How to update an old chest of drawers with your own hands. How to paste over furniture with self-adhesive film. How to update an old nightstand

The times of shortage of furniture are long gone, and today we can buy whatever we want for an apartment and a house to our taste. But until now, many owners of furniture from the era of socialism are trying to repair them, give them new life. And this is not from greed or a keen attachment to things. It’s just that such an object as an old chest of drawers may not be rubbish, the place of which is perhaps in the country, but a challenge to one’s own imagination and the ability to create with one’s own hands.

Restoration of an old chest of drawers: pros and cons

The processes of repair and restoration are similar, but have several significant differences. Repairing old furniture, we just transform it most often: remove the peeling paint, sand it, apply a new layer, fasten loosened elements. Restoration is a deeper work that goes far beyond the boundaries of cosmetic repairs. In addition, a restored chest of drawers can become more valuable if it was originally a rather original, exclusive product.

Before you decide to restore an old chest of drawers, conduct a thorough assessment of its value. Inspect the product for tags or stamps indicating the name of the master and the time of manufacture. It may turn out that your chest of drawers is an old piece of furniture art, and by starting to process it, you will lose a truly valuable thing.

An old chest of drawers may be of antique value

Signs of antiquity can be the following:

sharpening of internal corners as a result of long-term operation of the chest of drawers;
uneven notch on the fastening screws;
different distances between the turns of the notch.

The last two signs may indicate that the fasteners were made by hand, and not industrially.

All of the above can be seen with the naked eye. A deeper analysis will be carried out by a specialist whom you invite to evaluate the product. Until the final conclusion, it is not recommended to start restoration or repair work.

Restoration process from start to finish

So, you have decided to restore the old chest of drawers with your own hands. The work will be painstaking, requiring attention and time. Each step is extremely important, so try not to miss anything.

Old chest of drawers in need of restoration

For work you will need:

putty and glue for wood;
sandpaper of different grain size in a set;
hammer;
Screwdriver Set;
rubber mallet;
gloves and respirator;
toothpicks, toothbrush;
a tool for cleaning accessories (tooth powder is suitable);
brushes;
paint and varnish.

Product cleaning

An old chest of drawers must be cleaned so that the surfaces and decorative details are not damaged. First, wipe the product with a sponge and soapy water. The water should be warm, but not hot, and as a detergent - household or stain-removing soap without chlorine.

Antique pieces of furniture, especially chests of drawers, are often decorated with small details and carved inserts. A toothbrush will help you clean them well.

Remove the furniture fittings (this will give you access to the surfaces under the parts for better dirt removal) and rub with a cleaner. For example, tooth powder works well for silver.

Such hard-to-reach places like cracks and corners, clean with an awl or toothpick. Plaque and ingrained dirt can be removed with fine sandpaper. It should be used very carefully, otherwise the finish may fade as a result of strong pressure.

If you decide to change the color of an old chest of drawers or cover it with a new layer of varnish, the surface must be carefully sanded.

Preliminary preparation

After the old chest of drawers has been washed and dried well, repair or replace the damaged items. Finding suitable parts is likely to be difficult. To do this, it is better to contact an antique shop or a carpentry workshop to order the manufacture of the necessary decor items. You can also get professional help with installation parts there.

Check how well the screws and bolts are tightened, if the wood is cracked. Loose or rusty bolts must be removed and replaced with new ones. Fix small cracks on the surface with wood glue; those that are larger, cover with putty on wood, picking it up strictly in tone. If you plan to subsequently cover the chest of drawers with stain, then use a special putty.

Painting work

Now you rarely see furniture from natural wood in wide sale. An old chest of drawers may not match the modern style of your home. Therefore, in addition to a fresh look, this product can be given a new image. The easiest way is to paint it in one color, for example, white.

First of all, remove the old coating from the surface. Do this carefully so as not to damage the wood and leave no traces of the old coating in the cracks and corners.

Thoroughly clean the surfaces of the chest of drawers so that there are no bumps

Now sand the surface to get rid of bumps and small imperfections.

Sand the surface well

After sanding, proceed to putty. Carefully repair all chips and unnecessary holes. After the putty has dried, rub it with fine-grained sandpaper.

To paint the chest of drawers, use a special paint for wood. It may be necessary to re-sand the surface. To give the chest of drawers a gloss, a layer of varnish can be applied over the paint (naturally, after complete drying).

