Rehab your chairs
Do you have a set of older chairs that are worn out but you don’t want to strip and refinish them?
You don’t have to strip & sand the entire!
Clean First!
A client brought us these older chairs. She wanted to save them as they are sentimental and pretty! Bob put one chair back together and made them all sturdy again. I sprayed the chairs with Fusion’s TSP. This cleaner is phosphate free. The reason phosphate free is important is that it is environmentally friendly and there is no need to wash off the chair with water to get all the product off. Phosphate can interact with certain primers and chemicals. I used a scrub pad to clean the chairs really well. Once the chairs were all clean, I did wipe them down with an old rag to dry them and make sure I had cleaned them well.
Scuff sand!
As I was cleaning the chairs, I noticed several areas that needed to be sanded as there were chips, puppy teeth marks and dents. The chairs were easy to sand as most of the poly had worn off the chairs. I noticed that after washing and scuff sanding the chairs had lightened, looked dry and there was a good amount of bare wood. I knew the client had younger children. These chairs needed some protection in order to hold up well to young children. The bare wood spots would just soak up anything spilled on them. I wanted this chair makeover to last! I decided to use Fusion’s All in One Stain and Finishing Oil (SFO) on these chairs. I decided that Cappuccino is closest to the original color of these chairs.
Apply the SFO!
I used a chip brush to apply the SFO to the chairs. I applied the SFO liberally and made sure to get in all the corners. After applying, I used an applicator pad that I had used on other projects to rub the SFO on the chair. The applicator pad was damp with SFO from another project. This process ensures that all areas are covered and the SFO is able to soak into all the “open” areas. Next, I use the dry side of the applicator pad to wipe back any areas where the SFO remains sitting on top of the surface. I use a rag to get into any areas the applicator pad cannot reach. I then use the applicator pad to buff the chair to ensure that the chair has an even finish. The chair is then allowed to dry.
All done with the chair rehab!
No way can it be this easy! Yes it really is that simple and quick to rehab your chairs!
- Clean with TSP
- Dry
- Scuff sand
- Apply the Stain and Finishing Oil
- Wipe back the Stain and Finishing Oil
- Allow to dry
I chose the SFO to rehab these chairs for several reasons. This product works over bare wood and painted surfaces. I did not completely sand back all the poly and finish on these chair. I knew that the SFO would cover and protect the bare wood as well as go over the existing finish. I knew that it would create a uniform look as its goes well over most surfaces. The SFO has 2 hardening oils which will increase the durability of the chairs. The SFO is waterproof which means the chairs will be easy to clean. Washable is always key with children in the house!
The Stain and Finishing Oil is a mixture of several oils (Safflower Oil, Tung Oil…), 2 hardening oils and proprietary resins. This product is eco friendly as there are no toxic cobalt driers which means low odor. When working with the SFO outside, there is very little smell. If you use the product inside, you will have a slight smell but nothing like other stains. The hardening oils in the SFO soak into the substrate and create an increased hardening effect in the wood. The great thing about the SFO is that is soaks into the substrate (surface) to protect the wood from the inside out. Unlike a poly that sits on top of the substrate.
The SFO is a matte finish. If you want to increase the sheen, apply another coat of the SFO. The more coats applied, the higher the sheen. Remember, if you add more coats of the SFO the color will also darken with each coat. If you want to increase the sheen but you do not want to darken the color, apply the Natural SFO. The Natural SFO contains no pigments, just the oils and resins. You will get an increased sheen without darkening your color.
The SFO is such a versatile product that it can be used on many different surfaces. You can use this product over paint to create a glazed look. As this product is durable, no top coat is needed when using the SFO as a glaze. The SFO in and of itself is a top coat and will increase the durability of your finish.
This is a side by side comparison. The chair on the left has been cleaned and scuff sanded. The chair on the right has the SFO applied.
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