Just because a piece of furniture is old doesn't mean it's outlived its usefulness
. Lightly used furniture can often be refurbished to have a second life you may have never considered. Wooden furniture can easily be repainted or refinished to look as good as or better than new. Sometimes old furniture can be restored and then used in a completely different way.
Go ahead and look around your house or garage. There are probably one or two pieces of old wooden furniture that could be renewed.
Get started by taking the furniture apart if you can. You do this because it allows you to effectively reach the corners and crevices of a piece of furniture.
Use paint or stain stripper to remove the old finish. Be careful. Stripper is pretty potent and a little goes along way. Also use it in a ventilated area. Follow the directions on the label closely.
When the paint or stain is removed fully, go ahead and apply a new finish to the piece of furniture. Make sure you allow the wood to dry completely from the stripping process before applying a new finish. This will enable the wood to retain its integrity and the finish to adhere.
After the new finish has dried thoroughly you can go ahead and reassemble the piece of furniture.
Some people don't consider restoring their wood furniture because they don't know how or they think they won't be good at it. It's not that difficult and bringing your old furniture back to life is satisfying and is a way of recycling. You get to choose the color and finish and make it exactly what you want.
There are many different painting techniques and finishes to choose from. Go to your paint store and read some of the brochures on display. You may become inspired and want to try using an antique or weathered finish. Who knows? You may enjoy restoring furniture so much it could become your new hobby.