Replacement of old parts

The old chest of drawers used in our example had iron handles. Of course, they are beautiful and give the furniture an antique look. But unfortunately, some of these pens are hopelessly damaged. The easiest way out is to completely replace them with new ones that are more suitable in style. This is easy to do: drill holes of the desired diameter in suitable places and insert the fittings.

Replace your old dresser handles with new ones for a modern look.

As you can see, the chest of drawers has become completely different: new, modern and exclusive.

New life for old furniture

Decoupage chest of drawers

If pure white is not enough for you to breathe new life into an old chest of drawers, decoupage.

Paint the surface with white acrylic paint. Let dry well.
Cut out decorative paper napkins pattern fragments. Stick them on the dresser with PVA glue.
After everything is dry, varnish the chest of drawers.

That's all, your chest of drawers sparkled with new colors! Decoupage is good because you can choose any pattern and pattern that your imagination allows.

Master class on decoupage chest of drawers (video)

Another repair option

This method will help you turn an old and boring bulky chest of drawers into a light and elegant piece of furniture. For the transformation, we will take the classic model without special decorative ornaments: three wide drawers and two small ones.

Classic chest of drawers with three large and two small drawers

You will need the following tools and materials:

means for removing an old layer of varnish or paint;
sandpaper;
chisel;
matte putty;
PVA glue;
self-tapping screws;
polyurethane foam decorative moldings;
wallpaper;
paraffin;
acrylic water-based paint;
transparent water-based varnish;
8 decorative handles.

Preparation

Unscrew the knobs on the chest of drawers. Examine it carefully from all sides. Pay special attention to the lid and legs: in these places, the wood is usually subject to the greatest damage. If the deficiencies are minor, it is not necessary to eliminate them. But in case of detection of more serious damage, sometimes it is necessary to replace some parts completely.

Free the chest of drawers from the old varnish or paint. The upper layers can be removed with a chisel; they usually come off easily. Carefully rub the remains with emery so that clean wood is visible.

Thoroughly clean the product of old paint and remove accessories

In places where noticeable bumps and dents are found, apply mastic with a spatula and level the layer. After drying, sand these areas with fine-grained sandpaper. Do this carefully, do not press too hard, otherwise you will damage the fresh layer of mastic. As a result, the surface should become perfectly flat.

The new dresser handles you buy may be smaller or larger than the old ones. In this case, you need to seal the holes left from the old handles that you removed with mastic and make new ones in the right places with a drill.

Note! There are handles that are attached to special screws. They do not need to drill holes. If you have the opportunity, purchase such accessories to make your work easier.

Dilute PVA glue with water. Using a brush, treat the entire surface of the chest of drawers. You can replace the glue with any primer. When the surface is completely dry, you can start decorating.

decorative elements

First of all, prepare the main elements of decor - frames for sidewalls and drawers. They can be made from conventional polyurethane moldings. In this work, the main thing is the correct measurements. The frame for the drawer should be located strictly along the edge. On the sidewalls it is better to make a small indent.

Correctly calculate the dimensions of the decorative frames on the boxes

It is also very important to properly trim the corner parts of the molding.

When you have prepared all the details for the frames, proceed to fix them. For greater reliability, fasten the frames with screws, then seal the places where they enter the moldings with mastic so that the hats do not stand out.

Cover with mastic the places where the screws enter the moldings

Now paint the installed frames with acrylic paint. Choose any color that you like or suits the interior of the room. For example, for a chest of drawers french style well suited light coffee or beige. Apply the paint in several layers, each time waiting for complete drying.

Paste wallpaper inside the frames. It is good if they have a thick texture and a fancy pattern. The ornament should be darker than the general background. After you finish pasting the wallpaper, carefully screw the handles into place.

For original decor, use wallpaper

The final touch is the coating of the chest of drawers with a transparent varnish. It should be applied in several layers.

Chest of drawers after restoration in the interior of the bedroom

To make the drawers slide out of the grooves easily, grease the wooden parts of the pull-out system with paraffin. Sliding will be greatly facilitated.

How to restore an old chest of drawers (video)

As you can see, turning an old bulky chest of drawers into a completely new and attractive interior element is not at all difficult, although troublesome. But all the difficulties fade before the result of the work. Tell us in the comments about your ideas for restoring and reworking old furniture. Good luck and enjoy your home!

