The way to Refurbish High Back Seats
As a do-it-yourself fan, you can save the cost of new seats by refurbishing antique or contemporary wooden high-back seats which have seen better days. Furniture polish or furniture oil may restore some seats. But over time, these might not conceal blemishes in the wood. With a little more effort, you are able to shred rundown seats and have them looking like new. The best place for your job is really a garage, a covered terrace which has great ventilation.
Spread a cloth dropcloth on the ground and position the chair on its side on the cloth. Determine how any chair cushion or back cushion are secured in place. Remove screws or clips using a screwdriver and remove the cushions. Alternatively, cut pieces of thin plastic dropcloth with scissors and secure them in the edges of the cushions using masking tape.
Expand the remaining portion of the plastic dropcloth on the cloth cloth and set the chair on the plastic. Put on latex gloves and a dust mask.
Apply a coat of paint stripper on all wooden surfaces of this chair, using a utility paintbrush. Tilt the chair forward and balance it on the upper edge of the high back to employ stripper in the rear and upper ends of their legs. Permit the stripping agent to take effect for 20 minutes or until it stops bubbling up paint or masonry.
Remove the stripper in the wood with rags. Remove stripper in bows and crevices with steel wool at the direction of the wood grain. Wipe down the wood surfaces, crevices and grooves with a sponge and clean water. Rinse the sponge as you go to make sure all the stripper is eliminated. Permit the wood to dry.
Cut strips that the 200-grit sandpaper to match on a sanding block. Sand with the grain of this wood using extended, uniform strokes to reach uniformity. Cut 6-inch square bits of 200-grit sandpaper, fold the pieces in half and sand all of crevices and grooves. Thoroughly remove irregular sanding debris from all of wood surfaces, grooves and crevices using a clean rag and dry paintbrush.
Determine the kind of finish for the wood, like paint or stain and a clear coat. To get a paint finish, shake a can of epoxy spray paint vigorously for one minute and remove the cap. Hold the can six inches in the wood and utilize sweeping strokes to spray on a uniform coat onto the wood. Allow the paint to dry for one hour and apply a second coat.
Stain the sanded wood surfaces one at a time, using a paintbrush. Use generous amounts of stain every time you dip the brush at the stain. Combine the stain into a uniform finish and lightly wipe the stain at the direction of the wood grain using a rag. Use a small amount of stain in crevices and grooves for the best results. Allow the stain to dry immediately.
Apply a coat of clear urethane spray on the stained hardwood. Hold the can six inches in the wood and utilize uniform strokes to prevent buildups. Permit the coat to dry and apply a second coat. Allow it to dry before removing the vinyl safety and masking tape or re-attaching the cushions.