In the old days, chests were a part of almost any interior. Often they are stored for years in houses or in summer cottages, waiting in the wings. Restoring a chest will help to breathe new life into it. Such a thing rightfully takes its place in the house and fits perfectly into any environment. One has only to show a little imagination.
Types of Chests
Ancient chests are very different. Depending on the functional purpose and appearance, they can be classified:
- To size. Chests can be either large enough or small decorative chests. The use and placement of such items will be very different.
- In appearance. They can be with a straight or rounded cover, with or without legs, with locks, handles and decor. The chests for home use were lower and elongated. When traveling and traveling, they replaced modern suitcases, so the shape was different, more convenient.
- By the quality of the materials from which they were made. Ancient chests could be wooden, with metal elements or completely metal, made of dense fabric or leather, woven, etc.
- By appointment: decorative chests or functional.
These products, which are, in fact, cabinet furniture, also differed in style. For example, village chests were more overall, roomy, simple and rough. Travelers, by contrast, were smaller and neater. Depending on the interior of the house, classic or decorated products were used. Restoring a chest will help to adapt it in any space.
How can I use an old chest
Despite the originality of such an item in the interior, chests are very functional. Often even lids are used as an additional surface for various items. But do not forget about the storage space inside the chest. If desired, special boxes can be placed inside, which form compartments and make the space more functional.
Chest placement in the interior
The purpose of the chest may vary, depending on the place in which it is planned to be located:
- In the living room, he can easily replace a coffee table. Inside, you can store, for example, photo albums, board games, etc.
- In the bedroom, this is a good extra surface to sit on. And you can store bedding, bathrobes or home clothes in it.
- In a children's room, a chest can be an unusual place to store toys.
- On the veranda or terrace, the chest will easily serve as a table or bench. You can arrange in it warm, cozy rugs for relaxing in the fresh air.
These are just some of the options for using the chest in the interior. But in any case, such an item will look very stylish and will definitely become an accent in the design of the room.
Possible restoration methods
Restoration of the chest can be carried out in various ways. It depends on his condition and the final result that needs to be obtained. The main methods of restoration are:
- Decoupage. In this case, the product is decorated with a pattern or pattern cut in advance. Decor is usually attached to the subject, and the surface is varnished for reliability.
- Coating with various varnishes.
- Painting products using paints.
- The use of various fabrics and upholstery materials.
- Decoration of the product with the help of various accessories for chests: handles, locks, metal plates, forged elements, etc.
- Wood carving.
- Attaching the wheels, if possible, and does not spoil the appearance of the chest. This is convenient for moving an item, especially a large and heavy one.
For the restoration of wooden products, sometimes additional materials may be required to strengthen the frame. It depends on the state of the chest.
Preparation of necessary materials
Any product can be brought back to life at home. For this, it is necessary to think over the method of restoration, to prepare woodwork tools and all necessary materials in advance. For work you will need:
- grinding machine (if any);
- screwdriver or screwdriver;
- screws and fasteners;
- acrylic stain of the desired color or primer;
- acrylic lacquer;
- brushes for applying paints and varnishes;
- wood putty;
- abrasive skins;
- decorative elements to decorate the product;
- masking tape to protect the decor during painting and processing.
Additional wood tools may be needed to strengthen the product. For example, a hammer and nails.
Do-it-yourself chest restoration
When everything is ready, you can begin to work. Typically, the process begins with the preparation of accessories for chests. It must be cleaned of dust, dirt and rust. Next, the fittings are pasted over with masking tape to prevent the ingress of varnish or paint.
If desired, locks and handles can be removed with a screwdriver until the restoration process is completed. Or they can be completely replaced.
Next comes the grinding machine. Its surface of the tree is cleaned of old paint or varnish. This method will allow you to completely update the tree and reveal its unique structure.
If the product needs to be prepared for new painting, then you can simply remove the bumps and cracks in the old coating with an abrasive cloth.
Sometimes cracks appear in the tree. Regardless of their size, it is possible to level the surface using putty. Cracks are filled with it and left until completely dry. After that, such places are additionally polished.
When the surface is ready, a primer can be applied. If the surface is well polished, then you can apply a stain. She will give the product color, but retain the pattern of the tree. The more layers of stain, the more intense the color.
If paint is used, then it must be applied after the soil has dried. Then let the product dry.
The final stage is the application of varnish. It is desirable that there are 2-3 layers. This will provide additional protection for the tree.
At the end of the restoration of the chest, you can return to the place of accessories or prepared jewelry.
Restoration Recommendations
The restoration process was not so complicated. The main thing is to do the work carefully and adhere to some recommendations:
- It is recommended that you do not paint over antique products with beautiful ornaments, but only update and refresh the picture. This will give a special charm to the chest.
- All restoration work is best done in a non-residential premises (especially staining).
- It is advisable to use water-based paints and varnishes, since they dry faster and practically do not smell.
- Wooden products should not be placed in rooms with high humidity.
- It is desirable to apply the coating starting from the inside, back and hard to reach surfaces. And then paint the front side to avoid smudges and bumps. This is especially important at the final stages of work.