Give your furniture a good look before you start anything. Look for any nicks or places on the furniture that might need patched up. To help find smaller problems areas thoroughly clean the entire surface with a wood cleaner. This is also an important step to help prepare your wood for the stripper. If you find any areas that need to be repaired, here are a few helpful hints to hide them:
If it is a simple water ring or white spot, use a 2/0 or 3/0 steel wool pad and a little linseed oil to rub the spot. Rub with the grain of the wood. Once the spot is removed, wipe the surface with a dry rag and add a paste wax.
If there is a nick, remove any varnish or paint around the area to give you more control. Then using a wood paste fill in the nick. After it has set, sand over the nick gently using sandpaper between 100 and 120 grit. This will help hide those small problem areas and help produce a beautiful piece.
If the area is large and unfixable it might not be salvageable. Though I truely believe any piece of furniture should have a chance, even if there are plobelm areas, it just refelcts its history and the life it has lived. |
