Oak Furniture

Oak Furniture - Classic For a Reason

If you are decorating your home, then look into oak furniture which has country charm and historical beauty. When shopping for furniture, it is always tempting to purchase new pieces, but some treasure hunters cannot resist the attraction of yard sales and antique stores. To these people the older the oak furniture is the more stories may have.

Of course, if you purchase secondhand treasures such as tables, chairs, desks, etc. these items may need to be fixed up with a little bit of elbow grease. If you are up to the challenge, you can restore an antique to like new condition. You then have more to show off when you invite your friends over and give them the tour of the house.

When you are restoring furniture you must first evaluate the condition of the peace. Some furniture is so badly damaged that it is beyond repair. Leave these pieces with the seller.

Some furniture will have damage or imperfections that you cannot repair, but that you may be able to live with. In fact, for some, the imperfections only add to the character of the piece. Think of your piece of furniture as a person: the flaw only makes it more lovable.

After you have evaluated the furniture, the next step involves coming up with a plan to renovate it and bring it back to life. With many pieces the majority of the work revolves around restoring the surface which has been scratched, is dirty, or has lost its luster. Usually you will need to:

    * Clean the surfaces and remove dirt.

    * Use paint or stain remover to get rid of damaged layers of paint or stain. You may need

      to reapply the remover more than once until the paint or stain can be taken off easily.

   * Purchase a fine sandpaper to go over the surfaces until the wood is exposed and           smoothed down. With a large piece of furniture this can take quite some time, and you   do not want to use an electric sander since this will likely go too deep.
   * Apply the first code of stain when the pieces ready and wipe off the excess.
   * Let the first code of stain dry and run plenty of fans in a well ventilated area so you       don't inhale too many chemicals.

    * Continue to apply the stain until you have the color you want.

    * Add as many coats of clear polyurethane as necessary to protect your piece and allow

      each code to dry between applications.

As you work on your oak furniture project there are a few terms that you will likely come across if you consult a book or go to a shop for supplies. One important term is varnish. Varnish is a paint that contains a solvent and an evaporating binder that coats a surface with a hard, glossy, transparent film. The varnish is the topmost layer of your furniture that gives it the color and appearance you want.

Another key term is shellac. Shellac is a purified substance that comes in thin yellow or orange flakes that are then bleached white and used in varnishes and sealants. This varnish is dissolved in denatured alcohol and used to finish wood. In the above list "clear polyurethane" acts as a shellac or varnish.

Once you have finished with your project stand back and admire it. Maintenance will be relatively simple and involve keeping it clean and dry and dust free.