Judy Rom

Article / Updated 08-03-2023

Vintage solid-wood pieces that are 50 to 99 years old are ideal for restoring. These items are well made and feature quality artisanship that’s worth preserving. But before you do any restoration or refinishing, you need to determine whether the piece you’ve found is worth saving. The main factors to consider are: Dovetail joints: A strong joinery technique of interlocking “pins” and “tails." Sturdy build: Solid wood and good bones are ideal. Manufacturer’s stamps: A stamp is a sign of high quality that has been placed on the furniture by an artisan. A newer, factory-made piece won’t have a maker’s mark). The photo below shows a stamp on the piece. Do the “rickety test” and shake the piece back and forth to see how solid it is. You want a piece that’s structurally sound. Supplies for restoring As with any project, you should make sure you have the supplies you need for the various stages of furniture restoring. These are the materials you’ll use: Cleaning: Dish soap, warm water, buckets and bowls, clean rags and cloths, old toothbrush, mineral spirits, vacuum Stripping: Sandpaper (various grits), electric sander, sanding block, chemical stripper, putty knife Repairing: Epoxy putty, wood restorer, wood filler, wood glue, antique wax, oxalic acid, an iron, stir sticks, clamps Painting: Paint, stain, paintbrushes, drop cloth Sealant: Wood sealant, wax, poly Safety: Goggles, mask, gloves Every restoration starts with a solid cleaning. Vacuum the piece and then give it a proper scrub with a mix of dish soap and warm water. Old toothbrushes are great for getting into the nooks and crannies. When the piece is good and clean, assess the finish to determine your next steps. Wipe the piece with mineral spirits to temporarily reveal how it would look with clear finish. This won’t harm the piece, and you might discover that all it needs is a good coating of sealant. Here are some signs that you need to further restore the piece: Water rings and blemishes are visible. The finish is peeling and flaking. Even after cleaning, the surface is sticky. Wood cracks are present. Removing the old finish You can strip the finish off the wood in three ways: Scraping with a paint scraper if the finish is flaky Sanding with sandpaper if the finish has a light sheen Stripping with a chemical stripper if the finish is very glossy If you need to scrape, follow these steps: Scrape off the brittle finish with a paint scraper or putty knife. Sand any remaining bits of finish with fine-grit sandpaper. To use sanding as your stripping method, follow these steps: Start sanding with a medium-grit sandpaper. Sand until most of the finish is off. Switch to a fine-grit to remove the last bits of the former finish. Using a chemical stripper is a little more involved than the other two methods. Here’s what you need to do: Set up your work area in a well-ventilated space. Wear gloves, a mask, and eye protection. Apply chemical stripper with a disposable brush. Allow the stripper time to work its magic. Scrape off the old finish with a putty knife. Use mineral spirits and steel wool to clean off the residue of the previous finish. Removing black marks Oxalic acid is brilliant for removing black stains from wood that has been exposed to metals and moisture. Use the following steps to apply oxalic acid to remove the black marks: Buy oxalic acid in crystal form from an online retailer. Dissolve the oxalic acid in hot water according to the manufacturer’s directions. While wearing heavy-duty gloves and a mask, dip a rag into the mixture and wipe the whole wooden panel, not just the stained area. Wiping the full area ensures that the color removal is consistent across the whole surface. Let the wood dry fully. Assess whether the stain was fully removed or if it needs another application. Repeat steps 3 and 4 if needed until the stain has disappeared. Add baking soda to water and wash off the crystals to neutralize the acid. The basic baking soda neutralizes the acidic oxalic acid. Allow the furniture to dry fully before sealing. Be aware that you’re handling an acid. Wear protection. Don’t brush the crystals into the air or onto the ground because doing so will cause you to cough. And never mix the oxalic acid with another chemical or bleach. Removing white rings White rings on furniture come from moisture that has soaked into the wood sealant and gotten trapped. The photo below shows the dreaded water rings. Water rings aren’t a total deal breaker. Here are a few different methods for removing them: An iron: Place a