We continue to fill the piggy bank of ideas for updating the chest of drawers so that it becomes a spectacular decoration for any room in your home. In we showed different variants use of this small piece of furniture, and also offered 3 thematic plots for updating a dresser that does not suit you in appearance, + about 40 ideas in pictures.

And here we have put together practical guides, thanks to which, in just a few simple steps, you can update your chest of drawers with your own hands.

According to the materials and techniques used, they can be divided into several parts:

methods 1 and 2 can be implemented from the remnants of wallpaper or fabric;

for 3 and 4 you will need stickers or stencils;

method 5 is possible with different materials(paints, fabrics, wallpaper);

6, 7, 8 - how to give the chest of drawers an "aged" look and add original handles in the colonial style;

method 9 - another small contribution to upgrade options;

guide-10 is a solution for amateurs refined style with a budget imitation of luxurious "mirror" facades (plain food foil is used).

You will see each guide in pictures. big photo is the result of creativity. The first of the small ones is the “original view” of the chest of drawers + materials and tools. The rest are incremental steps.

Find among our ideas the one that will allow you to turn your standard (or just old) chest of drawers into a unique designer piece. Enjoy your creativity and excellent results!

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how to update a chest of drawers, method number 1: SUMMER MEADOW

This chest of drawers in the style of "summer meadow" will look especially good against a smooth wall and next to a vintage armchair.

You will need:

leftovers floral wallpaper with a large pattern or a couple of large sheets of wrapping paper (not foil!);
furniture handles to match - made of glass or acrylic;
pencil, ruler, scissors (cutter), transparent or white PVA glue.

Cut out the wallpaper with an allowance of about 5-10 cm, then glue it on the fronts of the drawers, carefully tucking the edges on the inner surface. Smooth the wallpaper with a dry cloth to avoid "wrinkles" and "air bubbles". For practicality, after the glue has completely dried, you can cover the surface with a thin layer of transparent acrylic varnish.

After the facades are ready inside find a hole for the handles and carefully cut through the cover from the outside. If the handles are fundamentally different, drill new holes. This technique can also be used for linen or calico.

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how to update a chest of drawers, method number 2: JAPANESE MOTIVES

The Japanese-inspired theme would therefore look great paired with a matching Japanese-themed poster or fan.

The technology is almost identical to the previous one, but it is recommended for a wooden chest of drawers that can be painted. So, in addition to the materials described above, you will also need paint (translucent glaze) for wood to match the main surface of the wallpaper + a flat brush.

All surfaces of the chest of drawers, with the exception of those that are covered with wallpaper, must be painted. After the paint has dried, go through all the steps described in method No. 1.

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how to update a chest of drawers, method number 3: CAFE-SHANTAN

The chest of drawers updated in this way will perfectly decorate a laconic interior.

You will need:

stencils with letters folded into words, chopped font (in the photo they are made manually using drawing tools and special paper), light and dark paint for wood and brushes (wide - for painting a chest of drawers and short hard - for drawing) - if the chest of drawers is wooden ;
stickers from an advertising vinyl film, contrasting with the background - if the chest of drawers is made of MDF or chipboard.

If the dresser needs to be painted, make a “glaze”: mix the paint with a little water and lightly removing the paint from the brush, cover the entire surface of the dresser. You should get a slightly vintage (uneven) effect.

After the main surface of the chest of drawers has completely dried, paint over the letters according to the stencil, dipping the tip of the brush into the paint. Then go over lightly with sandpaper to get a vintage effect.

If the chest of drawers is made of composites, just place stickers on it without removing the “middle” letters from the part. Smooth the stickers with a cloth to avoid "air bubbles". If you manage to purchase special mounting paper with markings, things will go much faster.

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how to update a chest of drawers, method number 4: FOLK GLAMOR

This method is similar to the previous one, but a different style is chosen. Gentle "romantic tones" of colors and stickers + a little bit of humor will help to create such an original chest of drawers for a nursery or a girl's room.

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how to update a chest of drawers, method number 5: SPRING GARDEN

A light eco-style story is created by a composition of an updated chest of drawers and a canvas stretched over a frame (similar frames are sold at Ikea).

You will need:

cotton fabric with a large pattern in natural colors;
very sharp fabric cutter, scissors, glue, acrylic lacquer, hammer, small nails.

