I started furniture flipping mostly for two reasons:
- My desire to decorate but without breaking the bank.
- Done right, a great way to make some extra cash.
But discovered a passion for persevering beautiful and great quality furniture that just needed some TLC.
But personal opinion, often budget-friendly furniture can lack the craftsmanship old furniture had and tends to have a shorter life span than most vintage and retro furniture. How much furniture we have today may not stand the test of time, but some pieces have lasted over 100 years.
Today’s blog entry I want to focus on my top 5 must-have tools that will make your furniture flipping project a breeze. From sanding to painting, these tools will help turn a piece of old furniture into a stunning piece.
1. Powerful Sander: Unleash the Beauty Beneath the Surface
One of the first steps of furniture flipping is removing the old paint or stain. The best moments are when you purchase painted furniture and when sanding the beauty of the wood is revealed.
A while back I bought an art decor vanity from Facebook Market Place that had been painted with Chalk paint, I knew that I needed to sand the furniture regardless if I wanted to paint it or not. After sanding the first drawer a beautiful wood design was revealed. That’s why a high-quality sander is a game changer for this task, making it faster and more efficient to remove any old and unwanted finish. I like to use a versatile sander that can handle different surfaces. For example, a simple Dewalt sander will do the task.
I use the FestTool Sander. Yes a much more expensive sander but it has a built-in vacuum that automatically vacuums all the dust when sending. But I recommend starting small and seeing what best works for you, and most importantly always use a mask!
2. Wood Filler: Smooth Out Imperfections
Most often every piece of furniture I have purchased from Facebook Market Place has come with dents, holes, and missing pieces. It’s part of the job, but no piece of furniture is perfect, but with the right tools you can make any imperfections disappear. A quality wood filler is a must-have for filling cracks, and holes, in your furniture. So Choose stainable wood fillers to blend in with the rest of the piece.
However, sometimes some furniture may come with too big of a hole to repair with just wood filler, if that’s the case I decide to always paint vs stain. My go-to product to repair larger cracks and pieces I know I’ll be painting is the Bondo Body filler, it will repair any holes or cracks. Just mix the body filler with the hardener creamer and apply it to the damaged surface. But quick tip, this product hardens super face so the trick is to work in small quantities and FAST.
3. Scraper Tool and Kits: Precision in Detailing
I love detailed and ornate pieces, it drives me to flip furniture and sets quality furniture-flipping projects apart. Though sanding will help to remove old paint and stains, more detailed and intricate areas are best tackled with a scraper. Invest in a scraper kit that contains various blade shapes and sizes, allowing you to tackle different surfaces. This tool is very crucial and will help achieve a meticulous finish, especially on detailed or carved furniture pieces.
A while back I refinished an old side table that needed much love. It did however have various details and unreachable areas with just a sander. But a scraper tool was a lifesaver. It allowed me to get into the tinniest areas and remove as much of the old finish as possible.
4. Heat Gun: Strip Away Layers with Ease
For particularly stubborn finishes and multi-paint layers, a heat gun is a great resource. Applying heat will soften the finish, making it easier to scrape away. It also makes the process of removing the finish quicker. I like to use a heat gun, it makes removing a finish much quicker and easier, but after I always like to give a good sanding once done.
But be very cautious, and follow safety guidelines to avoid damaging the wood or causing a fire.
5. Quality Paint or Stain
After all the prep work, it’s time to add your personal touch with a high-quality paint or stain. Choose paints that will adhere well to wood or any surface you’re using. Never forget to apply a primer first before painting, otherwise, any paint applied directly to the piece will eventually peel off.
As a primer, my go-to is the Zinger BIN Interior Multi-Purpose Shellac Walland Ceiling Primer. This primer will adhere great on any surface.
If you wish to paint any Ikea Furniture I recommend applying this primer, it will help the top coat paint stay.
For furniture, I wouldn’t recommend Matt paint since it tends to collect dust much quicker and is harder to remove and clean later. Even though I’m not a big fan of gloss, I will opt to use an eggshell paint.
For paint my go-to is Benjamin Moore brand, I always purchase the Eggshell Regal Selected paint quality.
If you prefer natural wood, opt for a quality stainer, I like to use Varathane stain.
Starting furniture flipping is an exciting journey and having the right tools at your disposal can make all the difference. From sanding to applying the finish touches. These 5 must-have tools will empower you to breathe new life into an old furniture piece again. So unleash your creativity.