Who hasn’t thought about picking up that dated piece of wood furniture and bringing it new life? Is it worth it? In this article I’ll show you how to refinish wood furniture and breathe new life into it. I’ll show you my process for how I go about refinishing wood furniture.

This project contains a paid product integration from Minwax. All opinions are herein are my own. Visit my disclosure page for more information on affiliate and compensation this site accepts. 

Step #1: SAND!

I know what you’re thinking, “I hate sanding!”. I know. Trust me, so do I. However, if you want to have a quality finish when it’s all said and done, you have to do a good job with your prep. Depending on the piece of furniture you’re working with and the finish you are planning to add on top of the current, this could either be fast or incredibly painstaking. If you’re going to be painting over the current finish, a light sand is probably enough. However, if you’re going to be re-staining, it’s best to get down to the raw wood and that takes time and effort.

I always start with 80-grit and remove as much of the old clear coat and stain as possible. Once I’ve got most of the material removed, then I’ll move on to 120-grit before doing another pass at 220-grit. 220-grit is sufficient for most finishes but I’ll occasionally go up to 400-grit on tabletops and desks.

Paint vs Stain

Paint:

• Painting requires less sanding. Often times just scuffing up the existing finish is adequate to prep the surface.
• Always use a quality primer over the existing finish before adding your new paint finish.

Stain:

• Requires more prep work and sanding. Often sanding all surfaces down to 220 grit and removing any existing stain.
• Occasionally you can stain a darker color over a lighter color without as much sanding.

STEP #2: Pre-Condition

With the majority of the sanding out of the way you’re ready for a new finish….almost! Don’t overlook a quality pre-conditioner if you’re going to be using a stain. ESPECIALLY if you’re refinishing a piece of furniture made out of a soft wood (pine, alder, etc). If you’re going to be staining a soft wood (and even some hardwoods), get in the habit of using a pre-conditioner. For this project, I used Minwax Water Based Pre-Stain Wood Conditioner. Pre-conditioning helps even out stains so you don’t end up with blotchy spots. Pre-conditioner can also help with spots you may not have been able to fully remove the old finish. It just helps even out the finish and is a great habit to get into using.

Step #3: Choosing a Stain

Choosing the right stain is essential for the success of your finished product. There are a bunch of variables to consider including the final color of the piece. One of the biggest things to consider is:

Oil-Based vs Water-Based:

Oil-Based:

• Pro: Oil based finishes are typically more durable
• Pro: Oil based finishes usually don’t raise grain require additional sanding
• Con: Oil based have longer drying time and heavy odors
• Con: Oil based are less eco-friendly and require solvents/thinners to clean up

Water Based: 

• Pro: Water-based are easy to work with and clean up
• Pro: Water-based stains are UV resistant
• Pro: Water-based stains are more forgiving and easily fixed if a mistake is made
• Pro: Fast dry time and low odor
• Con: Water-based often raises grain in wood projects requiring sanding between coats
• Con: Water-based are not as durable as oil-based

Choosing the proper finish is largely a matter of preference and what is available. Typically water-based is more forgiving for the average DIY because it requires less patience between coats, and is typically easier to work with.

In this case I’m using the new color stains from Minwax, specifically Minwax Semi-Transparent Color Stain in the color Royal Pine. These stains come in both a solid color and semi-transparent color. The solid color is more like a paint in that it doesn’t show as much wood grain. The semi-transparent allows more wood grain to show through the finish color. What’s really unique about these stains is that you can tint them to over 240+ colors!

Step #4: Applying the Stain

Each stain and finish varies a little bit in its suggested application. Make sure you take the time to read the label on your stain or finish to make sure you are applying it correctly. Some stains suggest a foam brush or rag while others recommend a specific type of brush for best application. Check out this other article to dive into the differences between spraying, brushing, and wiping on. Other things to consider are making sure you are in a well ventilated space and making sure you are staining/finishing in the proper temperature window for your finish. Again, this should all be outlined on the packaging of your stain/finish

Step #5: Sealing or Top Coating

Typically when you’re finished staining a piece of furniture, you’ll want to apply a top coat/clear coat for protection and/or shine. Typical finishes for clear coats are Satin, Semi-Gloss, and Gloss. These are just a matter of personal preference for your project. There are a large variety of finishes for your top coat typically in the form of a “urethane”.

Make sure you choose one based on the location of the finished product (indoor/outdoor), and in the sheen you want for your project. Also, you CAN apply an oil-based polyurethane or similar over top of a water based stain. However, this requires that your water-based stain is COMPLETELY dry and cured. I DO NOT recommend applying a water based finish over an oil-based stain. I used Minwax One Coat Polyurethane.

Waxing 

Occasionally I may use a paste wax as the final finish instead of or in addition to a polyurethane finish. The wax also offers protection to the furniture/finish but it doesn’t harden to the consistency of a urethane top coat. You can apply a paste wax over a urethane finish pending you add it in thin layers and buff between each. Keep in mind that the wax may alter the sheen of your urethane finish.