T-shirt over the stain and then iron over it on a low setting. Avoid using the steam function as this will make the stain worse. Try doing a spot test first. Check progress frequently. A hair dryer: Move the hair dryer side to side on a low setting over the affected area. An equal mixture of olive oil and white vinegar: Brush this mixture onto the wood in the direction of the grain. Wipe the whole surface of the wood. Follow by wiping with a clean, dry cloth. Mayonnaise or petroleum jelly: Dab the mayonnaise or petroleum jelly onto the damaged area and allow it to sit for a few hours. Wipe it away with a clean, dry cloth. Repairing scratches, chips, and cracks To remove scratches, lightly sand with fine-grit sandpaper in the direction of the wood grain. Smooth out the area by sanding once again with extra-fine sandpaper. Clean off the dust and refinish the wood with oil or wax. Wood putty is perfect for repairing smaller cracks and chips in wood. Use epoxy putty for larger gaps. This is the process for filling chips, and cracks: Look for wood putty in the same shade as your wood. Dab the putty on the crack using a putty knife. Smooth the putty with the putty knife. Let it dry fully. Sand the area with fine-grit sandpaper to smooth it out. If there are cracks in the wood, fill it with wood glue. In order to get the wood glue in, insert a toothpick into the split to carefully prop it open and then apply wood glue to the area with a stir stick. Then remove the toothpick and use paint tape or clamps to hold the area together while it dries. Restoring missing color There are a couple options for recoloring your furniture piece. You can use gel stain or wood stain. Gel stain Gel stain is wonderful for restoring furniture color. It’s a bit of a miracle product, honestly, because you don’t even have to strip the finish first. You can apply gel stain by following these steps: Wipe on the gel stain with a lint-free cloth. Wipe with a clean, dry cloth to remove the excess stain. Let it dry overnight. Seal it with finish. If you don’t like the result of the gel stain, you can use mineral spirits to wipe it away before it dries. Wood stain Wood stain is nice and easy to apply. You simply wipe it on as described here: Sand the piece down. Use a tack cloth to remove the sanding dust. Stir the wood stain and apply it with a clean, dry rag. Wipe the area with a clean rag to remove the excess stain. Add more layers as necessary. Finish with sealant. It’s hard to remove stain once it’s on (unless you sand it down again), so it’s best to start with light layers and build up to your desired color. Refinishing antique furniture Sometimes hands-on experience is the best teacher. If you want to follow along with the process step by step, here’s an example of how to refinish a vintage dining room chair: Find a piece to refinish. I found a vintage chair at a thrift shop. With its solid wood construction and a Made in Czechoslovakia stamp on the underside, this piece had great bones, but it was definitely ready for some TLC. Clean the piece. After a solid cleaning, it was evident that this chair had significant water damage. The photo below shows the condition of the piece. ©John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Cleaning revealed the water damage. Sand the flaws away. Based on my assessment, it seemed most effective to sand the piece down to remove the damage. For a job like this, start with a medium-grit sandpaper and work down to a fine grit. Clean up the dust. A tack cloth is perfect for removing the sanding dust so the debris doesn’t get stuck in your new finish. The photo below shows the tack cloth in action. ©John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Use a tack cloth to remove sanding dust. Stain the wood. Pick a stain that matches the color of the wood. Wipe it on with a clean, dry cloth. Start with a light coat and build up to your desired color. The photo below shows the staining process. ©John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Staining the wood brings it back to its former glory, without the damage. After the stain has dried, give it a light hand sand with a fine-grit sandpaper to smooth the piece and prepare it for finishing. Seal in all that magic with a finish of your choice. I used wipe-on poly here. See the finished frame stained, sealed and fabulous in the photo below. Finish to perfection. Reassemble your piece and add the finishing touches. In this case, I reupholstered the seat. To learn how to reupholster, check out my book Upcycling Furniture & Home Decor For Dummies.