You need to cut out the elements of the pattern from a piece of fabric and stick them on the chest of drawers. From above, the drawing is varnished for practical reasons. Stretch a large piece of the same fabric over the frame and attach with carnations.

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how to update a chest of drawers, method number 6: SPANISH CLASSIC

Another composition of several items. This time - large-scale and luxurious. The "trio" includes a wooden chest of drawers, a chair and a mirror in a wooden frame.

Details - in the special issue "" (master class No. 2)

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how to update a chest of drawers, method number 7: SEA WOLF

Sometimes you want something completely different. This chest of drawers in a colonial style will look especially impressive surrounded by "trophies" from long-distance (or just sea) travels. We use a wooden chest of drawers, even a very old one.

You will need:

white and light gray paint for wood,
brushes, wire mesh, sandpaper;
a piece of real thick rope (2-3 cm in diameter);
natural wax for finishing.

Get a wood paint that doesn't dry too quickly, and coat every piece of furniture. Alternate strokes of white and gray paint, and then create a more uneven surface by sanding it with twisted wire mesh.

After complete drying, go over all surfaces with transparent wax or first with mother-of-pearl glaze, and then with wax.

Remove from old wooden handles varnish and paint with the same paint as the chest of drawers. Tie the rope with a "nautical" knot and thread the handle through it so as to hide it almost completely. Return the updated handle to its original place. Top coat with natural wax.

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how to update a chest of drawers, method number 8: FRENCH BOUDOIR

This is a variation on technique #7, but the chest of drawers becomes an old-fashioned bathroom vanity. In addition to the chest of drawers, a mirror and a bowl of an overhead sink are involved in the creation of this item.

See more in the special issue "" (master class No. 3)

Surely in your home you will find unique piece of furniture inherited from close or not so relatives. The relic has long lost its original appearance, but you still cannot get rid of it in cold blood. When looking at the little thing, a wave of memories associated with a carefree childhood and loved ones rolls over. Despite positive emotions, it is rather problematic to place an interior element dear to the heart in a modern home. Often this happens with a relatively recent acquisition that has been damaged as a result of careless handling. In this article, we will tell you how to update an old chest of drawers with your own hands.

How to update an old chest of drawers with your own hands: a sequence of actions

Sometimes it happens that some detail of the interior is boring. Why not resort to drastic actions that will turn a little thing that has lost its attractiveness into stylish piece of furniture, organically fitting into the atmosphere of your home? How to update an old chest of drawers with your own hands? It is not as difficult as it seems at first glance.

Decorating furniture requires a certain perseverance and patience. To update an old chest of drawers, you will need preliminary preparation. First you need to remove all the accessories, get drawers. Next, you need clean the object from traces of coating, using sandpaper of different grain sizes, it will not interfere with this and Grinder. Be prepared that this process is quite laborious and lengthy.

After all traces of the old paint are removed, you will need to restore the existing flaws, masking the chips, cracks, scratches. For this, a special putty is needed. After the performed "resuscitation" actions, you can proceed directly to the transformations.

If you doubt your design abilities, start creative experiments with the simplest way: try decorating an old chest of drawers using acrylic paint. This will require enough patience and time, free space, necessary materials. To get a decent end result, follow the simple rules and follow a certain sequence of actions outlined in a simple dresser remodel master class.

Master class: how to update an old Provence chest of drawers with your own hands

Refresh an old chest of drawers: sandpaper, white or pastel acrylic paint and brush.

Delete old paint . In this case, when sanding the surface of the furniture, you do not need to be too zealous: small roughness and irregularities are quite appropriate. They will allow the new paint to lay down in transparent careless strokes through which a contrasting base peeps through.
Make sure to thoroughly remove dust from the surface before painting. Paint the chest of drawers with white paint and wait for it to dry completely. Do not be upset if the strokes of paint applied to the surface of the restored specimen are far from perfect. Deliberate negligence coupled with the lightness of the texture and delicate colors will allow you to create a stylish little thing that is appropriate in the bedroom of a young dreamy person.
Again, use sandpaper to partially erase the layer of applied paint, paying special attention to furniture corners and protruding parts. This technique will give the chest of drawers touch of vintage.
Screw handles, replacing the former with fittings of a suitable design.

"Leather" handsome

If you think that a white chest of drawers, sustained in the best traditions of Provence, does not fit into the interior of your home, dare to go for a bolder solution that can decorate an old chest of drawers. Why not decorate your home "leather" masterpiece? This author's copy, painted with chocolate-colored acrylic paint, resembles a stylish author's chest of drawers covered in leather.