Step #6: Be Patient

Refinishing a piece of furniture is a lot of work and not for the faint of heart. But if it was easy you wouldn’t be able to find these old wooden pieces for free or cheap. It takes time to get the finish you want. After all, they don’t make them like they used to!

If you enjoyed this content, please check out some of these other articles you might enjoy.

An Idiot’s Guide to Wood Finishing

Restoring a Backyard Playset

In this project tutorial I’ll show you how to restore a wheelbarrow by taking an old pile of rusting wheelbarrow parts and transforming it into a fully functional wheelbarrow that’s as good as new!

Disclosure: This post contains a paid product placement by The WD40 Company. All views and opinions are my own. 

When I moved into this house I found a bunch of old wheelbarrow parts rusting away in the backyard. Rather than tossing them in the dumpster, I knew I wanted to restore it somewhere down the line so I’ve been holding onto it for a few years until I could get around to it. Most of the wheelbarrow parts are actually in pretty good shape with the majority just being surface rust. Sure I could just buy a new wheelbarrow if I wanted to, but where’s the fun in that? You know the old saying, one man’s trash is another man’s wheelbarrow!

Rust Removal

Before I could do much with this wheelbarrow, I had to start by taking off all that surface rust which was a pretty big task in and of itself. I started by soaking all the smaller components in WD-40 Specialist Industrial-Strength Cleaner & Degreaser and used some WD-40 Specialist Rust Release Penetrant Spray to loosen up the old rusted bolts on some of the hardware. I had to do a little persuading with the old parts to get them apart which involved me just smashing the old wood with a hammer, but once they were all apart I could let them soak for a little while. 

In addition to the legendary blue and yellow can, WD-40 Company has a full range of high performance products for maintenance, repair, cleaning, and industrial applications for all manner of enthusiasts, professionals, DIYers, and homeowners. To see the full range of their products, check out their website at www.wd40.com.

Next I could focus on the tub itself. This would’ve been a great task for a sandblaster but since I don’t have one I used a flap disc on my angle grinder for the majority of the removal. I also used some low grit sandpaper on my orbital sander, and a wire brush attachment on my drill. It took a while to get down to the bare metal on the whole tub.

And then once the tub was done, I had to do the same thing to all the smaller hardware components!  

Priming & Painting

Finally, after a whole bunch of grinding and sanding, I had all the pieces brought back down to the bare metal and ready for primer. I sprayed the whole thing with a few coats of rust sealing metal primer with my Graco Paint Sprayer.

Originally this wheelbarrow was blue, which I didn’t know until I started sanding it down but since I’m redoing it, I decided to make it a little more “On Brand” this time around and painted the tub a bright orange. I couldn’t find the orange color for my sprayer so I got stuck spraying the whole thing with the trusty old rattle can method. For the hardware components, I decided to make those all black so I sprayed them with a few coats as well and then sealed the whole thing with a few coats of high gloss clear coat.

Making the Handles

While all that set up, I started in on the new handles and wedges for the wheelbarrow. I started by milling down some hard maple that I had lying around into long rectangles for the handles. Normally I probably wouldn’t use maple for this because it’s a pretty nice hardwood for a wheelbarrow that’s gonna get some abuse outside but I wasn’t about to go buy something else. And yes, I could’ve bought pre-made handles too but again, Where’s the fun in that? It’ll just be the nicest handled wheelbarrow around when it’s done. The handles ended up being about 61″ long by 1.5″ thick. 

Shaping the Handles

When it came time to shape the handles I wasn’t really sure how I was gonna do it but I decided to try and just use the angle grinder and the flap disc since I used it for just about everything else and it worked out great. I was able to rough shape them into something that was pretty ergonomic and then finish them off with some sandpaper. Then I started figuring out where the hardware was going to line up on the handles and drilled some holes in them.

Rough Assembly & Making Wedges

In hindsight, I should’ve done all the rough assembly first before I primed & painted everything just so I wouldn’t beat up on the paint job so much wrenching on it and moving it around. But I figured if it can’t hold up to being put together and taken apart of bunch of times, then it won’t hold up to much abuse anyway down the line.

Since I didn’t have any old parts to base the wedges off, I didn’t really know what the angle needed to be or how long they needed to be so I rough assembled the wheelbarrow to try and get a sense of how it was going to be so I could figure out how to make them and also where the wheel was going to fall. The old wheel was pretty dry rot so I did end up spending money on a new one and decided to go with a solid rubber tire. I also bought new glavanized nuts and bolts to hopefully stop the rust from happening again down the line.

Once I had an idea of what to do for the wedges, I cut them on the table saw and then used the drill press to mortise out some holes so that I could have an area to adjust them if I needed to which ended up working out pretty good. The finished wedges ended up being 19″ long by 1.5″ wide and tapered from 1 3/4″ to 1″. I didn’t do the math on the angle. 

