February 27, 2025 - So first things first, you’ll need to clean the piece thoroughly. Dish soap, warm water, and a cloth rag work fine here. Give all the visible wood a good scrubbing, rinse the soap off, and dry the furniture thoroughly with a towel.

September 7, 2023 - The last step after staining or painting is to apply a coat of wood finish. Use a paint brush or a cotton rag to apply the finish. Let it dry completely. Look at the piece of furniture and decide if a second coat is necessary. Apply as needed. Whether you're restoring a family heirloom or upcycling a thrift store find, furniture refinishing is a project you can tackle in an afternoon. You can preserve your pieces for years now that you know how to refinish furniture.

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June 24, 2025 - While every furniture piece is different and every repair will have its own solution, it’s usually best to correct any nagging issues before stripping and sanding to ensure what you’re working on is stable. For example, using wood filler or wood putty to address cracks or other imperfections can be a great option for simple repairs (see guides from trusted sources like the Spruce).

May 6, 2024 - HGTV shares how to refinish wood furniture, including stripping, sanding and staining.

July 14, 2025 - If the sheen of the patch doesn’t match the rest of the wood when the stain dries, you can recoat the entire surface with wipe-on finish to even it out. ... It’s amazing what a coat of gel stain can do to restore a tired-looking piece of furniture. The cool part is that you don’t need to strip the old finish for this to work.

November 23, 2022 - Sometimes, the wood doesn’t need its existing finish stripped away. Rather, all it needs is a clear coat of wipe-on finish to revitalize it. Many furniture refinishing and revitalizing enthusiasts and experts are against refinishing wooden furniture for fear that it will reduce the piece’s monetary value.

May 22, 2024 - If the wood finish is merely scratched, you may be able to camouflage the mark by rubbing vegetable oil into the scratch or using a commercial scratch cover product such as wood-tinted markers or Old English Scratch Cover which is formulated for dark or light woods. Apply a finishing coat once all repairs are made and the stain is set. Use a wipe-on finish and apply in a circular motion, wiping off any excess. Let sit overnight before use. The most common mistakes when refinishing any type of wood furniture are surprisingly easy to prevent.

November 15, 2023 - Start with coarse-grit sandpaper (around 80 to 100 grit) to remove any old finish, imperfections, or blemishes. You can use an electric sander as well. If you’re working with curved board spaces or shapes, try using an oscillating spindle sander.

Mayonnaise or petroleum jelly: Dab the mayonnaise or petroleum jelly onto the damaged area and allow it to sit for a few hours. Wipe it away with a clean, dry cloth. To remove scratches, lightly sand with fine-grit sandpaper in the direction of the wood grain. Smooth out the area by sanding once again with extra-fine sandpaper. Clean off the dust and refinish the wood with oil or wax.

October 18, 2017 - There are lots of ways to refinish. People use stains, shellacs, varnishes, lacquers, waxes, oils... it's a little overwhelming. Searching online gives you a lot of people that swear their way is the only right way. But after a lot of searching, and some conversations with my grandpa, I think I have a decent handle on what's what. In this instructable, I'll be using clear finish only. I'm not coloring the wood at all (with stains or oils). For cedar, this looks pretty nice, because the wood has a lot of color of its own, and the clear finish really brings it out.

May 22, 2025 - Here are a few of my other go-to sealing options when refinishing wood furniture: Clear wax – Gorgeous matte finish, great for chalk paint, but not the best for heavy-use pieces unless you’re okay with reapplying occasionally.

September 27, 2025 - Learn how to restain wood furniture in 8 easy steps without expensive tools. Our beginner-friendly guide covers stain removal, sanding techniques, and more!

April 29, 2025 - Learn how to refinish wood furniture without stripping. This easy furniture refinishing DIY tutorial is perfect for beginners!

March 24, 2025 - It’s certainly possible to repair and replace parts on thrifted furniture. However, if you’re a beginner, it’s probably a good idea to find a piece that doesn’t need any structural repair. I love that this table was stable, and both leaves were fully functional. I could focus solely on refinishing the table instead of repairing broken mechanisms. (Affiliate links below; read more about those here) Here is a list of my recommended supplies if you’re new to refinishing wood furniture!