get rid of them. To do this, you need high-quality wood putty. It is applied in a thin layer to fill all the holes and chips in the cabinet. Leave the cabinet to dry. After a few hours, you need to level the surface with a fine sandpaper.
The final step in the restoration of the chest of drawers with your own hands will be priming and drying. After that, you can begin to come up with the external design of furniture restored with your own hands.
Finishing and its options
The restoration of the chest of drawers is moving on to its climax. You can paint the furniture in a color that matches your interior or make it a bright accent in the room. But here you need to have a subtle sense of taste, so as not to make it too pretentious.
From the MDF board with a jigsaw, you need to cut out the decorative lining on the boxes. Carefully sand all corners and side cuts. Apply PVA glue and firmly attach the lining to the boxes. Now it remains to paint the cabinet and varnish it.
By the way, if you use not ordinary, but craquelure varnish, then you will get the effect of aged furniture at home. And you will do everything with your own hands, without resorting to the services of designers.
Now you just have to attach beautiful handles to the drawers and that's it, the restoration of the chest of drawers is finished with brilliance.
Do-it-yourself chest of drawers for a nursery
For the children's room, you should choose a bright color of paint and beautiful decorative stickers that will decorate the surface. After the painted cabinet dries, assemble an unusual collage from the sticker. It can be a lot of fairy-tale characters or scenes from the child's favorite cartoons. It is most convenient to stick all this on a film.
The next step is to transfer all the pictures to the chest of drawers. Apply glue to each picture individually and cover the entire surface of the chest of drawers with them.
His Highness Chest of Drawers: Part 2 - Ten Easy Ways to Upgrade
The side walls of the cabinet should be decorated not only with pictures, but also with a beautiful frame in the theme for them.
So, you will get the finished image. To do this, you will need four slats that will need to be cut into the right dimensions and paint. After that, it is enough to glue the rails around the perimeter of the resulting
pictures and you're done.
At the end of the work, the chest of drawers should be varnished. So, you protect the pictures and extend the life of the cabinet.
Unusual decision
How do you like the idea of a Chinese chest of drawers with your own hands? This is quite unusual and very original. So, restore a flock of chest of drawers according to the previous version and you can proceed to finishing.
To get started, you will need several rails and a stencil with hieroglyphs. Just first clarify what these symbols mean, so as not to get into a mess. By the way, you can get by with simple pieces of wallpaper with hieroglyphs that can be pasted on the cabinet and proceed to the next steps:
- Paint the chest of drawers soft bed color, which will organically fit into your interior.
- Now mark out the width of your overlays.
- Then cut off a piece of paper that will
The child will serve as the basis of your hieroglyphs and apply the hieroglyphs themselves on it.
Do-it-yourself transformation of an old chest of drawers does not require any special skills and knowledge, and there is no need for large expenses. But new item furniture in your home will pleasantly surprise guests and family members. Moreover, such a wardrobe will become a real decoration of any room interior.
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How to restore an old chest of drawers?
Probably, in every house there is furniture, the age of which is greater than the total age of all family members. If your house has such a family heirloom, then do not rush to get rid of it, because old thing can be turned into a unique design object in a few hours. Let's try to figure out how to restore worn-out furniture, using a chest of drawers as an example.
How to update an old chest of drawers?
If you do not know how to decorate an old chest of drawers, the universal decoupage technique will come to your rescue. Decoupage is the decoration of an object, using multi-colored paper cutouts combined with paint, gold leaves, etc. This time-tested technique will allow you to update the decor of an old chest of drawers quickly, cheaply and without much effort.
Before decoupage, you need to check whether your chest of drawers needs a deep restoration. Such a restoration of an old chest of drawers consists in removing the previous coating and filling chips and cracks, followed by primer treatment. If all of the above has already been done, or the chest of drawers does not need deep restoration, we move on to the most interesting thing - the decor. And here we can safely let our imagination fly: colored wrappers, favorite postcards, magazine clippings, decorative sheets of precious metals, in a word, everything your heart desires can be used during decoupage.
