Furniture Fix: How To Make Over An Old Desk
For many businesses office furniture is a big expense, especially when the business is just getting off the ground. The best way to save money on furnishings while still getting quality, solid pieces is by buying used office furniture. However, sometimes that means that you have to put a little elbow grease into it to get the look you want. If you're looking for a used desk, here's how to give it a makeover for a stylish, affordable addition to your office space.
1. Remove the old hardware.
Old hardware can make a piece of furniture look dated even after you've refinished it. Luckily, you can buy new handles and knobs at your local hardware or home improvement store for just a few dollars each. You don't want to paint the old hardware because the paint will crack and peel over time as you grab them to pull your drawers open.
Buy pieces that coordinate with the new stain or paint color you plan to use. If you have a hard time choosing a color, remember that silver works best with cool colors, and gold or brass are excellent options for warm colors. You may want to steer away from white knobs and handles, as they'll show dirt easily.
2. Remove the old finish.
While you can sand the desk by hand, you'll have a much easier time using a sander. If you don't own one, you can rent one at most home improvement stores. Use a low-grit sandpaper (80 grit should do just fine) to sand off the old paint or stain. The heavier grit gives you a rougher surface, which makes quicker work of sloughing off the old finish.
3. Prep the surface for new stain or paint.
Once you've removed the old finish, you'll need to go over the entire desk again with a 180-grit sandpaper. This ensures the surface is nice and smooth, ready to take on the paint or stain. Before you begin brushing on your new finish, take a few minutes to wipe the desk down to remove all the dust from sanding. You don't want it to get mixed up in your stain, because it will cause clumping and result in an uneven finish.
4. Apply the stain or paint.
Staining furniture brings out the qualities of the wood while painting covers the wood up. What you do is completely up to you, but there are a couple of techniques you need to know to get the best results from each method.
With a stain, you can get a stylish distressed look by applying the stain with a brush. This gives you greater control over the color, and allows you to choose where you want the wood to show through. With each coat, you apply the stain, let it sit a few minutes, and then wipe it off. You'll probably only need one or two coats for a distressed finish or up to three coats for a smooth, even finish.
With paint, you may want to start with a coat of primer. After the surface is primed, use a roller to apply an even coat of paint over large, smooth surfaces and a desk to paint the more detailed areas like the trim and the drawers. You'll need at least two coats of paint for an even finish.
5. Apply polyurethane.
After the paint or stain has finished drying completely, add a couple of coats of polyurethane (a clear coat) to protect the finish. Apply the first coat and let it dry overnight. Be careful—the liquid is thin and can drip easily. Make sure you get up any drip marks before you leave it to dry. The next day, sand the surface with the 180-grit sandpaper and apply another coat of polyurethane after wiping off the dust.
6. Install new hardware.
Once the desk is completely dry, you're ready to install your new hardware!
Your made-over desk will look great, and you'll likely have spent far less on it than you would a new desk. Even though making over old furniture requires a significant time investment, the money you save makes the extra work worthwhile.
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