DIY GUIDE · HOME REPAIRS & HANDYMAN

How to restore a wooden piece of furniture yourself
A weekend, with drying time. €20–€60 in cleaners, abrasives and finish.

Assess the finish, clean first, strip only if you must, fill and sand, then wax, oil or varnish.

DIFFICULTY
Moderate
no licence needed
TIME
A weekend
a clean and re-wax is an afternoon; stripping and refinishing a chest of drawers runs over several days with
MATERIALS
€20–€60
steel wool, abrasive, a remover or stripper, filler and a tin of wax or varnish; an orbital sander is optional
A PRO CHARGES
€150–€700
typically €350
  • Every step, start to finish
  • Checked October 2026 — sources at the end
  • Honest about when to call a pro

FIRST, THE HONEST ANSWER

Do it yourself, or get a restorer?

Do it yourself if…

  • The piece is solid wood or good veneer, structurally sound, with a tired or damaged finish
  • You have a ventilated space to work, such as a garage with the door open or a dry yard
  • You are prepared to test on a hidden spot and go slowly
  • It is ordinary household furniture, not a valuable antique

Get a pro if…

  • The piece is valuable, antique, or has sentimental value you cannot risk
  • The veneer is lifting in large areas, or there is marquetry, inlay or gilding
  • Joints are loose throughout, legs are broken, or there is woodworm activity
  • The old paint may be lead-based and would need sanding off

Safety first

  • Use strippers and solvents outdoors or with strong ventilation, with gloves, glasses and a respirator fitted with filters for vapours as well as particles.
  • Wear at least a P2 dust mask when sanding; the HSA warns that wood dust can cause asthma and, for hardwood, cancer.
  • Old paint on furniture may contain lead. Do not dry-sand it; use a chemical stripper with care or get it assessed.
  • Lay rags soaked in oil flat outdoors to dry before disposal; some oils can self-heat and catch fire when bunched up.
  • Keep strippers, solvents and finishes away from children and pets, and store them closed in a cool place.

MATERIALCOVERAGEFOR THIS JOB
Wax and polish remover or mild soapOne tinFirst clean of the whole piece
Paint and varnish stripperOnly if the old finish must come offOne tin per piece
Wood filler or retouch wax crayonMatched to the wood colourFor dents, holes and scratches
Furniture wax, oil or varnishTo suit the useTwo or three coats

How much finish do you need?

Work out the surface area of every face to be finished, multiply by the number of coats, and divide by the coverage on the tin. A chest of drawers with a 0.5 m² top, sides and front adding up to about 1.5 m², finished with three coats of varnish, is 6 m² of coating. At a coverage of, say, 12 m² per litre on the tin, a 500 ml tin is enough with a little spare.

Bare wood soaks up much more of the first coat; use the coverage figure on your own tin, not this example.

Start with the gentlest fix

Many dull finishes are only dirt and old polish. Clean first with a mild soap solution on a well-wrung cloth, then a wax and polish remover with fine steel wool. One woodcare maker’s restoration guide works in exactly that order: clean the metal fittings, fill the damage with a retouch crayon, remove the old dirty wax, then wax afresh. Only move on to stripping if that fails.

Identify the old finish

Rub a little methylated spirits on a hidden spot: if the finish softens and goes sticky, it is likely shellac or French polish. If nothing happens, try a little lacquer thinners; a finish that softens is likely lacquer. If neither moves it, it is probably a modern varnish or paint, which needs stripper. Knowing the finish tells you what will remove it and what will go back on top.

Steel wool grades

Steel wool is graded from coarse to ultra-fine. The finest grade, 0000, is for cleaning delicate surfaces, applying wax and cutting back between finishing coats; the coarser grades are for removing softened finish and stripping residue. If in doubt, use a finer grade.

Wax, oil or varnish

Wax gives a soft sheen, is easy to renew and suits older and lightly used pieces, but marks with heat and water. Oil soaks in and gives a natural look that is simple to touch up. Varnish forms a hard, protective film for tables and heavily used pieces, but shows brush marks and is hard to repair invisibly. Match the finish to how the piece will be used.

Stripper types

Water-based strippers are slower but gentler on you and the wood; solvent-based strippers work faster and need more ventilation and protection. Either way, read the label, test first, and never use a stripper on veneer you have not tested — it can loosen the glue.