Restoring a chest of drawers with your own hands is a very exciting activity.
Decoupage of an old chest of drawers - step by step instructions
For decoupage we need:
- paper (in our case, we used a smooth, fibrous fabric, in the Art Nouveau style);
- ruler, pencil, scissors;
- PVA glue, or any other white glue;
- water;
- brush.
A chest of drawers is an element of the decor of many apartments and houses. It is convenient to store bed and underwear, clothes and home textiles in its capacious drawers. During operation appearance furniture loses its attractiveness even with careful handling. Product design may be out of date due to modern interior. Do-it-yourself restoration of the chest of drawers allows you to return the furniture to its former attractiveness, to revive the appearance.
You can restore the chest of drawers different ways. Coloring, decoupage or aging is suitable. You can restore furniture made of plywood, chipboard, restore the look of an old chest of drawers. Before performing any restoration option, old furniture must be prepared and stocked with materials for work. This will require the following tools:
- grinder to remove the old coating;
- putty on wood and a spatula for covering cracks;
- screwdriver for dismantling old rusty screws;
- metal corners with which you can strengthen the structure;
- fine-grained sandpaper for sanding the coating;
- brushes and primer on wood for processing furniture for painting;
- drill for making holes for fittings, fasteners;
- paint, brushes, roller and tray for restoration at home.
Tools
Depending on the finish option, the list of tools and materials may vary. If the chest of drawers is painted, varnish is used to fix the coating. When using the decoupage technique, you need PVA glue, beautiful stickers that will decorate the surface.
All materials and tools must be prepared in advance, as soon as it is decided how to update the chest of drawers. In order for the furniture to serve for a long time, it is recommended to replace the fixing and decorative fittings with new elements.
Furniture preparation
Restoration of an old chest of drawers will be successful if the furniture is properly prepared for work. The chest of drawers is freed from the things and objects stored in it, the boxes are taken out. Old handles are unscrewed - if they are antique, the products can be repainted in gold, bronze or silver. Parts that cannot be restored must be replaced with new fittings. Surface preparation is carried out as follows:
- to finish the old chest of drawers with their own hands, the furniture is wiped from dust and dirt. You can use warm soapy water for cleaning;
- do not use aggressive chemical components - ordinary laundry soap will do;
- carved elements are cleaned with an old toothbrush, and small decorative holes with an awl or other sharp object;
- grinder remove the old paintwork, hard-to-reach places are treated with sandpaper;
- repair of furniture fasteners - loose legs are disassembled, reassembled, adding PVA glue to the joints;
- wooden slats on which the boxes “ride” can be replaced with modern guide rails;
- if the product has cracks and chips, they are covered with wood putty. The mixture dries for at least a day;
- the restored places are carefully rubbed with fine-grained sandpaper so that the surface is even and smooth;
- to improve the adhesive qualities, the furniture is coated with a primer in two layers, allowing each coating to dry;
- the soil dries out from 12 to 24 hours - it depends on the type of primer chosen.
An antique chest of drawers with a long history may contain a unique brand or mark of the master on the surface - these fragments should be preserved in order to convey the charm of a restored antique product as accurately as possible. Restoring a chest of drawers with your own hands requires patience and skill. You can not ignore the process of preparing furniture, otherwise all the work will be in vain.
Dust removal
The old coating must be carefully removed from all decorative elements.
Sanding furniture surfaces
Restoration options
To return the furniture to a presentable appearance, various restoration techniques are used. The simplest option is decorative wallpapering, as in the presented photo. Some craftsmen cover with fabrics or lace. You can use stencils to apply original drawings with paint or make complex decor with plaster. But most often, restoration is carried out with the help of painting, spectacular decor.