Finishing the Handles

Before I did the final reassembly of everything, I wiped down all the maple with a couple coats of Danish oil (I said Tung Oil in the video but I actually used Danish Oil) finish to help it withstand the outdoor elements. I’ll have to reapply down the line but for now a couple coats should be fine.

Final Assembly

I’m pretty sure there was an easier way to get this thing back together than the way I did it, but after a bunch of messing around, I finally got it all put back together and tightened down.

I added one last thing to this wheelbarrow and that is this wheelbarrow liner insert to try and keep the paint job on the inside of the tub intact for a little while and hopefully protect it for a little while. These are manufactured by a local company and one was sent over to me to test out so I figured I’d give it a shot and see how it works out.

Well that is it for this project! I hope you guys enjoyed it. I know I had a ton of fun bringing this old wheelbarrow back to life. It’s not something I do very often so it was a fun little restoration challenge and I’d definitely like to do some more of it down the line. I want to say a quick thank you to WD-40 for making this project possible and I encourage you guys to check out some of their new line of products for your DIY and home improvement projects at http://www.wd40.com/. 

If you liked this project, consider checking out some of these other outdoor DIY Projects!

DIY Paver Walkway Install

DIY Vertical Pallet Garden

Pallets are used to transport almost anything, from food products to fuel and chemicals. They’re also used and re-used, and shipped all around the world. It’s no surprise that they are made to last and hold up to the abuse of shipping and carrying heavy loads. However, they’re also often left out in the elements so they need to be resistant to wear and tear, the weather, and insects. Here’s where the problem comes in.

Manufacturers of these pallets typically treat the pallets either chemically or with heat in order to make them more resilient. There is A LOT of information out there about sourcing where pallets come from, who produced the wood, and how they were treated; however, I’m going to try and condense a bit of info for you to try and give you a crash course for your projects. The general rule is that if a pallet is heat-treated it is safe to use. If it is chemically treated, it is not safe to use.

IDENTIFYING PALLETS AND MARKINGS

First and foremost when using pallets for your projects, always look for any markings on the pallet that can help identify the source of the pallet and the method in which it was treated. The International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) has outlined a labeling system for international pallets, which is required on newer pallets to help identify the pallet. Here’s an example.

The main thing you’re looking for on the label is the treatment code:

• HT: This means the pallet has been heat-treated which heats the core temperature of the wood. Pallets labeled with HT are safe to use.
• MB: This indicates the pallet has been chemically treated with the insecticide Methyl Bromide and is not safe for use in your project.
• DB: This indicates the pallet has been Debarked meaning the bark was removed using a cutting tool under IPPC standards. If used in conjuction with MB the pallet is unsafe. If used either alone or with HT the pallet is safe.
• KD: (Not shown) This indicates the pallet is Kiln Dried. Kiln dried pallets are not harmful and are safe to use for your project.

Here’s an example of a label on a pallet. Can you identify it?

• US: Country Code – This indicates the pallet was manufactured in the United States.
• 08172: Manufacturer or supplier number
• HT: Heat-treated meaning it’s safe to use in your project.
• NHLA: National Hardwood Lumber Association – Logo of the manufacturer or inspection service

HISTORY OF CHEMICALLY TREATED PALLETS

Traditionally many pallets contained CCA (Chromated Copper Arsenate), which was used extensively as a preservative in the wood; however, testing revealed that the arsenic contained in the chemical compound could leak from the wood and cause problems.

More recently, chemically treated pallets have been treated with Methyl Bromide [MB], which is regulated as an insecticide in the United States. Internationally, many countries have outlawed the use of Methyl Bromide in their pallets. Many European nations for example have added it to a list of chemicals to be completely phased out. However, there are still a lot of chemically treated pallets floating around out there that may cross your path.

THAT’S ALL GREAT BUT WHAT IF I CAN’T FIND A MARKING?

Sometimes there’s just not a marking on a pallet or the marking has been worn off via wear and tear. It could either be a pallet that is used for domestic transport and is not treated with any chemicals, or it could be that the marking has been worn off. I’d urge you to err on the side of caution in this case and make sure if you choose to use the pallet that you protect yourself with a respirator and safety equipment.

This is by no means an attempt to scare you away from using pallets in your projects, just a warning to protect yourself and your family first. The bottom line is that if you can’t identify the pallet as heat-treated or kiln dried, it might be in your best interest to steer clear of it and find something else. If you absolutely must use the pallet you have despite the fact that you don’t know if it’s been chemically treated, make sure you protect yourself when cutting, sanding, or working with the wood by wearing a respirator (not a paper mask), gloves, safety glasses, etc. I’d also recommend that you use a polyurethane or some other type of thick sealant to seal the wood when you’re done. If you’re working on something that will be used as a food prep surface, children’s toy or furniture, etc DO NOT use a pallet you can’t identify first.

Hope this info was helpful and best of luck on your upcoming pallet projects!