Article / Updated 04-19-2023

There are lots of reasons to get excited about upcycling. To begin with, upcycling is like modern-day alchemy. It transforms unwanted items into highly prized pieces. It’s like turning trash into treasure! Another reason to get into upcycling is that it’s eco-conscious. In a world experiencing a garbage crisis, upcycling is a part of the solution. It feels positively magnificent to rescue and reimagine items headed for the landfill. Also, it’s downright thrilling selling pieces for a profit. That’s right — upcycling is an environmentally-savvy hobby that can earn you cash. Upcycling vs. recycling Upcycling and recycling aren’t the same because they have different processes. With recycling, items are broken down before they’re reused. For example, plastic is shredded and melted down into pellets. As the material is recycled, its value degrades, so the process of recycling is sometimes referred to as downcycling. For instance, recycled plastic isn’t as valuable as virgin plastic, and can only be recycled a finite number of times. Whereas downcycling reduces the value of an item, upcycling increases it. The item is reimagined and reborn. It goes from being an unwanted discard to a highly sought-after and valued piece. It’s an inspiring journey! Discovering the benefits of upcycling The benefits to upcycling are plentiful, including environmental, creative, and financial. Here are some of the top advantages: Good for the environment: First and foremost, upcycling is great because it reduces the waste that ends up in a landfill. Beyond that, as items are reused, the demand decreases for raw materials to create new products. This in turn lowers air and water pollution. It’s like a snowball effect for environmental conservation. Encourages creativity: Upcycling ignites your creativity. It’s an innovative process with no limits. Plus, getting crafty and doing it yourself is satisfying. Saves money: Upcycling furniture instead of buying it new can save you thousands of dollars. It’s also an attainable way to get custom, one-of-a-kind pieces. Generates value and income: Upcycling and reselling furniture and home decor is an awesome side hustle. It’s a smart way to make money by being creative. Beautiful: Upcycled items are often bespoke. These items feature custom artisanship and are stylishly unique. Fun and accessible: Anyone can be an upcycler. With a bit of passion and commitment, you too can learn how. The materials are just waiting to be discovered, and finding them is one of the best parts. Inspiring: The flash of inspiration to upcycle can come from the most unexpected pieces. That’s part of the magic. Once you start creating, you won’t want to stop. Meaningful: Upcycled pieces have a history and character to them that you just don’t find with “fast furniture” (low-quality, mass-produced furniture that’s being rapidly bought, used briefly, and quickly discarded). The item has already lived a life (or two), and that makes it special. In addition, upcycling supports local artisans. Starting with materials in hand When you already have the materials, there’s a great opportunity to use your imagination. Do you want to repaint and refinish the item, or do you want to repurpose it into something completely new? Think about what the item could become. For example, in Figure 1, on the left is a door that was converted into a table. On the right is an epic coffee table made from a dresser drawer. To learn how to make the coffee table below, check out my book, Upcycling Furniture & Home Decor For Dummies. Working toward an end-use vision Alternatively, you might have a piece of furniture or decor that you want to create, like a dramatic light fixture, and just need to find the supplies. You can repurpose glass plates and bowls into light shades, like in Figure 2. Charming glassware is waiting to be rescued at your local thrift shop. Fun, yet functional furniture Sometimes it takes removing part of the original item to repurpose it. On the left of Figure 3, there’s an awesome bathroom vanity made from a dresser. Charlotte Smith. of At Charlotte’s House, refinished this piece and used a jig to cut out a place for the bathroom sink and faucet. Smith also retrofitted the drawers so they’d still be functional. To finish the piece, she applied a heavy-duty sealant to the dresser to keep it from warping in the humidity of the bathroom. Sometimes the piece needs to be added to. On the right of Figure 3, there’s an IKEA cabinet that Teofi González, of The Kiyomi, transformed by adding a veneer cutout and gorgeous pastel hues. Trendy new legs complete the look. The console on the left of Figure 4 appears perfectly worn and weathered. This stunning coastal look was achieved by painting it with multiple colors and layers, using salt wash for texture and then sanding it smooth. On the right of Figure 4, you see a curvy, scalloped dresser that was completely transformed with a white, turquoise, teal, and deep blue ombre. The upcycler perfectly accented the piece with gold leaf to create a stunning geode design. Eye-catching home decor Home decor is important because it sets the tone for your home. Style is completely subjective, and you can express yourself in unlimited ways. Vinyl records will always have that cool factor. Unfortunately, they’re often scratched beyond use. Turning them into home decor is a great way to keep the music alive. The top left of Figure 5 shows a record turned into a bowl. The skateboard decks–turned–shelves shown in the bottom left of Figure 5 are ideal for a skater. Denim upcycles are classic. You can turn ripped jeans into multiple creative home furnishings, like those shown in the top right and bottom right in Figure 5. Lamps that light the way Upcycled lighting will really brighten up your life. There are lots of inventive ways to reimagine items into lights. Repurposing an item as a lamp shade for a pendant light is one of the most effective ways to create a light source. You can buy a pendant light cord from your local hardware store or online. At the top of Figure 6, Heinz Beanz cans have been turned into funky pendant lights by Willem Heeffer, a Dutch designer. It’s also possible to make lamps out of electrical wire, light sockets, and a lamp switch wire and plug. The phone lamp in the middle left of Figure 6 was DIY-ed by Judy Rom and Bart Taylor with those items, a bit of imagination, and an old rotary phone. A Sputnik-style light on the middle right of Figure 6 is a modern take on upcycled lighting. Sputnik lamps have multiple arms that each have a bulb. This kind of fixture became popular in the Atomic Age (1940–1960s) when the first satellite orbited Earth. This stunning Sputnik chandelier with Depression glass used as shades was designed by Jeff Risinger and Mark Winn of BootsNGus.com. Multiple items look gorgeous grouped together as a chandelier. The bottom of Figure 6 features a stunning rainbow chandelier by Jeff Risinger and Mark Winn of BootsNGus.com made with painted mason jars. The center ring used here is made from solid wood. Additionally, the lids have been drilled to allow heat to escape so that the jars won’t overheat. Gorgeous garden upcycles You won’t believe the extent of what you can upcycle into planters. The top left of Figure 7 shows an incredible TV-turned terrarium. Covering plant pots with a burlap coffee bean bag is a delightful way to dress them up! The bottom left of Figure 7 shows the look. Upcycling is a fabulous way to embellish your garden. The right side of Figure 7 shows some lovely garden markers made with vintage silverware. The names of the herbs have been hand stamped onto each one. They’re positively delightful! Smart storage solutions There are scads of ways to upcycle for organization. Crates are particularly practical. You can repurpose vintage fruit or wine crates to hold shoes, toys, books, towels — you name it! Figure 8 shows an example of how to stack and style crates in a foyer.

