Renovating pine furniture is a great way to save money and add character to your home. New furniture is expensive, and used furniture can look just as good with the addition of a little elbow grease. Wood furniture looks nice, and refinishing it provides a sense of accomplishment. Whether the piece is a family hand-me-down or a found treasure at a yard sale, your old piece of pine furniture is only a few days of work away from being a great addition to your home.

  • Renovating pine furniture is a great way to save money and add character to your home.
  • New furniture is expensive, and used furniture can look just as good with the addition of a little elbow grease.

Remove all hardware, drawers and metal feet from the furniture, and place it on a dust sheet or paper. To avoid dust and fume build-up, work outside if possible.

Inspect the pine furniture for nicks or gouges that will need repair. If any are found, use a putty knife and standard wood filler, which can be bought at any hardware store, to fill the spots. Insert some filler into the nick, and smooth it over with the putty knife. Dry times vary, so check the directions on your wood filler.

Sand the entire piece. If the piece has a heavy coating of old stain or paint, then start with a low grit paper (60-80). Use a higher grit (120) if the piece has only a light varnish. Once the furniture is completely sanded, resand it with 220 grit sandpaper until smooth. Vacuum the entire piece, and collect as much dust as possible. Use a piece of tack cloth to remove remaining dust.

Apply stain to the furniture with a cloth rag. Always apply stain in the direction of the grain. Let the stain sit for 5 to 10 minutes, and then wipe off excess stain with a clean rag. Let it dry for 12 hours.

  • If the piece has a heavy coating of old stain or paint, then start with a low grit paper (60-80).
  • Let the stain sit for 5 to 10 minutes, and then wipe off excess stain with a clean rag.

Brush the polyurethane onto the refinished pine furniture. Again, apply polyurethane in the direction of the grain. Apply it in a thin, smooth coat; do not allow it to puddle or it will leave bubbles on the furniture. Let dry over night.

TIP

Always read the directions on staining products because dry time may vary for each manufacturer.