Join The Upcycling Trend! How To Renovate Old Furniture

Published on , in Cleaning & Decorating, Going Green.


Moving house requires decisions to be made about your old furniture: do you keep it, or do you throw it away?

That’s the wrong way of looking at it. There’s a creative, cost-effective and more enjoyable way of acquiring new furniture, and it doesn’t involve taking stuff to the tip.

Let’s jump on the upcycling bandwagon!

upcycling old furniture

What You Need

  • Sandpaper/electric sander
  • Paintbrushes
  • Everyday surface primer
  • Chalk paint
  • Dust sheets
  • Finishing wax

Step 1: Disassemble

Remove the clutter from drawers and unscrew any handles, legs or other attached items. Avoid losing screws by fixing them to the back of the knobs. If your furniture is particularly complex, consider hiring a professional to dismantle it.

Step 2: Clean & Sand

The surface of your furniture might be dirty or overly protected from wax and varnish. Give the top layer a thorough sanding to ensure the surface can be painted over. Then, brush any excess sawdust away and get ready for priming…

Step 3: Prime The Surface

Primer is an invaluable but often ignored step of the process. What we’re doing is applying an initial layer than bonds more easily with chalk paint. This ensures a more thorough, long-lasting coverage of your furniture.

Step 4: Paint Over With Chalk Paint

Using your preferred colour of chalk paint, paint your furniture carefully from top to bottom. It might take a couple of coats to deliver a rich, vibrant colour, so be patient.

Step 5: Seal With Finishing Wax

The wax “locks in” the layer of paint and ensures it doesn’t get sodden with spills and dirt. A little goes a long way here, so apply sparingly! 

Our Upcycling Tips

Spray Cans Vs. Old Fashioned Paint

While spray cans do the job quicker, the quality isn’t as good. Sprayed furniture misses out on the grainy texture, and while you can run your brush over the surface the quality of the paint ruins the bristles. Plus, it’s worse for the environment so we recommend good old fashioned tubs!

Paint Properly!

When painting, go with the grain! Always aim your brush strokes in the direction the wood is travelling, and be sure to remove excess droplets from the edges.

Less Is More

It’s better to paint several thin layers than one thick layer.

Be Thorough

While it might be tempting to scrimp on the interior edges, we recommend you paint every nook and cranny. Not only will you enjoy the result more, but it will certainly add to the furniture’s value should you wish to sell it.

So there you have it, your go-to guide for redecorating your old furniture. Upcycling is so beloved that items sold online are quite expensive. For a fraction of the price, you can acquire this high-demand, beautiful looking furniture.

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