How to update an old wardrobe with your own hands
It is known that old things are not easy to throw away. The hardest part is to part with solid furniture, especially if it is still in fairly good condition. In this case, an attempt to return grandmother's Soviet chest of drawers to life will do quite well, as the most acceptable option.
Fortunately, the methods of restoring old cabinets at home do not imply the presence of special skills or the use of complex technological processes. Of course, some amount of new knowledge will most likely have to be mastered, but the result will pay off handsomely.
Before getting started
First of all, you need an idea. First of all, you need to check the condition of the furniture, and whether it makes sense at all to take on it. One should soberly assess how simple (or difficult) it will be to bring it into its proper form, at least from the point of view of elementary functionality, since restoring an old cabinet does not mean just repainting it.
At this stage, it should already be clear what tools are required. For example, it is better to varnish antique solid wood furniture, while more modern chipboard furniture can be painted or pasted over with foil or wallpaper. In any case, you need to prepare sandpaper, a set of screwdrivers, a spatula, brushes or roller, a primer and a chipping putty.
Important! It is highly desirable to observe a reasonable compromise between the flight of fantasy and practicality. Especially if the renovated furniture is supposed to be used for its intended purpose.
Do-it-yourself old cabinet restoration: preparation
The preparatory stage involves the use of various tools, paints, putty, all kinds of chemicals (sometimes quite aggressive), as well as everything that turns an ordinary room into a workshop. Therefore, you need to worry in advance so that there is enough space so that the noise during work does not bother anyone, and the work itself is convenient to perform.
In general, the order of operations might look like this:
- Inspection of surfaces for damage. It is necessary to determine the condition of the wood and mark the places of chips, traces of impacts and other damage.
- Analysis of the suitability of the preserved fittings. If necessary, assess the possibility of replacing it with the same or similar one.
- Dismantling the cabinet into components. It is advisable to do this as fully as possible (including the frame), since it will not work to restore the old cabinet at home if the fasteners are broken and the insides are rotten.
- Removing the old coating.It is better to process large areas with a grinder, and hard-to-reach places with sandpaper or apply a special paint remover.
- Alignment. Irregularities, chips and dents must be removed with putty, and deep cracks must be repaired with wax. After drying, the treated surfaces must be cleaned again.
- Primer. Before proceeding directly to the restoration, it is required to apply a layer of primer.
- Anchoring. After the surface has been given the proper look, varnishing is used in most cases - this protects the decor from damage and gives the furniture an attractive look. You need to apply varnish in several passes.
Ways to restore old cabinets at home
Today, there is no universal recipe for how this should be done. Nevertheless, a few of the most common options can be identified that will prove useful in finding the best restoration method.
Restoration by painting
It makes sense to paint those surfaces that were either painted earlier, or a design idea requires it. In this case, it is not necessary to make everything monochromatic. It is advisable to use acrylic paint, since it is quite easy to work with it and it is not difficult to wash it off in case of an error. At the same time, it is better to varnish furniture made of natural wood. There is no point in hiding its structure, given that such furniture will perfectly fit into a vintage-style interior.
Wallpaper as a way of restoration
Sometimes it is extremely difficult to decide how to restore an old wardrobe, especially when you want to do everything beautifully and not violate the already existing style. In this case, a decorating technique using wallpaper is suitable.
Thanks to a huge selection of patterns, textures and colors, you can find the right solution. Moreover, applying wallpaper to the wooden parts of the cabinet is no more difficult than pasting the walls. After drying, the finished surfaces must be varnished. This option is an excellent solution for classic interiors.
Decoupage application
The use of such a technique can give an excellent result, but only under the condition of a clear understanding of what to do and where, since not all interiors are suitable for a wardrobe decorated with scraps of newspapers or old napkins.
The execution itself is not difficult - a slightly moistened newspaper is glued to the prepared surface and, after drying, is varnished several times. Usually this solution works well for country style.
Using fabric for renewal
Surprisingly, you can also update old furniture with the help of fabric. Of course, pretentious forms will not lend themselves to such finishing, but in most cases this is not required.
As a rule, similar methods of restoring old cabinets at home are used to give the desired accent, attract attention or add to it.It goes well with the interior in the Provence style, especially if you can adapt the lace or somehow add a touch of sophistication.
Craquelure, as one of the options
It uses a simultaneous combination of two techniques: varnishing and decoupage. There are special varnishes that allow you to achieve the effect of antiquity.
On the prepared and painted surface, the first layer is put - craquelure varnish. Then, after it dries a little, paint is applied, which will simulate cracks. Fastening is done with acrylic. This technique allows you to achieve the effect of antiquity, and an old wardrobe restored by your own hands is ideal for an interior in a romantic or vintage design.
Last chance: toning and photo printing
An interesting approach to renovation, whereby furniture can transform most modern interiors. True, for this method, cabinets with large areas of flat surfaces are suitable, three-section are best of all.
The restoration is carried out by pasting open areas with self-adhesive foil, plain or with a printed image. Today, any drawing can be printed on such a film, even your own, which will only add zest to the design of the room.
How to upgrade an old wardrobe: some useful ideas
Of course, the recovery process is not limited only to the described methods. You can always do what is appropriate in each case.
Moreover, the field of experiments is constantly expanding, so today you can find quite interesting and unusual ideas:
- Using mirrors or mirror film.
- Applying mosaics to highlight individual surfaces.
- Application of gilding to give furniture a touch of nobility and luxury.
- Adding third-party elements: rivets, metal plates or glass jewelry.
- Scraping - embossed (volumetric) decoration.
Additional Information! When stenciling, the protruding elements can be painted or highlighted with gilding. It will look interesting and unusual.
Of course, recovery is not an easy process that requires both imagination and the ability to work with your hands. However, by breathing new life into an old object, you can simultaneously renew your own. For example, qualitatively change the interior or acquire new skills, and numerous ways to restore old cabinets at home will allow not only to revive an old thing, but also to preserve a piece of history for the future. Even so small.
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