Restoring furniture, especially antique and woefully neglected furniture, can be tricky.
But the process of restoring these pieces is as fun to watch as the result. Barry, of Youtube’s Mad City Modern, gives us a glimpse of how he restores them.
There’s beauty in the restoration process.
While he’s still learning more about furniture restoration, his skills are undoubtedly good.
And he also provides insights or a back story of the furniture that he is restoring.
Though, on some occasions, he will just be silent and let the noise of tools and the repair process be heard.
Let’s look at how he restores a painted dresser and lets out the inner beauty of the wood used for it.
It looks like something out of Barney’s closet.
When he bought the dresser, it was already purple, but he was not upset about it. At first look, the dresser was not in its best condition.
He checks for damage and repairs beforehand.
Before Barry starts the process, he inspects for damage or sections that need repair.
This is also the perfect time to learn about the manufacturer, the era it was built, and the type of wood used.
The drawers were crafted with a “Dovetail Joint” method, a sign that the dresser is well made.
Barry thought one of the handles was missing but, thankfully, it was hiding in one of the drawers.
He then removed the drawers and unscrewed the handles to prepare for paint stripping.
He used a carbide scraper in some areas to remove the paint.
While in the drawers, he used a paint stripper solution and a plastic scraper so as to not damage the grain and fiber of the wood.
Removing the paint revealed something absolutely stunning.
The first hints of grain started to show.
Once all the primary layers of paint and lacquer were removed, Barry began the process of sanding the surface to remove other paint residue and prepares the wood for the final steps in restoration.
As for the chipped wood, he used wood chisels to carve straight lines and remove the damaged parts. Then he filled them with patches of veneer.
Though the patch will be visible, it can help restore the damaged areas.
After the damages are patched and repaired, he then moves to the next step.
He wanted to make the wood’s natural beauty pop, so he decided to use a hard wax oil finish for the surface.
Boy, did it “pop”.
The oil finish is a clear and glossy coat to keep the surface protected. And so it can be easily cleaned.
He poured the first coat and spread it throughout the surface.
Though one coat is enough in general, he did a second layer just to be sure that any sections with the lesser coating will be covered.
The final piece was unbelievably beautiful.
The result was astonishing since the surface of the wood was visible.
And the wood’s natural design makes it far more beautiful. The dresser looked gorgeous after the restoration.
The pictures don’t do the process justice.
Truly a masterpiece and a job well done.
See this vintage dresser go from Barney-esque to breathtaking beauty in the video below!
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