Article / Updated 04-19-2023

When you’re ready to begin upcycling furniture and other items for home decor, your first step is finding materials. Luckily for you, your next great score is just around the corner. Literally. You might actually find it as you’re walking down the street! The world is seemingly chock-full of items that people no longer want. This is great news for opportunistic upcyclers ready to gather the goods. There are several go-to places to explore when you’re looking for goodies. Here’s the lowdown on where to score the most prolific pieces and how to source like a professional. A thrilling adventure: Thrift stores There’s so much opportunity to find gold at thrift stores. But there’s a bit of an art to thrift shopping. When you start thrift shopping it’s easy to become overwhelmed or buy things you don’t actually want. Here are some guidelines to make sure you can thrift shop with the best of them: Focus on finding high-quality furniture and home decor made from wood, wicker, glass, and metal. These materials offer the best value and are the easiest to clean. Be strategic about the neighborhood that you’re shopping in. Check out the thrift stores in older neighborhoods and wealthier neighborhoods for antique and vintage finds. Over time, you’ll discover which stores generally have the leading selection. Shop at the most favorable times. To snag the choicest deals, shop when the merchandise is fresh. Mornings, Mondays, and Tuesdays are ideal because stores generally restock over the weekends. Get clear on what you’re actually looking for. Being specific about what you’re after will keep you on track. Shop frequently. Committing to thrift shopping means being persistent. If you’re on the hunt for something specific, devote time to visit at least weekly, and be prepared to leave empty-handed if you don’t find what you’re looking for. Check out lesser-known thrift stores to scoop some goodies. The bigger chains like Salvation Army and Goodwill are often priced higher and are more picked over. Find out when the sales are. Thrift stores offer discount days. If you see something you truly love, buy it. The nature of thrift stores is that inventory often flips. If a unique piece catches your heart, snag it. You never know when or if you’ll see it again. Thrift shopping while on road trips is a perfect time to find treasures. Smaller towns and rural places often have unique items and good deals. The photo below shows a couple of gems waiting to be discovered at a thrift shop. A 24/7 opportunity: Online marketplaces Online marketplaces like Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, and eBay are great for when you’re looking for a specific item. Another upside: they’re always open. Tailor your searches by using keywords like “mid-century modern” or “farmhouse,” and check frequently for the first-rate pieces. Items on here are constantly being added. Design styles When you’re reading online descriptions of marketplace items, you may see the following terms, which identify the item’s design style: Mid-century modern: Simple and beautiful wooden furniture from the 1950s and ’60s with a focus on clean lines and curved designs. Teak, walnut, mahogany, and rosewood were predominantly used. Farmhouse: Farmhouse style is rooted in the rustic and comfortable farmhouses of the 18th century. These items feature elements made of reclaimed wood that have been weathered or white washed. Items that are popular to buy and sell on online marketplaces include: Large furniture: This category includes couches, tables, dressers, hutches, dining room sets, and outdoor furniture. Small furniture: Think chairs, end tables, stools, and shelves. Lamps and light fixtures: Pendant lights and chandeliers may be things you want to watch for. Seasonal decor: Check early in the season for unique holiday decor. Rugs: This is a reliable place to find secondhand and vintage rugs in great condition. Buying on Facebook Marketplace is safer than buying on other online marketplaces because you can see the profile of the seller. Meet in a public place or do a “porch pickup,” which means meeting in the lobby or outside the residence. If you can’t do that, bring a friend with you. Act fast if you see an item that you like. Good deals are often scooped up within the hour. Also, use the bookmark icon (see the figure below) to save items that you like on Facebook Marketplace so that the service’s algorithm learns your taste and can recommend relevant items. When it comes to searching online marketplaces, the words you use matter. The descriptors and keywords you search greatly affect what you find. Here are some keywords to search that will often