Painting and restoring an old chair

If you have an old chair at home and you don't know what to do with it, you can give it a second chance and integrate it back into your home. To do this, all you have to do is paint it and restore it. From Brycus advice we show you how to do it.

How to paint and restore an old or antiquated chair

In Brycus consejo we reveal you the best tricks to leave your old chairs as new.

With a few simple steps, and for very little money, you will make your chair look like the star element in the decoration of any space, whether interior or exterior. To undertake the task of restoration you need to follow these steps:

Cleaning and dismantling the chair

Start by cleaning the chair thoroughly with a sponge and soap. Then rinse it with clean water, wipe it with a cloth and let it dry.

Sanding the chair if it is varnished

If the chair is made of unvarnished wood, just clean it. However, if the chair is varnished, the entire surface must be sanded, as this will make the primer adhere better to the wood. Start with coarse sandpaper and end with fine sandpaper. For best results always sand in the direction of the wood. After sanding, do not forget to wipe off any remaining dust with a dry cloth.

 Apply the primer

Start by protecting the floor with a plastic sheeting so that it does not stain. Next, apply the primer. The primer is a base coat of paint that facilitates the adhesion of the final paint. Once the primer has been applied, you must allow it to dry before starting to paint.

Apply the paint

There are different types of paint. Before opting for one or the other you have to consider where you are going to place the chair and the degree of resistance it will have to withstand. In other words, you have to assess whether the chair is going to be located in an interior or exterior space, whether there is a risk of it coming into contact with water, etc. Our Brycus advice is that if the chair is made of wood opt for a special lacquer paint for wood, as it covers it better and is more resistant to shocks than any other type of paint. This way the paint will last much longer and the chair will keep a new look for longer.

Start by giving a first coat of paint, always following the groove of the wood, with a flat brush of medium size. If the back of the chair is made of bars, paint them with a round brush. It is important to paint in very thin and thin layers. Then let it dry for 24 hours before starting to apply the second coat. Apply a second layer and let it dry again. If necessary, apply a later coat. When the last coat has dried, apply a varnish to protect the paint. You can choose a matt or gloss varnish, in both cases the varnish protects the furniture from stains and scratches.

Restoring chair upholstery

To change the chair upholstery, start by removing the seat by removing the staples. Next, remove the old fabric. The old fabric will serve as a pattern for cutting the new fabric. Place one on top of the other and proceed to cut the new fabric following the same dimensions of the old and adding about 5 cm more on each side, for safety and to make a better fixation of the seat. Choose, preferably, a strong upholstery fabric, which resists knocks and scratches. You can also waterproof the upholstery fabric to protect it. There are special products for waterproofing fabrics and protecting them from dust and stains. Once you have cut the fabric, cover the seat with it, making sure that it is firm and without wrinkles. Staple the fabric to the back of the seat using a stapler and end up by placing upholstery nails on the edge of the seat, every 3 or 4 cm approximately, to fix the fabric as much as possible. Then all you have to do is put the seat back in the chair hole and you'll have your chair fully painted and restored - it's that easy!

With these simple steps you can get a completely renovated chair. Give your antique furniture a personal and modern look in a simple and inexpensive way.