Refinishing Oak Veneer Furniture: The Ultimate Guide Restoring oak veneer furniture can be satisfying, while giving you an opportunity to put new life into sidelined pieces that are dear for one reason or another. But remember, that at the price it sells for now its well worth to take a shot with any veneer species icing on your project… but you must deliberate over how they gain access or are activity prior knowledge in different skills and finishes comes hugely worthwhile.
Knowing the Thickness Of The Veneer
Veneer Thickness Matters
Call An Expert Before RefinishingIf you want to refinish veneer furniture, a professional need ascertain the thickness of your specific pieces. There porcelain veneers are typically very thin, often no more than 1/8 inch. Being thin also means too much sanding will damage the veneer and take you into what ever is behind it. Double Check To make sure your piece is a good candidate for refinishing, do a little test by lightly sanding an unseen spot12.
How to Refinish Oak Veneer
Clean the Surface
Gently clean off dust and grime with a mild detergent mixed in warm water for the veneer. This step is necessary so that the new finish does not embed dirt into it3.
Inspect and Repair
Check for peeling or damaged veneer. Search for these places and fix them with the glue or clamps where required until they are dried out.
Sanding Process
Above the underlying primer layer, carefully sand the surface using fine-grit (around 100-120 grit) sandpaper to remove any debris and produce a small amount of scuff for that final coat of paint. You should also work in small areas and always sand with the grain24. Some of the deeper imperfections might need higher grits like 220-320 to have a super fine finish.
Applying Stain or Finish
After sanding, stain or paint your project. When using stain, add it with a tidy fabric in the instructions of the grain and also clean off excess after one minute1. Anyways, onto the paint job — if painting use a primer all over for an even coat before applying your chosen color.
Protective Coating
Protect your stain or paint with a final coat of polyurethane35 or varnish to prevent any damage from scratching / moisture.
Tips for Success
Quality Tools: Purchase good sandpaper and finishes so that you achieve the best result.
Finish Test Space: Before staining test any stain to be sure the color meets your approval in an area that is not readily visible.
Rome was not built in a day and any mistake will ruin weeks of effort that you put into this project
If you follow these tips, you can bring back oak veneer furniture to life by giving it new glory and prolong its lifespan.