How to update an old chest of drawers with your own hands? To transform an old item, you will have to stock up on some set of materials and tools. For creativity you will need:

matte paint;
brush;
pen (felt pen);
leather handles;
ruler or square
drill;
sealant and primer.

Start the process by dismantling the fittings and then filling the holes from the handles with sealant. Wait for it to completely dry.

Treat the furniture with a primer in one layer. Wait for it to dry, then start painting the chest of drawers brown.

Make sure the paint is dry before moving on to the important part of decorating. To do this, you need to draw a dotted line from gold leaf, imitating a seam, along the edges of the chest of drawers and along the perimeter of the boxes. For best results, use a ruler or square.

Use a drill to drill holes in the fronts intended for attaching leather handles. Attach them.

The new "leather outfit" looks very creative. Thanks to him, the updated chest of drawers will surely become original copy in your house.

Another way to update an old chest of drawers with your own hands: an exquisite lace pattern

Transform appearance furniture using paint, you can use a more intricate method. Do you know that there is a way update an old chest of drawers with lace? The ornate knit of the fabric can be used to decorate the entire surface or individual elements.

Impressing others with a filigree pattern on old furniture is quite simple. To do this, you need to stock up on spray paint, varnish, a sufficient amount of lace fabric.

Don't forget to follow the standard dresser cleaning procedures before you start decorating it. To decorate with fine ornaments the selected surface, it is necessary to fix the lace fabric on it. Experienced specialists of the WESTWING shopping club draw your attention to the fact that the dimensions of the lace cuts should somewhat exceed the dimensions of the decorated surfaces in order to be able to go around them and fix the ends of the fabric on the other side with adhesive tape.

Carefully cover the surface covered with a cloth with paint and, making sure that it is completely dry, apply a second layer. Leave to dry and, after waiting for the result, carefully remove the lace. Received graceful pattern fix by applying a layer of varnish to the surface of the chest of drawers.

Decoupage to restore old furniture

Try update an old chest of drawers using decoupage technique. With the help of a variety of images, it is possible to create the most incredible compositions on any subject. To get an exclusive chest of drawers, you will need special decoupage cards sold in hand-made stores or ordinary two-layer napkins.

The image is cut out or cut off by hand (this is done in order to make its borders less noticeable), then glue is applied to it, glued to the surface. In this case, a brush is used, which is carried out from the center of the picture to the edges, removing air bubbles that have collected under the paper. After drying, the product is sequentially covered with furniture varnish in two layers. Decoupage looks advantageous on a light surface, so before you start decorating, the chest of drawers is paint with pastel or white acrylic paint.

Often, the decoupage technique is supplemented with the effect of aging, for which they use craquelure varnish in their work. Thanks to him, the decorated surface is covered with a network of small cracks. Sometimes they are emphasized with a patina solution, which covers a completely dried product.

An unexpected solution: decorating with carnations

Another interesting solution, allowing you to successfully update the old chest of drawers - decoration of its facade with furniture carnations. The unusual decor looks very impressive, resembling metal rivets in appearance.

How to update an old chest of drawers with your own hands? To implement the conceived idea, it is necessary to depict the selected pattern in full size on a sheet of paper. Then transfer it with a pencil to the restored surface of the chest of drawers. After that, along the intended line, slowly drive decorative carnations into wooden surface while making sure the selected interval is saved.

The designers of the shopping club are sure that among the proposed options for updating a worn chest of drawers, you will surely be able to choose the one that impresses you the most. Use detailed instructions to bring your favorite piece of furniture back to life, turning it into real art object.

Many of us have such furniture in the house that still functions, but outwardly already outdated. No need to throw away old things, because they can be transformed. One of optimal solutions for such furniture is redecorating. Consider simple and interesting ways to update an old chest of drawers with your own hands.

Transformation of an old chest of drawers

Using this technology, it is not necessary to restore the old chest of drawers, you can also transform the new one a little, thereby betraying a little chic to the furniture. Before starting work, it is important to properly prepare the surface for painting.