Photograph the piece before you start, and note any maker’s marks or labels.
Take off handles, knobs and hinges before you start, and keep the screws with each piece in a labelled bag.

THE PART THAT DECIDES THE FINISH

Preparing the piece — by the condition of the finish

Test on the back or underside first, then pick the card that matches what you find.

Sound finish, just dull and grimy

The finish is intact but dirty, cloudy or patchy with old polish.

  1. Dust off and wash with a mild soap solution on a well-wrung cloth, then dry
  2. Rub with a wax and polish remover and fine steel wool, a small area at a time, with the grain
  3. Wipe off the lifted grime with a clean cloth before it dries
  4. Let it dry fully before re-waxing
Scratches, dents and small holes

Damage to an otherwise sound finish.

  1. Lift shallow dents in bare wood by laying a damp cloth over them and pressing briefly with a warm iron
  2. Fill scratches and small holes with a wax retouch crayon on finished surfaces
  3. Use wood filler on bare wood that will be sanded and refinished
  4. Match the colour on a hidden spot first
Failed varnish or paint

Peeling, crazed, chipped or badly worn finish that must come off.

  1. Work outdoors or in a well-ventilated space, with gloves, glasses and a respirator
  2. Test the stripper on a hidden spot, especially on veneer
  3. Lay the piece on dust sheets and remove hardware
  4. Have scrapers, coarse steel wool and the neutraliser or rinse the tin specifies ready
Veneered pieces

A thin decorative layer of wood glued over a cheaper base.

  1. Check the edges and corners for lifting veneer and bubbles
  2. Re-glue small lifting areas with wood glue under a weighted board before refinishing
  3. Never sand veneer with coarse grit or a power sander at the edges — it goes through quickly
  4. Use as little stripper and water as possible; both loosen veneer glue
Painted furniture you want to keep painted

Chipped or tired paint on a piece that will be painted again.

  1. Wash off grease with sugar soap or detergent and rinse
  2. Sand the old paint to a dull, even key and feather the chipped edges smooth
  3. Spot-prime any bare wood and knots before the topcoat
  4. If the old paint is very old and you suspect lead, do not sand it dry — get advice first

THE JOB

How to restore wooden furniture, in order

  1. Strip down the hardware and assess

    30 min

    Remove handles, knobs, hinges and drawer runners and bag them with their screws. Pull out drawers. Check every joint, leg and rail for looseness and look for woodworm holes with fresh dust. Test the finish on a hidden spot as described above, and decide which card fits.

    • Photograph the hardware positions before removing them
    • Clean brass fittings separately with a metal cleaner and fine steel wool
    • Re-glue loose joints before you touch the finish

    Mistake to avoid: Going straight for the stripper. Most pieces only need cleaning, and stripping removes character you cannot put back.

  2. Clean the whole piece

    1 hr

    Wash the surfaces with a mild soap solution on a well-wrung cloth, working in sections and drying as you go. Then work over the piece with a wax and polish remover on fine steel wool, rubbing with the grain, and wipe off the lifted grime with a clean cloth. Use a toothbrush on carvings and mouldings. Clean the inside of drawers and the carcass as well; old furniture often smells musty inside, and an airing in a dry room helps.

    • Never soak the wood — water lifts grain and loosens joints and veneer
    • Change the cloth as soon as it is dirty
    • Stop and assess: often the piece looks good enough to re-wax now

    Mistake to avoid: Using a wet cloth on old furniture. Water marks, raised grain and lifting veneer follow.

  3. Strip the old finish, if you must

    2–3 hr

    Outdoors or with good ventilation, wearing gloves, glasses and a respirator with filters for vapours, brush the stripper on thickly in one direction and leave it for the time the tin gives. Lift the softened finish with a plastic scraper, following the grain, and use coarse steel wool and a toothbrush in the corners. Repeat where needed, then clean off residue as the tin specifies.

    • Work one surface at a time so the stripper does not dry
    • Keep stripper off plastic, rubber and your skin
    • Let the wood dry fully after rinsing before sanding

    Mistake to avoid: Scraping across the grain with a metal blade. It gouges the wood, and the marks show through every finish.

