For many people especially those who are financially constrained, it will be more practical to salvage and reuse old furniture than purchase new ones. You can use the money saved to buy other important things for the family or simply save the money for emergency situations in the future. Used counter height stools are among the home furniture which can be refinished and reused.
Refinishing used wooden counter stools will not only give you an opportunity to save money but is also a fun activity where you can show your creativity. Many people let go of their used counter stools for many reasons and one of which is because the paint of the stools are chipped or flaking. There are people who do not like looking at stools that have stains or whose coating has faded. If you are one of these people, you can address the matter without throwing your furniture.
You can refinish the counter stools in an eco-friendly manner by using non-toxic materials. The use of conventional paint strippers can be harmful to your health as well as to the environment because these products emit VOCs.
Flaking of the old paint may make you decide to repaint used bar stools or you can choose to repaint them simply because you want to change their color. Before you do any repainting, remove first the old paint and this can be done using scraper and sandpaper. But there are limitations in the use of these materials because it will not be advisable to use them on stools that have been originally coated with paint that contain lead. Sanding a stool whose paint has lead content will present the risk that you will inhale this harmful element. It is therefore important to check whether the original coating has lead in it.
An excellent alternative to sanding is preparing paint stripper which can be done by mixing washing soda and water. You will come up with a paste-like solution which you could spread in the old paint. Wait for the old paint to loosen and this usually takes overnight. When the paint has loosened, you can start removing the old paint using a scraper.
Clean the counter stools thoroughly before you paint the stools with the color of your choice. You can use cloth which was dipped in a solution of vinegar and water to clean all areas of the stool, except of course for the cushion if the stool has one.
To be eco-friendly, you can use paints which are water-based and are made using natural components instead of using commercial paints that have harmful petro-chemicals. If you do not have excess paint in your home, make sure that you buy just enough so that you will avoid any waste. Before applying the main paint, you must first apply primer and first coating. Follow carefully the instructions given on the paint tin.
You do not have to buy new counter stools for your home. By refinishing used counter stools, you will get excellent-looking stools at a very low cost. It is always better to be practical.
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