Preparing furniture for painting:

Before painting it is necessary to remove all fittings from the chest of drawers. You also need to remove all decorative strips and drawers.
Now we need a rough skin, we will grind the surface with it. Then we will replace it with a fine skin.
Next, we collect a basin of water. We soak a rag and wipe the dust. Moreover, the rag should not be wet, but slightly damp. We wait until the surface is completely dry.
Using putty, it is necessary to level all chips and cracks. After drying, sand again with fine paper. We clean from dust.

Choosing a paint for a chest of drawers

There is a huge variety of paints for furniture. We recommend choosing water-based acrylic paints. They can be easily applied to any surface. In addition, they are harmless and do not contain lead.

Let's start painting

First of all, it is necessary to prime the surface of the dresser with a 20% paint solution. Acrylic paints can be thinned with water. The primer allows you to reduce the consumption of paint material and smooth the surface.
Now, with the help of a roller, we apply several even layers of paint material. But we don’t do it right away, after applying the first layer should dry, only then you can apply the next one. Remember that the paint can dry all day.
If you are painting outdoors, do not do it in windy weather. Evening is also a bad time to paint furniture, as dew will prevent the paint from drying properly.

Attention!

The first 2 weeks after painting it is forbidden to clean the surface detergents just soak a cloth in water and wipe off the dust.

We carry out decor

When decorating furniture, the option of painting with a stencil looks very original. It can be made by yourself from thick PVC film, also fit linoleum. You can look at the design on the Internet or come up with your own, then cut it out on the film with a clerical knife. If there is no time for cutting, then you can order ready-made stencils.

After choosing a pattern, it is necessary to limit the surface for painting with masking tape. We apply the stencil to the chest of drawers and fix the edges with tape. We pass the roller with paint on the sticker several times.

If it seems to you that the drawing turned out to be small, and the area of \u200b\u200bthe furniture allows you to still apply the design, then you can safely rearrange the stencil and paint in other areas. In the same way, you can decorate sides dresser.

Restoration of a chest of drawers in the style of craquelure

The craquelure technique is small cracks on the surface of the furniture. Often they are covered with paint and craquelure varnish in several layers. To make the paint raw materials dry faster, you can use a hair dryer.

Attention!

It is not worth driving a brush over the same place, as the paint will roll into lumps.

Following the craquelure technique, you need to understand that in which direction the coating is carried out, there will be cracks.

It was a single-phase method, but there is also a two-phase method. Its main difference is that cracks are formed not from paint, but from the finishing layer of varnish. It contains a pigment that tightens the paint when it dries.

Decoupage restoration

The decoupage technique combines aging and sticky decorations. Scuffs are made with a stain and applied with a dry brush. Then comes the acrylic layer dark shades. As soon as the layer dries, the surface is rubbed with wax. Then the last layer completes the painting work.

For decor, you can use ready-made stencils or a large paper print. If desired, you can stick small pictures to the chest of drawers and cover with a layer of varnish.

Aging technique

First of all, the entire surface of the chest of drawers must be cleaned and primed. Apply to desired areas dark color coatings. Then everything is waxed and varnished. If there is no wax at hand, then sandpaper is suitable for work. In this case, the varnish layer will have to be applied several times.

How to replace metal parts

It’s not enough just to decorate an old chest of drawers, it still needs to be restored. Metal elements of furniture eventually become unusable.

For modern restoration, it is necessary to change furniture handles for new products.

It is necessary to carefully inspect the condition of the fasteners.
Unscrew loose screws.
Pour glue (carpentry) into the holes.
We select the size of the dowel and install. Then we screw the screws into them.
By using metal corners we fix the frame parts inside the chest of drawers.

Now we check the condition of the legs of the furniture. If they are loose, they should be replaced. Mounting strips are replaced with furniture guides. This is necessary so that the boxes slide easily. Then you can start decorating. As a decoration, you can use metal decorative plates.

Restoration of a children's dresser

Children's chest of drawers is a reliable and practical thing, where a lot of children's things are stored.

Furniture made in a thematic style is placed in the child’s room, then it will fit perfectly into the interior.

Children like bright colors. For boys, furniture should be painted in blue, light blue, brown or green. While girls use other shades: pink, white, red, yellow, beige.
As a decor, pictures with characters from cartoons and fairy tales can be applied to the chest of drawers, creating interesting collages. And varnished on top. Also girls love butterflies, flowers, animals, boys cars, robots, soldiers.

Here it is important to choose everything correctly so that the color scheme of the furniture is in harmony with the overall interior.