  4. Fill and repair

    30 min

    Fill holes and deep scratches in bare wood with a wood filler slightly darker than the wood, pressing it in and leaving it just proud. Let it dry and sand it flush. On finished surfaces, use a wax retouch crayon, working it into the damage and smoothing it with very fine abrasive once set. Re-glue any small lifted veneer under a weighted board.

    • Filler takes stain differently from wood — test first
    • Wipe excess glue off with a damp cloth before it sets
    • Leave glued veneer under weight overnight

    Mistake to avoid: Using pale filler on dark wood. It shows as a bright spot after the finish goes on.

  5. Sand smooth

    1–2 hr

    Sand with the grain, starting with a medium grit only if the surface needs levelling, and finishing with fine. Use a block on flat areas and folded paper on curves. Wipe the dust off with a slightly damp cloth between grades and look along the surface at a low angle in good light for scratches.

    • Wear a dust mask — the HSA recommends at least a P2 filter for wood dust
    • Never skip more than one grit grade or the coarse scratches remain
    • Go lightly at edges and on veneer

    Mistake to avoid: Sanding across the grain. The cross-scratches show up the moment stain or oil goes on.

  6. Stain, if you want a colour change

    1 hr

    Test the stain on a hidden area or an offcut of the same wood. Apply it evenly with a cloth or brush, working with the grain and keeping a wet edge, and wipe off the excess as the tin says. Let it dry fully before any finish goes on top.

    • End grain soaks up more stain — seal it lightly first or apply less
    • Build colour with thin coats rather than one heavy one
    • Check the stain is compatible with the finish you will use

    Mistake to avoid: Staining in sections and letting the edges dry. Overlap marks show as dark stripes.

  7. Apply the finish

    2–3 days

    For wax, apply a thin coat with a cloth or 0000 steel wool, with the grain, let it dry as the tin says, then buff to a sheen with a soft cloth; build two or three thin coats. For oil, wipe on, leave it to soak, wipe off the excess and repeat after drying. For varnish, brush thin coats with the grain in a dust-free room, sanding lightly with very fine abrasive or 0000 wool between coats once dry.

    • Thin coats always beat thick ones
    • Varnish in a warm, dry, still room; dust and cold spoil it
    • Lay oily rags flat outdoors to dry before binning — rags soaked in some oils can self-heat

    Mistake to avoid: Applying wax thickly. It stays soft and smeary and attracts dust.

  8. Refit the hardware and protect

    30 min

    When the finish is hard, refit the cleaned handles, hinges and runners with their own screws. Wax drawer runners lightly with a candle so they slide. Put felt pads under the feet, and use coasters and mats on tabletops until the finish has fully hardened.

    • Do not overtighten old screws in old holes
    • Keep the piece out of direct sun and away from radiators
    • Re-wax every few months on a waxed piece

    Mistake to avoid: Putting the piece back into use the same day. A soft finish marks with the first cup or book.

The mistakes that make it worse

  • Stripping a piece that only needed cleaning
  • Using too much water on old wood and veneer
  • Sanding across the grain
  • Power-sanding veneer edges
  • Putting the piece back into use before the finish has hardened

Stop here and get a furniture restorer

  • The piece is valuable, antique or irreplaceable
  • There is marquetry, inlay, gilding or extensive lifting veneer
  • Woodworm is active or the structure is failing
  • The paint may contain lead and would need sanding
How to hire a furniture restorer →

White rings on a wooden tableMoisture trapped in the finish. Often a gentle rub with a fine abrasive cream or wax on 0000 steel wool lifts it; test on a hidden spot first.
Varnish finish blotchy or streakyApplied too thick, in the cold or with a dirty brush. Let it harden, sand lightly with fine abrasive and apply a thin even coat.
Stain darker in some areasEnd grain and softer patches soak up more stain. Sand back lightly and seal those areas before staining again.
Veneer lifting after strippingToo much water or stripper loosened the glue. Re-glue under a weighted board and use less liquid next time.
Wax finish sticky or smearyToo much wax or not buffed. Rub off the excess with fine steel wool and a little remover, then apply thin coats and buff well.
Filler shows through the finishThe filler did not match or took stain differently. Pick it out, fill with a closer colour or a retouch crayon, and finish over.
Raised grain feels roughWater raised the fibres. Sand lightly with fine abrasive once dry, then finish.
Bubbles in the varnishShaking the tin or brushing too hard. Stir gently, brush lightly, and sand the bubbles flat before the next coat.
Drawer sticks after refinishingFinish has built up on the runners or the drawer sides. Sand the runners lightly and rub them with candle wax.