Decoupage
Decoupage is the use various materials to decorate furniture. For decoration, a variety of clippings are used, which are glued to the chest of drawers. The theme can be anything - floral motifs, birds, portraits, photo collages. Acrylic paints and ready-made stickers are used to complete the work. Decoupage of a chest of drawers in the popular shabby chic style - drawings are combined with an aged surface:
- prepare the surface of the furniture for processing (grinding, putty, primer), remove the boxes and remove the fittings, treat with alcohol;
- I restore the inner parts of the chest of drawers with white paint or ivory, let it dry for 12 hours;
- to simulate "scuffs" on the convex parts of the chest of drawers apply a dark stain with a dry brush in a small amount;
- the outer surfaces of the chest of drawers are coated with a primer, after drying they are treated with sandpaper;
- black acrylic paint is applied to the aged areas, after drying they are rubbed with a paraffin candle;
- paint the chest of drawers with your own hands in the base color. To make the drawings look expressive, use white, cream, beige;
- the paint is applied in several layers, each time the coating is dried until completely dry;
- cut out of decoupage paper decorative elements. It is convenient to place large parts in the center, small ones in the corners;
- coat with PVA glue pictures from the outside and inside, apply glue to the sections of the chest of drawers and glue decoupage, as in the photo;
- the edges of the pictures are smoothed with paint to visually erase the borders. Cover the entire chest of drawers with varnish, fasten the fittings.
Antique furniture handles are painted antique. If decoupage is done in a modern style, you can choose new accessories to your liking. For decoupage, you can use newspapers, photos, napkins for needlework, stickers.
An interesting decoupage option in the Provence style is a combination of paper flower applications with lavender splashes. Chest of drawers are painted in White color, stick medium-sized blue or purple flowers, and then droplets of paint are splashed with an old toothbrush from a distance of one to two meters. The greater the distance, the smaller the droplets.
All irregularities are smoothed out with sandpaper
Edges and handles are painted with brown acrylic paint.
Edges and handles are rubbed with a candle
Painting with white acrylic paint and sanding
Drawing up a picture from selected pictures
Applying a layer of glue
Leveling with fine sandpaper
Replacement of metal parts
Old chests of drawers require not only decoration, but also the restoration of the system of fasteners and fittings. metal elements chest of drawers - bolts, screws, handles, corners. They eventually become unusable and lose their external gloss. Antique beautiful fittings can be left if the products are not damaged, or painted. This is true for models in vintage style and shabby chic design. For restoration in modern version furniture handles should be replaced with new products. Fixing parts of the chest of drawers also need to be repaired or replaced. How to restore an old chest of drawers to make furniture more durable:
- carefully inspect the condition of the fasteners;
- unscrew old loose screws;
- wood glue is added to the holes;
- install dowels of suitable size;
- new fixing screws are screwed into the dowels;
- frame parts are connected with metal corners;
- the corners need to be fixed in the inside of the chest of drawers.
Be sure to check the condition of the legs. If they are loose, the products are disassembled and new fasteners are installed. To make drawers slide easily when opened and closed instead of mounting strips you can install furniture guides. The main thing is that they do not disturb the harmony and harmony of the restored product. Additionally, furniture can be decorated with metal decorative overlays that imitate carvings or patterns. The main rule of restoration is to first replace the fasteners, and then proceed to decorating.
Drawer guides
One of the most simple ways restore the beauty of the chest of drawers - paint the furniture. It takes a little time, reliably hides the slightest defects and flaws, allows you to give the product any color. Before painting, the chest of drawers is prepared for restoration. Fittings are twisted from it, drawers are taken out and the old coating is removed. If the chest of drawers is polished, the top layer must be removed thoroughly in order to new paint did not peel off. Coloring master class:
- surface grinding, crack filling, priming;
- applying paint with a brush on the corners and in hard-to-reach places;
- painting the smooth surfaces of the dresser with a paint roller;
- drying of the first layer, secondary staining, drying;
- consolidation decorative coating a layer of varnish.
You need to apply paint on furniture at least two times to make the color rich and beautiful. You can cover the chest of drawers with three or more layers - this way you can repaint dark furniture in light shades and vice versa. First, paint the internal parts, and then proceed to finish the external surfaces. Acrylic paints work well for painting. You can use alkyd enamels, but they release toxins and a strong characteristic odor.