deliver the literal goods: Old: This is a good search word that often triggers undervalued vintage or antique items. Must go: This is a surefire way to nab a great deal. Don’t hesitate to negotiate here. Grandma’s/grandma/grandmother: This frequently indicates items in pristine condition. Heavy or solid: This is the perfect way to reference real wood furniture. Funky: This is a great descriptor for finding unique pieces. If you’re looking for specific items, try searching using a few different terms. For instance, a couch could also be called a sofa, loveseat, daybed, or sectional. Also, when it comes to keywords, the more specific you can be the better. Try searching by decade, material, style, color, and pattern. If you want a lower price, negotiate before you agree to buy the item. It always pays to be respectful when negotiating. A good tactic is to ask if the seller has any wiggle room on price. However, be mindful to avoid haggling when items are marked as “price firm.” Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, and eBay may be the most well-known online outlets, but they’re certainly not the only ones. Try checking out these other options: Kijiji, OfferUp, Nextdoor, Freecycle, and Facebook buy/sell and buy nothing groups. The weekend mission: Garage sales Garage sales are super fun to shop because the prices are generally low, and you truly never know what you’re going to find. That being said, they can sometimes be hit-or-miss. Here’s how to optimize your shopping experience. Timing is everything Garage sale season generally kicks off with spring cleaning and goes into the early fall. This is a weekend affair, with Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. being the most popular times. When it comes to the best time of day to shop garage sales, keep these factors in mind: The early bird gets the worm. Go at the beginning of the day to score the best pieces, especially for larger items like furniture. Midday is a good time to shop if it’s super hot or rainy. Vendors will be motivated to get out of the elements. Don’t disregard the afternoon, though. The end of the day (around 2 p.m.) is prime for scoring crazy deals because sellers are willing to slash and burn prices to get rid of things. Planning your attack When it comes to shopping garage sales, you can do it either organically or by researching in advance. To find the best sales spontaneously, take the scenic route by driving through suburban neighborhoods as opposed to traveling the highways. Shop strategically. Websites like Garage Sale Tracker and Yard Sale Search enable you to see all the advertised sales in your area. Apps like Yard Sale Treasure Map pull in listings from Craigslist. There are also a lot of local garage sale groups on Facebook. Posting in these groups regularly show images of items for sale, potentially with the option to pre-buy. Older folks (with vintage items) often advertise their garage sales in newspaper classifieds. With these tools, you can plan a route and hit multiple sales in a day. If you don’t look, you won’t know It’s hard to know what’s available without checking. If you drive past a garage sale, and you have time, it’s worth taking a look to see what’s there. You might even hit the jackpot and run into a moving sale. When you arrive on the scene, do a loop to see what’s available. Large, well-made furniture will be snatched up first. Buying only what you truly want or love Just because something is cheap doesn’t mean it’s a good deal. If you’re not going to use an item or flip it, it’s a waste of money. Make a list of items you’re looking for and keep it on your phone. That way you’re less likely to get swept up buying things you don’t need. Scoring the lowest prices Most of the time, garage sale prices are negotiable. Here’s how to get the best deals: Bundle items: Start a collection and offer a price for all of it or ask for a bundled discount. Sellers are motivated to sell as much as possible, so you can often get a deal on multiple items. Form a connection: Ask about the history of the pieces and share your plans for them. People like to see their items go to a good home. Haggle within reason: Lowballing can be seen as disrespectful. Offer a decent price (never less than 50 percent), and be prepared to negotiate up. Cash is (still) king: Bring lots of small bills. Offering a price with cash in hand is a strong purchasing strategy.

Cheat Sheet / Updated 04-13-2023

Upcycling is a transformational process that gives waste a second life. It’s taking something that was considered trash and turning it into treasure. Upcycled items are more functional, beautiful, and valuable than what they previously were.