A chest of drawers is an element of the decor of many apartments and houses. It is convenient to store bed and underwear, clothes and home textiles in its capacious drawers. During operation, the appearance of the furniture loses its attractiveness even with careful handling. Product design may be out of date due to modern interior. Do-it-yourself restoration of the chest of drawers allows you to return the furniture to its former attractiveness, to revive the appearance.

You can restore the chest of drawers different ways. Coloring, decoupage or aging is suitable. You can restore furniture made of plywood, chipboard, restore the look of an old chest of drawers. Before performing any restoration option, old furniture must be prepared and stocked with materials for work. This will require the following tools:

grinder to remove the old coating;
putty on wood and a spatula for covering cracks;
screwdriver for dismantling old rusty screws;
metal corners with which you can strengthen the structure;
fine-grained sandpaper for sanding the coating;
brushes and primer on wood for processing furniture for painting;
drill for making holes for fittings, fasteners;
paint, brushes, roller and tray for restoration at home.

Tools

Depending on the finish option, the list of tools and materials may vary. If the chest of drawers is painted, varnish is used to fix the coating. When using the decoupage technique, you need PVA glue, beautiful stickers that will decorate the surface.

All materials and tools must be prepared in advance, as soon as it is decided how to update the chest of drawers. In order for the furniture to serve for a long time, it is recommended to replace the fixing and decorative fittings with new elements.

Furniture preparation

Restoration of an old chest of drawers will be successful if the furniture is properly prepared for work. The chest of drawers is freed from the things and objects stored in it, the boxes are taken out. Old handles are unscrewed - if they are antique, the products can be repainted in gold, bronze or silver. Parts that cannot be restored must be replaced with new fittings. Surface preparation is carried out as follows:

to finish the old chest of drawers with their own hands, the furniture is wiped from dust and dirt. You can use warm soapy water for cleaning;
Do not use aggressive chemicals the usual one will do laundry soap;
carved elements are cleaned with an old toothbrush, and small decorative holes with an awl or other sharp object;
grinder remove the old paintwork, hard-to-reach places are treated with sandpaper;
repair of furniture fasteners - loose legs are disassembled, reassembled, adding PVA glue to the joints;
wooden slats on which the boxes “ride” can be replaced with modern guide rails;
if the product has cracks and chips, they are covered with wood putty. The mixture dries for at least a day;
the restored places are carefully rubbed with fine-grained sandpaper so that the surface is even and smooth;
to improve the adhesive qualities, the furniture is coated with a primer in two layers, allowing each coating to dry;
the soil dries out from 12 to 24 hours - it depends on the type of primer chosen.

An antique chest of drawers with a long history may contain a unique brand or mark of the master on the surface - these fragments should be preserved in order to convey the charm of a restored antique item as accurately as possible. Restoring a chest of drawers with your own hands requires patience and skill. You can not ignore the process of preparing furniture, otherwise all the work will be in vain.

Dust removal

The old coating must be carefully removed from all decorative elements.

Sanding furniture surfaces

Restoration options

To return the furniture to a presentable appearance, various restoration techniques are used. The simplest option is decorative wallpapering, as in the presented photo. Some craftsmen cover with fabrics or lace. You can use stencils to apply original drawings with paint or make complex decor with plaster. But most often, restoration is carried out with the help of painting, spectacular decor.

Decoupage

Decoupage is the use various materials to decorate furniture. For decoration, a variety of clippings are used, which are glued to the chest of drawers. The theme can be anything - floral motifs, birds, portraits, photo collages. Acrylic paints and ready-made stickers are used to complete the work. Decoupage of a chest of drawers in the popular shabby chic style - drawings are combined with an aged surface:

prepare the surface of the furniture for processing (grinding, putty, primer), remove the boxes and remove the fittings, treat with alcohol;
I restore the inner parts of the chest of drawers with white paint or ivory, let it dry for 12 hours;
to simulate "scuffs" on the convex parts of the chest of drawers apply a dark stain with a dry brush in a small amount;
the outer surfaces of the chest of drawers are coated with a primer, after drying they are treated with sandpaper;
black acrylic paint is applied to the aged areas, after drying they are rubbed with a paraffin candle;
paint the chest of drawers with your own hands in the base color. To make the drawings look expressive, use white, cream, beige;
the paint is applied in several layers, each time the coating is dried until completely dry;
cut out of decoupage paper decorative elements. It is convenient to place large parts in the center, small ones in the corners;
coat the pictures with PVA glue on the outside and inside, apply glue to the sections of the chest of drawers and glue the decoupage, as in the photo;
the edges of the pictures are smoothed with paint to visually erase the borders. Cover the entire chest of drawers with varnish, fasten the fittings.

