Discussions

Recently I found an antique dresser that is in great shape but needs some refinishing. When I wipe it down it looks great but when it dries the wood looks really boring and dull. It's a mid to dark (assuming stained) wood. Not looking to paint it as the wood grain is awesome. How do I go about bringing this piece back to life? I've looked online but haven't found any clear direction so looking to see what others have done that worked. Thanks

do you have pics? what you do will depend on what finish they used and condition of it

You might need to sand it and restain it. Or if you like the colour but thinks it needs some shine you could always give it a couple coats of varnish.

could have a boiled linseed oil finish or a home made varnish, so many possibilities depending on the age.

http://www.woodmagazine.com/materials-guide/finishes/what-finish-is-that-anyway/

The website looks helpful! Really hard to say how old it is. I'm thinking I'm going to have to sand and stain it. There's a few more wears and tears on it then I thought. I like the colour so I hope I can find something similar, which with all the options out there shouldn't be too hard.

I have refinished a few antique things over the year. It's addicting once you get the knack of it. I found that poly supa stripper to work well. Trick is to cover it in plastic and let it sit for a bit. That helps to remove varnish. Good luck