How to varnish your table or wooden furniture

Varnish and paint furniture It is one of the activities diy most relaxing and grateful that exist. If you are patient and careful, the result is always spectacular. You will be able to give new air and new life to some object of furniture that has been worn out or that aesthetically no longer blends well with the rest of the room.

Furthermore, this is not a difficult task at all, so you should not hesitate if you feel like doing it. If you wonder how to varnish a table or furniture woodthis is the explanation you need. Take note to get to work.

What do you need to varnish?

For varnish furniture You need a series of tools that are very easy to find and with prices for all budgets. You must have a fine grain sandpapera flat brush For larger areas, a brush small with a rounded tip for edges and corners, a cloth rag to clean and the amount of varnish necessary for the surface to be painted.

Also, remember that you have to prepare a adequate space to paint. Ideally, it should be spacious and so that you can move around the table or piece of furniture comfortably. If you don’t have much space, you can also cover the surroundings with old sheets or protective papers to ensure that you don’t get stains. And place plastic or newspaper on the floor in case a drop of paint escapes.

Types of varnish

Choose the varnish Adequate is one of the most important factors if you want the result to be professional. For the wooden furniture that are going to be in the insidethe simplest thing is to choose a water varnisheconomical and easy to apply.

However, this will not work if you want to varnish furniture that will be outdoorssuch as tables, chairs and garden benches. In this specific case, buy a specific varnish for exteriorswhich offers UV filters that provide sun protection and resistance to rain and humidity. Its price is a little higher but you will save money, because it will take longer before you have to paint again.

Remove hardware and decorations

Once you’ve prepared the space and have everything you need to varnish, choose a day when it’s neither too cold nor too hot. You will work more comfortably and the process will be easier. You must also open the windows and make sure you have good light.

Then you can start. The first thing is to remove all the decorations that the furniture or table may have with a screwdriver. This includes knobs, handles and trim. It is easier to paint if they are not on. In the event that it is not possible to remove them, wrap each one of them very carefully with waterproof adhesive tape or masking tape. This should not touch the wood, only the material from which the object or ornament to be protected from the application of the varnish is made.

Sand the wood

Next, sand the wood of the furniture with fine grain sandpaper. You have to do it gently and always. in the same direction of the grain. Sand until you feel the surface is smooth; Then, remove the sawdust that remains on top of the furniture with the cloth. We recommend vacuuming to ensure that there is no dust left in the environment that could end up depositing on the varnish while you apply it or before it dries.

Apply the varnish

Once the surface is clean, it’s time to paint. You can follow the varnish instructions that you have purchased regarding the application, since there are some that can be used directly, but others must be diluted with 10% solvent so that they impregnate the wood better. Next, start painting the edges and corners first with the rounded tip brush and then use the flat brush for the rest of the surface. Don’t forget that you should always varnish in the direction of the grain of the wood. It is the only way you will obtain a completely professional result.

Varnish layers

When you finish the task, you will have to wait for it to dry. Trust the number of drying hours recommended by the varnish manufacturer. You will find them indicated on the packaging. You will surely be right if you let a day pass before applying a new coat of varnish. A trick before doing this is to lightly sand the dry surface. This will eliminate the roughness of the first layer and the second will adhere better.

Some people like just one coat of varnish, while others prefer two. In any case, the more layers of varnish you apply, the brighter the finish you will get. In the case of outdoor furniture, the minimum layers of varnish for an optimal finish must be three.