A Simple Guide to Varnishing Dining Furniture

The majority of families across the UK sit and enjoy at least one meal a week together, congregated together at the dining room table. It`s been the tradition for many years. However, during meal times spills occur, things get dropped and dining furniture gets knocked off. All this can contribute to a significant amount of damage being caused – be it strong stains, gouges or scrapes. And all this looks extremely unsightly – especially if you`re house proud and regularly invite guests into your home.

In order to protect their dining furniture many homeowners prefer to apply a coat of varnish. Varnish is applied like paint and dries to give wooden dining furniture a protective, high-gloss finish.

Painting and wood staining can also provide a protective finish; however, the finish obviously doesn`t dry clear like varnish, which can lead to the charm or character of the original finish being eradicated.

And what`s great is that, as long as the dining furniture is wooden, you can apply a layer of varnish regardless of what it is.

Varnishing a piece of dining furniture isn`t particularly hard. In fact, it`s quite easy if you get a good varnish, and follow the instructions. Below is a simple guide, detailing the steps you would need to take if you were looking to apply a protective layer to your dining furniture:

Step 1: Before you start the task you need to ensure that the piece of dining furniture you intend to varnish is completely clear of dirt or dust. It should be the same for the area you`re working in too. Dust and dirt can affect the overall finish – having a pretty detrimental effect on it.

Step 2: Do one last spot check of the piece of dining furniture; if it`s clear you can being applying the varnish. Open up the can of varnish, dip a clean paint brush in, then wipe away any excess around the can`s edge. Apply the varnish in the direction of the grain. You should apply it with strokes that are thin and even.

Step 3: Leave the piece of dining furniture to dry. This will probably take around 12-14 hours – though, you should read the instructions on the can for a more precise time. Step 4: To give your piece of dining furniture a clean finish, take a piece of steel wool and gently sand it. To remove any dust caused as a result of the sanding, simply take a damp cloth and wipe the furniture piece down.

Step 5: Repeat step 2 again. You may need to apply three or four coats of varnish, depending on how much the piece of dining furniture`s going to be used. If it`s a table, you`ll probably need to apply three or four coats of varnish to its top – because of the sustained amount of use it`s going to get - and two on the legs.

Having completed the steps featured in this guide, your dining furniture will possess an added strength – protecting its glorious, original finish against the scrapes, bumps and spills of life in the modern family home.

Dining furniture endures significant amounts of bumps, scrapes and staining in the family home environment. This article provides a five-step guide detailing the steps one could take to protect their furniture with a coat of varnish.