Thermal removal of the old coating
Grinding can be done with a machine or special nozzles for drills.
Acrylic putty will hide defects visible to the eye
Painting is best done with a brush.
Painted chest of drawers
Aging
The current trend in furniture restoration is the use of aging techniques. It is in this way that an old chest of drawers can be given an original look. Aging work is slightly different from traditional staining. In addition to acrylic paint, you need white paraffin candles. Restoration with the effect of aging is shown in the photo:
- furniture is prepared for work - cleaned, primed, strengthened fasteners;
- allocate dark paint (brown or black) accent areas. For the Provence style, blue is used;
- after the paint has dried, the places where the effect of aging needs to be applied are rubbed with wax;
- the entire surface of the dresser is covered with a layer of white paint several times. Places treated with wax are carefully scraped off with a knife;
- painted surfaces are rubbed with sandpaper to give the furniture the desired antique effect, and varnished.
You can achieve vintage “scuffs” on furniture by using contrasting shades - a white base and dark accents or a black base background, painted with light paint and rubbed in some places with sandpaper. Aged furniture harmoniously looks in the interiors of shabby chic, Provence, country, vintage houses.
The popularity of hand-made products is growing day by day, including hand-painted furniture. A fascinating activity also brings practical benefits: with the help of painting, old pieces of furniture acquire a second life. But it is not necessary to deal exclusively with restoration. New simple furniture without frills can be turned into a real masterpiece of the interior. The main thing is to choose the right painting technique.
Design options
The way furniture is designed depends on professional skills and the time you are willing to spend on creating a masterpiece. For beginners who do not know the art of artistic drawing, it is better to start by using simple stencils. A more complex and interesting painting is obtained by mastering the decoupage technique. In the future, the main composition can be supplemented with small details made independently.
For masters who use a brush, it is better to try painting furniture using acrylic paints. It will take more time to work, but the freedom of creativity here is not limited to a certain composition. For the first experiments, small pieces of furniture are suitable - a stool, a chair or shoe rack. After honing your painting skills, you can move on to larger items - chests of drawers, cabinets.
Comment! Natural wood furniture is suitable for painting, products based on chipboard or MDF will have to be set aside. The exception is the design of surfaces using decoupage.
Preparatory stage
Depending on the technique you choose, you will need:
- Acrylic paints. You can buy a set or individual shades of the desired volume. The water-resistant image surface is ideal for a wooden base.
- Brushes. It is recommended to purchase synthetic or mixed hair products designed specifically for acrylic compounds. It is better to refuse natural brushes. To work, you will need wide instances that fill the background areas, and thin brushes for drawing small details.
- Primer. Usually, before starting work, the surface of the furniture is treated for better adhesion with the applied paint layer.
- Special blends to create certain effects. To give the picture interesting shades, you should use little tricks. Most often, painting is found in the interior of Provence. The provincial design direction actively uses special techniques for artificial aging surfaces. It can be scuffs, small cracks and chips. Craquelure varnish, gelatin, PVA glue and even egg yolk can be useful to achieve this goal.
Golden paints add extra brightness to the pattern on the furniture; using a hair dryer when painting will help to get a blurry image.
Before starting work, the furniture surface must be cleaned and degreased. To eliminate irregularities, sanding is carried out, scratches and dents are puttied, after which the furniture is covered with a primer. The beginning of painting is started after thorough drying of the treated surface.
Comment! If the preparatory stage is skipped, the painted image may deteriorate after a short period.
Art for beginners
After the preparatory phase go directly to the design of furniture.
Using stencils
Painting with a stencil is the easiest way to transform the interior of a room. Having chosen the option you like from numerous examples, it is initially printed out and then transferred to a thick sheet. An ornament or other image is carefully cut out. Simple and at the same time attractive patterns are presented below:
The surface of the furniture is initially painted with a background color, usually calm shades are chosen for this purpose. After the paint dries, the stencil is securely fixed to the furniture and the prepared cutouts are filled with brighter paint. The work is carried out with a sponge, so the surface is painted more evenly. It is better to gradually apply several layers to the furniture.
