The Home Know-It-All

"Making" Antique Furniture

Sometimes a much-loved and well-worn chair or chest of drawers needs a fresh look, but falls within the category, "old, but not antique." 

If the furniture in question has decent "bones," or is structurally sound, it's easy to convert this so-so piece into something that emits a sense of classic style.

What you'll need:

• Heavy grit sandpaper
• A thick semi-gloss latex paint in a bold hue. Try Colonial Red or Canyon Black offered by Rust-Oleum's American Accent line, or off-white like Behr's Swiss Coffee.
• A small can of oil-based stain. We like Minwax's Golden Oak for this application.
• Clean rags
• Classic hardware for pieces where applicable

Prep

If the piece in question happens to have a heavy layer of polyurethane, you may want to apply wood stripper, or prepare yourself for extensive sanding. Painting over it without stripping this layer will keep your paint from sticking.

Paint

After preparing the piece, go ahead and paint it. When the paint has dried completely, you can begin the "antiquing" process. 

Antique

The idea is to present your project as genuinely worn—like any antique furniture exposed to wear and abuse over long periods of time. To do so, you'll want to scrape, nick, and drag with your sandpaper. 

Emphasize high areas of wear around hardware (handles and knobs), the feet or base of the furniture, and exposed edges that would likely face accidental dents. Don't get too carried away—your piece won't look antique if you sand too much.

After sanding, apply a small amount of stain to a rag and rub it into the places you've sanded. This hides their age, making them appear older and more accidental. Wipe off any excess stain and let dry. 

Installing some cool old hardware will really round out the antique-feel of your project.

If you like the way it turned out, you could even create a matching set from previously unmatched furniture! Step into The Home Know-It-All archives for more on arranging your "new" antique furniture. 

Until next time,

The Home Know-It-All

Restoring a Claw-Foot Bathtub

For many of us who have a penchant for neat old stuff, claw-foot bathtubs are a great find. Hearkening back to a time when things were built to last, these cast-iron beauties serve as both an attractive and functional element of almost any bathroom design. 

Because we often find them through secondhand means—at garage sales, antique stores, or through friends or family who may be remodeling an older home—these tubs often find their way to us in less-than-desirable shape. But with just a little bit of hard work, you can restore its original beauty.

Analyze the Condition

First, give the tub a quick once-over to establish what degree of restoration it's going to require. Keep in mind, it was and continues to be common for old claw-foot tubs to find their way into farmer's barns and fields for use as feed and water troughs. They may require a great deal of work before they're ready for human use, and the extent of the damage may be such that you will be forced to hire a professional to complete the restoration on your behalf. Ideally, the structure of the tub will be sound, and all four legs will either still be attached or will come with the tub to be attached later. 

Clean it Up

Hose down the tub to remove resilient dirt and grime. Follow up with a dose of baking soda past (roughly three parts baking soda to one part water), and get scrubbing. 

Spruce Up the Exterior

If there is rust buildup on the outside of the tub or on the feet, you may be forced to either rent a sandblaster or have someone sandblast it for you to take it down to the bare metal. For less severe cases, you may be able to get by with the use of an orbital disc sander. But beware, these tubs are old enough that most were painted with lead-based paint. Wear a mask and sand in a well-ventilated area! With the outside prepared, you can paint it however you choose. Just be sure to apply a sealant afterwards to avoid water stains and—you guessed it—more rust. 

Repair the Interior

If the inside of your claw-foot tub is tarnished or chipped, it may require a new coat of porcelain. While there are liquid porcelain products available for you to use, a professional will inevitably do a better job, and will return the tub to looking like new again. 

Good luck!

Until next time,

The Home Know-It-All