Whether you’ve just moved into a new place, or want to freshen up your current home, buying new furniture can be expensive. However, if you find pieces with small imperfections (but big potential), it’s easy to upcycle them and make them look brand new. There’s really no limits to upcycling, just many benefits; sustainable, cost-effective, and no previous experience required, here’s three easy ways to upcycle the furniture in your home.
Tips for buying used furniture
Before you can start upcycling your furniture, you need to find furniture to begin with. Going to car boot sales and markets with a good idea of what type of furniture you need will help you whittle down your options and to focus. A good tip is to picture where the piece would go in your home.
And don’t forget to scour online markets as well. There’s an abundance of furniture being sold for just pennies if you only know where to look. Facebook marketplace is a great site to locate second-hand pieces, and if you’re savvy you’ll also find people in local community groups giving stuff away for free!
Upcycling with paint
Giving your furniture a new lease of life with a fresh lick of paint is one of the easiest ways to upcycle. For a more individual look, fading your new coat of paint with sandpaper is a popular method, while consider using waxes and varnishes for a glossy finish on a good quality piece of wooden furniture. As well as using more traditional paints, spray painting your metal furniture can be a great way to transform your pieces – just remember to wear a mask and remove any rust and chipped paint before sanding!
Upcycling with upholstery
Managed to get your hands on an old sofa or armchair? Simply changing the upholstery will have you thinking you’d bought it brand new. For newbie upcyclers, footstools, ottomans and dining chairs are a good place to start.
The best part about upcycling your furniture with upholstery is choosing the fabric. A heavier fabric can take a lot more wear and tear which is perfect if the piece of furniture you’re doing up will be sat on regularly. Non-stretchy fabrics are also preferable, since you’ll be able to pull them taut around the piece and achieve a smooth finish.
Upcycling metal furniture
Doing a bit of DIY on metal furniture can seem daunting at first. But with the right tools, even the most inexperienced of upcyclers can achieve incredible results. Still unsure? Remember, if you’re not happy with the finished piece, you can just brush everything down and do another take.
Before you start upcycling your metal furniture, make sure to check any bolts, hinges, feet and any removable fixtures. It’s much easier to replace or fix these before you begin. If you spot any rust, specialist tools like these dewalt angle grinders can remove it quickly and easily, leaving you with a clean slate to begin adding your own flair.
Upcycling is one of the most cost-effective ways to source new furniture. And the best part? All your pieces will be totally unique, you’ll have people asking exactly which shop you bought them from!