Depending on the chosen pattern, furniture painting is done in one-color or multi-color. In conclusion, it is recommended to additionally circle the contour of the painting to obtain a brighter image. If the stencil is small, you can use the pattern on several objects, the main thing is to observe moderation in order to avoid oversaturation of the interior with bright colors.
Decoupage technology
The essence of the decoupage technique is to fix a pattern made on paper or fabric onto a dense base. It can be small vases and jars or larger furniture. The advantage of decoupage compared to painting acrylic paints- for decoration it is not necessary to choose a wooden surface.
Of great importance in the preparation of materials is the choice of varnish. Depending on the composition, the surface of the furniture can be:
- semi-matte;
- matte;
- with sequins;
- antique;
- semi-gloss;
- glossy.
To imitate painting, they acquire a special material with a printed pattern. There are the following options for decorating furniture:
- Napkins. Due to the thin base, working with them is quite difficult. For beginners, it is better to train on small, even surfaces of furniture.
- Decoupage card printed on rice paper. Due to the denser base and elasticity, it will be a little easier to achieve the effect of painting on furniture.
- Decoupage cards on plain paper.
- Prints on photo paper. The advantage of the solution is the ability to order any image that is optimally suited for decorating furniture painting.
Attention! Regardless of the chosen pattern, the piece of furniture intended for decoupage painting is painted in a white background. The reason for the requirement is simple - before applying, the paper with a pattern is moistened, if the base is colored, the color scheme of the painting will be noticeably distorted. On a white background, the color scheme will remain in its original form.
Fixing the picture takes place in a different way. Usually, the surface is treated with glue, after drying, paper with a pattern is applied and carefully leveled, achieving total absence bubbles or wrinkles. When the paper dries, the drawing is varnished, which will preserve the integrity of the painting.
Illustrative examples of painting made using the decoupage technique are shown in the photo:
Painting with acrylic paints
A full-fledged painting is more suitable for people who can independently create an interesting picture on furniture. But this is not a prerequisite. A simple drawing of a cherry on baby chair quite within the power to perform and a beginner.
Main stages of work:
- It is better to make a preliminary sketch of the painting on paper in order to choose a harmonious color palette, which will merge into the overall interior.
- Prepare pencils, paints, brushes, varnish and other improvised materials.
- The outlines of the pattern are applied to the surface of the furniture with a simple pencil without pressure, so that it does not subsequently show through the acrylic paint.
- First, large elements of the painting are painted, then small details are drawn up.
Depending on the desired effect, the base coat of paint is allowed to dry or a different tone is applied on top, without waiting for complete drying. Photos will help you evaluate the variety of images with which you can decorate furniture:
Features of painting in various rooms
When choosing an image, they are guided by the functional purpose of the room and the style of the interior. Most often, painting on furniture is in demand in the Provence style. Natural motifs, all kinds of vegetation and birds are fully consistent with the design concept with a taste of the French province. Painted looks extremely organic. If desired, the furniture in the kitchen can also be painted, although it is easier to turn to the decoupage technique. In addition to flowers, birds and vegetation, there are other interesting compositions.
The children's room is a space for creativity. For beginners, it is better to choose simple images, these can be fish, colorful numbers and letters. If desired, the child's room will be filled with bunnies, fairies, cars and sailboats. It all depends on the age, gender and preferences of your beloved child.
For furniture design, you can also choose a neutral theme - geometric shapes, iridescent bubbles, the choice is limited only by your own imagination.
The kitchen is a suitable place for still lifes. The painting in the form of a tree will look extremely impressive on the furniture, the trunk of which is located on the pencil case, and the branches smoothly move to the adjacent cabinet.
Go ahead, and due to the design of the surface of the furniture set, you can transform the interior of the room beyond recognition. The main thing is to take into account the functionality of the room, the overall stylistic decision and not overestimate your own capabilities.