Antique furniture handles are painted antique. If decoupage is performed in modern style, you can choose a new fitting to your liking. For decoupage, you can use newspapers, photos, napkins for needlework, stickers.

An interesting version of decoupage in the Provence style is a combination of paper flower applications with lavender splashes. Chest of drawers are painted in White color, stick medium-sized blue or purple flowers, and then droplets of paint are splashed with an old toothbrush from a distance of one to two meters. The greater the distance, the smaller the droplets.

All irregularities are smoothed out with sandpaper

Edges and handles are painted with brown acrylic paint.

Edges and handles are rubbed with a candle

Painting with white acrylic paint and sanding

Drawing up a picture from selected pictures

Applying a layer of glue

Leveling with fine sandpaper

Replacement of metal parts

Old chests of drawers require not only decoration, but also the restoration of the system of fasteners and fittings. Metal elements of the dresser - bolts, screws, handles, corners. They eventually become unusable and lose their external gloss. Antique beautiful fittings can be left if the products are not damaged, or painted. This is true for models in the old style and shabby chic design. For restoration in modern version furniture handles should be replaced with new products. Fixing parts of the chest of drawers also need to be repaired or replaced. How to restore an old chest of drawers to make furniture more durable:

carefully inspect the condition of the fasteners;
unscrew old loose screws;
wood glue is added to the holes;
install dowels of suitable size;
new fixing screws are screwed into the dowels;
frame parts are connected with metal corners;
the corners need to be fixed in the inside of the chest of drawers.

Be sure to check the condition of the legs. If they are loose, the products are disassembled and new fasteners are installed. To make the drawers slide easily when opening and closing, furniture rails can be installed instead of mounting strips. The main thing is that they do not disturb the harmony and harmony of the restored product. Additionally, furniture can be decorated with metal decorative overlays that imitate carvings or patterns. The main rule of restoration is to first replace the fasteners, and then proceed to decorating.

Drawer guides

One of the most simple ways restore the beauty of the chest of drawers - paint the furniture. It takes a little time, reliably hides the slightest defects and flaws, allows you to give the product any color. Before painting, the chest of drawers is prepared for restoration. Fittings are twisted from it, drawers are taken out and the old coating is removed. If the chest of drawers is polished, upper layer must be removed thoroughly so that the new paint does not peel off. Coloring master class:

surface grinding, crack filling, priming;
applying paint with a brush on the corners and in hard-to-reach places;
painting the smooth surfaces of the dresser with a paint roller;
drying of the first layer, secondary staining, drying;
consolidation decorative coating a layer of varnish.

You need to apply paint on furniture at least twice to make the color rich and beautiful. You can cover the chest of drawers with three or more layers - this way you can repaint dark furniture to light colors and vice versa. First, paint the internal parts, and then proceed to finish the external surfaces. Acrylic paints work well for painting. You can use alkyd enamels, but they release toxins and a strong characteristic odor.

Thermal removal of the old coating

Grinding can be done with a machine or special nozzles for drills.

Acrylic putty will hide defects visible to the eye

Painting is best done with a brush.

Painted chest of drawers

Aging

The current trend in furniture restoration is the use of aging techniques. It is in this way that an old chest of drawers can be given an original look. Aging work is slightly different from traditional staining. Except acrylic paint need white paraffin candles. Restoration with the effect of aging is shown in the photo:

furniture is prepared for work - cleaned, primed, strengthened fasteners;
allocate dark paint (brown or black) accent areas. For the Provence style, blue is used;
after the paint has dried, the places where the effect of aging needs to be applied are rubbed with wax;
the entire surface of the dresser is covered with a layer of white paint several times. Places treated with wax are carefully scraped off with a knife;
painted surfaces are rubbed with sandpaper to give the furniture the desired antique effect, and varnished.

You can achieve vintage “scuffs” on furniture by using contrasting shades - a white base and dark accents or a black base background, painted with light paint and rubbed in some places with sandpaper. Aged furniture harmoniously looks in the interiors of shabby chic, Provence, country, vintage houses.