“Staining” Your Second-hand Furniture Will Give it a New Look!
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Refinishing of antique
furniture is a specialized art, especially if there are defects
to be repaired. And this can be attempted only by experienced professionals.
Even something as simple as “staining” requires some basic knowledge, since
your intention is to improve upon the appearance of your valuable pieces
and ensure durability. Staining refers to coloring with a liquid dye or
a tint. Coloring would mean painting. Staining and coloring go hand-in-hand.
They are what give antiques
that “rich” look!
Stains are available in the form of gels, as well as liquids. If you
have decided to go in for a do-it-yourself “staining” experiment, then
first try out any stain in an inconspicuous place first. No, do not experiment
on articles that you are not working upon, but on the actual furniture
that you are refinishing. You will notice that the bottom edges on the
sides or the underside are barely visible areas. The resulting effect
should tell you how a particular stain will look on actual wood. After
all, it is the veneer that decides the price!
Now, there is something that you should be aware of here—a wrong stain
is not easy to alter; but a wrong color can be covered up with re-painting.
Here are some handy tips to remember when purchasing the stain of your
choice—
(1) Good companies will always show you what a particular stain will
look like on actual wood. They display actual wood samples. So take time
to find the one most suitable for the type of furniture you own. If the
sample matches your species of wood, you have won half the battle!
(2) It may not always be possible to mix and match satisfactorily. You
can therefore opt for a lighter stain as a first coating. In case you
feel that a darker shade will benefit your antique, well then, go in for
a second coating. You will not be able to lighten a dark shade; but the
reverse is possible.
(3) Some marketers may advise you to purchase brush-on products. The
advantage offered is the application of stain and finish at one go! Stay
away from them if you do not want to be saddled with streaky colors. The
final result is not good if the pigment varies from medium to dark.
(4) In their place, you could try out aerosols (those which offer combined
color and finish too). The application process is longer, both for staining
and finishing, but they ensure that the job is done just right. However,
such combination aerosols are rather difficult to locate.
Thus, once you have tried out varied stains and narrowed down your choice
to the one you want, you can get down to work!