Aside from major woodworking repairs, most refinishing can be done with relative ease in a garage, home workshop, or even on the backyard patio. In this article you'll learn how to remove or strip the old finish, prepare the wood surface, and apply the beautiful new finish of your choice. First, some preliminary suggestions are given to help select the right piece for the job.

Deciding Whether a Piece is a Good Candidate for Refinishing

Extremely rare or fine collectibles should probably be refinished by a professional, or perhaps only cleaned and not even refinished at all. An experienced antique appraiser should be consulted in such cases. Refinishing an average piece usually increases its actual dollar value, however. Value is generally determined by how much someone is willing to pay for something, except for what may be called “sentimental value” which only the owner can determine. Look at the piece you’re considering refinishing from both perspectives.

Unless you’ve already done a few smaller pieces, something large such as an armoire or piano should be left to a professional. Good candidates are small- to medium-sized pieces, such as dining and hall tables, washstands, small bookcases and curios, jewelry and cigar boxes, blanket chests, etc. Disassembling a piece which was designed to come apart will make the work go smoother, but is not always necessary. More than one or two chairs can generally be refinished by a professional more cheaply than a person could do himself or herself.

If you are able, try to find an inconspicuous spot near the back or bottom of the furniture you're considering, and carefully scrape away the existing deteriorated finish with a penknife; about a two-square-inch area should be adequate. This will enable you to determine how easily the original finish will come off, and also the type of wood beneath the old dirty finish. By dampening the bare wood with water one can obtain an idea of what the wood will look like with a clear finish applied.

Shy away from any piece with several coats of paint; it will be much more difficult to strip down to the bare wood.

Ornate pieces with small carvings, or a lot of spindles or corners, will be more difficult in every step, but not necessarily out of the question.

Now that you’ve determined that your piece is a candidate, you can begin to collect the tools and materials needed.