Eddie Lowe
Just A Thought
Have you ever looked at a piece of furniture and thought you loved the shape of it, but the color seems off? Or looked at your kitchen cabinets and realized how dated they appear? There are television shows dedicated to refinishing such items– they make it look so easy! In thirty minutes, they take something from trash to treasure. But have you ever taken the next step and tried to renew a piece yourself?
One of the mainstays of my livelihood is to do just that. This month I’ll walk you through the basic steps that apply to any piece and show what we can learn from furniture refinishing and how it applies to our own lives.
One of my all time favorite things to do is to take the wood from an old barn and use it for building. Most of us know good furniture is always made from hardwood, such as oak. Few people realize that the old barns around here were made from Red Oak, which is an awesome wood for building furniture. This leads us to our first point–
#1- Sourcing- Many people may be refinishing a piece of furniture you already have, such as an old dresser or table. For myself, the process is much the same. I look for the right lumber, which these old barns often provide, many times over. If you don’t have a piece you’d like to try to refinish, I’d encourage you to go to Goodwill and source something.
#2- Sanding- The key to successful refurbishing is sanding. Let’s say you buy, or have, an end table. If you skip the sanding, the outcome will be bad. Sanding prepares the project by removing the existing finish and allows the new finish to stick. Even the little nooks and crannies need sanding, which takes quite a bit of time.
In our personal lives, we must address all of our flaws if we want to renew our lives. Just as with furniture refinishing, all our hidden flaws need attention. If we skip this step, our “new finish” will never “stick.” It is noteworthy that sanding is everyone’s least favorite part of refinishing because it takes the most time and effort. To sand effectively, pressure must be applied even in the hard to reach areas. In our own lives, we must deal with hidden issues if we want lasting self-improvement.
#3- Sealing- Sometimes, even after a thorough sanding, the wood may appear “blotchy.” If you proceed without a sealer, then this blotch will show through the finish. A sealer’s purpose is to “hold down” what’s already there. There is a term in refinishing called “bleed back or bleed through.” This means the old finish re-appears in the completed product.
In our personal lives, we use the term “clean slate” to mean that we’ve addressed our issues and look forward to building from our new base. Sanding and sealing go hand-in-hand and in that order.
#3- Staining- I’m currently working on refinishing kitchen cabinets for a remodel. Surprisingly, I sanded away a dull stain to reveal a beautiful wood grain. The original builder chose to blend the color instead of highlighting the darks and lights of the wood grain. With a different stain, the grain looks gorgeous!
It just goes to show that no two of us are the same. To try to blend or match everyone else is sad. God made each of us just the way He wanted. A seemingly “dark” part of our lives highlights our beauty. I’d encourage you to embrace who you are and let God shine through you!
#4- Shining- Let’s review our steps for our piece we’ve started. You sanded it, even the hard parts. You sealed it, making sure to cover everything. You’ve stained it for the look you feel is best. Now the fun part begins! It’s time to shine!
In refinishing, this is called the “topcoat.” The clear layer will highlight your work. Some people choose a matte finish, so as not to shine too much. Some choose a satin finish for just a little shine, and some go with a gloss finish for the full shine effect. No matter what type of topcoat you choose, the desire is twofold: to protect and reflect. Have you ever looked at an end table and noticed where someone sat a cup and it left a ring? That comes from a lack of a good clear finish. A good clear coat will protect all the hard work you did.
In our lives, we should choose to shine!
