This Week: Painting And Renovating Bedroom Furniture

Dec 16 2007 Donny

Diy Donny

We can always do with saving a bit of our hard-earned cash - expecially at this season of the year.

It seems to be spend, spend, spend over the festive season - with little left for household items such as that new bedroom furniture you fancy.

But let's get real. Why not save yourself a few quid (perhaps even a few hundred quid) by simply renovating your existing furniture to look like new?

Today's disposable society encourages us to chuck things out then buy new.

But a perfectly good piece of furniture is worth saving.

With a bit of TLC and a facelift, you can bring it back into the modern world.

There are many ways to save money with a little bit of DIY about the house.

All these tips are designed to take the strain off your wallet - and lighten the thud of that dreaded credit card bill on the doormat in January. Remember, you don't have to be an expert. Just follow the simple step-by-step instructions below and you will quickly get the hang of it.

Before you know it, you will be saying: "Job done".

TOOLS

Sandpaper

50mm paintbrush

MATERIALS

Wax/varnish remover

Steal wool (oooo grade)

Primer

Top coat

Your step-by-step guide..

1 This old bed is a good piece of furniture. Painted white, it will match the rest of the pieces in the room.

2 If the existing finish is wax, it can only be removed with a wax remover and steel wool, as sandpaper will simply clog-up. To remove varnish, use varnish remover with steel wool or a medium grade sandpaper.

3 Once the pervious coat of wax or varnish is removed, apply undercoat paint. This will make life easier when you apply the finish coat.

4 Apply the undercoat in direction of the grain and work into any grooves. Blend in the wet edges so the undercoat is even.

5 Wet paint makes wood fibres rise. This can leave a rough finish, so sand between coats using fine paper P180 grade.

6 For best results apply two full finish coats - gloss or satin depending on the type of finish you want. Keep the final brush strokes in the same direction and spread the paint. Avoid overloading the brush with paint as you will cause runs.

7 Why not customize your furniture with fun stencils or transfers of your choice to add that individual look?

8 Job done

TOP TIP: Keep a steady hand when you are using stencils or they may smudge