A couple weeks back I wrote a blog post about getting into the furniture renewal game (especially wood furniture).
Coming off that post I know you are just itching to get that furniture piece and start working on it already so we will jump right into it! Picking the piece of furniture to redo is probably one of the more important parts of the process. The type of furniture will be key if you are looking to resell the item later. I have personally found that dressers are pretty consistently in demand. Other items like coffee tables, side tables, china cabinets, etc. have taken a little longer to sell as there is a smaller audience in need of them. If you are not looking to sell the refurbished furniture, you can totally disregard that point and continue reading!
After selecting the type of furniture you want to tackle, you’ll want to move on to what the item is made of. Refinishing something that is solid wood is by far the easiest and best route to go when you can! I will caution you that many things listed on eBay, Facebook Marketplace, OfferUp, etc. may claim to be solid wood when it’s not. Lots of times, the seller thinks it is solid when in fact it is veneer or laminate.
You can definitely still refurbish things that are not solid wood, but you will be more limited in what you can do with it and some will require specific products such as gel stain. Click HERE on how to distinguish between, real wood, veneer, and laminate.
If you are not looking to spend money on the piece you refinish, you will likely end up with something veneer or laminate. Also, reach out to any friends who may have old furniture sitting in the garage that they no longer want! I got a real wood coffee table to redo through a good friend.
Great! Now you have the piece of furniture and you are ready to jump into your project. At this stage, Pinterest is my best friend. Before I start prepping, sanding, etc., I spend time on Pinterest, Instagram, FB, or just google images to decide what I want to do stylistically for the furniture. I do this after getting the piece since the style and shape of it will directly impact what would look good as far as paint and stain go. This also gives me a good idea of what people are interested in buying if it is something I plan to sell later.
Many people refinishing furniture will redo something to match their personal taste and then struggle to sell it since it ends up being for a niche group. My rule of thumb: appeal to the masses by keeping it simple and neutral. Obviously, if you want to keep this item or don’t plan to sell, go crazy with it! I also like doing the planning before any prep so I have a picture of everything I need to get done such as how much sanding/stripping needs to happen and where.
Once you have found your inspiration you are set to start working on your piece!
About the Author
Emma currently works in software sales for a company located in Dallas, TX. She has always loved tapping into her creative side and enjoys spending free time thrift shopping hoping find her next project. Outside of her full time job and creative hobbies, Emma also loves spending time outdoors with her husband, Roman
About CouchCycled
CouchCycled offers free in-home couch and furniture removal in an effort to reduce furniture waste in Dallas/Fort Worth while giving back to the community. All removed couches are renewed and resold at an affordable price. A percentage of all sales are donated.