WHAT YOU SAVE

What it costs to do it yourself

Steel wool, 150g€4.90
Abrasive sheets, pack€8–€10.35
Paint and varnish stripper, 500ml€11–€22
Wood filler€5–€7
Furniture wax, 400–500ml€15–€22
Varnish€9
Total, a chest of drawers€20–€60
DIY total€20–€60
A furniture restorer charges per item
LOW
€150
TYPICAL
€350
HIGH
€700
Furniture Restoration price guide →

Guide prices compiled by the Locufy team from published Irish and UK provider price lists and 2026/27 cost guides. Updated 2026.

Materials are cheap; time is the real cost. A random orbit sander is the only tool worth buying for a big piece, and a respirator with the right filters is worth owning for any stripping. Buy small tins first; finishing products go off once opened, and a test on an offcut tells you whether you like the colour before you commit.

RATHER NOT?

Furniture restorers near you, with prices shown

The ones who cover your area, nearest first, with one score from every review. No account needed to look.

Or post the job free and let them come to you.

Let the finish harden

Most finishes are touch dry quickly but take days to harden. Use coasters and mats and avoid heavy use for the first week or two.

Care for it

Dust with a soft cloth, re-wax waxed pieces every few months, and keep the piece out of strong sun and away from radiators.

Dispose of strippers, solvents and rags properly

Solvent-based strippers, thinners and white spirit are hazardous waste: take them to your civic amenity site. Small amounts of water-based paint can be hardened and binned, as mywaste.ie advises. Lay oily rags flat to dry before they go in the bin.

Keep notes

Write down the products and the number of coats on a label under a drawer, so the next touch-up matches.

Pass on what you will not use

If the restored piece is not for you, a charity shop or an upcycling project may take it; mywaste.ie points to reuse as well as to civic amenity recycling for furniture at the end of its life.

Restoring a wooden piece of furniture: questions people ask

Often not. Clean it first with a mild soap solution and then a wax and polish remover with fine steel wool. If the finish is sound, re-wax or re-oil. Strip only if the old finish has failed.

Test a hidden spot. Methylated spirits softens shellac and French polish; lacquer thinners softens lacquer; modern varnish and paint need a stripper.

Ultra-fine 0000 for cleaning, applying wax and cutting back between coats. Coarser grades for removing softened finish. If in doubt, go finer.

Carefully, by hand, with fine abrasive and a block. Veneer is thin, and a coarse grit or a power sander at the edges goes straight through.

They are moisture trapped in the finish. A gentle rub with a fine abrasive cream, or wax on 0000 steel wool, often lifts them; test on a hidden spot first.

On the Locufy price guide for Ireland, furniture restoration costs €150–€700 per item, typically €350. A clean and re-polish is at the low end; stripping, repairs and a full refinish at the top.

MORE GUIDES

More DIY guides

Spray painting small items with aerosol paintPainting a roomCleaning a fabric sofa by handAssembling flat-pack furnitureRegrouting tilesHanging wallpaperAssembling flat-pack furnitureMounting a TV on a wall bracket
All 90 DIY guides →How to hire a furniture restorer →Furniture Restoration price guide →Furniture restorers on Locufy →

Sources — checked October 2026

  1. Libéron — how to restore old furniture: clean, retouch crayon, wax and polish remover, wax with 0000 steel wool
  2. Sadolin Ireland — preparation FAQs: methylated spirits rather than white spirit for cleaning timber
  3. HSA — wood working information sheet: wood dust hazards, P2 filters, finishes and solvents
  4. HSA — chemicals
  5. MyWaste — what to do with paint, thinners and white spirit
  6. MyWaste — what to do with wardrobes and furniture: civic amenity recycling, reuse and charity shops
  7. diy.ie — steel wool, price check October 2026
  8. diy.ie — abrasive sheets, price check October 2026
  9. diy.ie — paint and varnish strippers, price check October 2026
  10. diy.ie — wood filler, price check October 2026
  11. diy.ie — furniture wax, price check October 2026
  12. diy.ie — varnish, price check October 2026