How to revamp secondhand baby chairs?

[tanteNdut]

Hi folks, 

We purchased a secondhand baby chair. It's made from wood and have acquired some scratches and dents. 

I'm planning to sand it down and reapply varnish since it will be used as a dining chair (I think I need it varnished for easier cleaning?). 

My question is.. What are the minimum supplies I can get away with? After reading some blogs and tutorial, most of them listed the use of sanding machine and special vacuum attachments. This doesn't work with our budget as we don't have any other projects reusing the materials. 

Currently all I have in my list are: 

- 180 grit & finer sanding paper

- quick dry varnish https://www.bunnings.com.au/timber-protect-300g-satin-quick-dry-clear-varnish_p0099435

Would these be enough? 

Also would love suggestions of other types of finishing that is safe to use near food. Bonus points if it dries fast! 

Thanks! 

[EricL]

Hello @tanteNdut

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. It's fabulous to have you join us, and thank you for sharing your question about revamping second-hand baby chairs.

Those supplies you mentioned should be sufficient to revamp the baby chairs. The 180 grit sandpaper should easily remove whatever coating is currently on the chair and the Timber Protect 300g Satin Quick Dry Clear Varnish will seal the chair nicely.  Would it be possible for you to post a picture of the chairs? This will give our members a chance to assess its condition. We can then offer recommendations on how to repaint it.

The only reason I would recommend an electric sander is to cut down on the sanding time of the furniture. However, if this is not an issue manually sanding the chair will do just fine. Please make sure to wipe off all the dust on the chair with a UNi-PRO 18 x 36" Painters Tack Cloth. 

Please keep us updated with your progress, we look forward to seeing the revamped baby chairs.

Eric

[tanteNdut]

Thanks for the suggestion. We're planning to get the supplies this weekend so I'm very excited! 

Here are some examples of the type of wear and tear I'm hoping to fix

 

. 

 

 

[EricL]

Hello @tanteNdut

Thank you very much for posting those pictures of the baby chairs. The chair looks to be in fair condition and I don't see any major damage on the surface. I suggest carrying out your proposed plan of sanding and spraying. Just a friendly reminder to keep the chairs in a wind-free zone while the clear coat dries.

Please keep us updated with your progress, we look forward to seeing your baby chairs revamped.

Eric

[tanteNdut]

Hi Eric, 

How do I know when to stop sanding? 

I can still see faint marks on some areas. But I feel like I've been sanding forever. 

 

Thanks, 

Karina

[MitchellMc]

That depends on the level of finish you wish to achieve, Karina (@tanteNdut). If you want the finish to be perfect, you need to sand until you can no longer see the damage. Be careful, as you'll sand through the ply layer at some point. If the dent is too deep, you might be unable to remove it entirely. In that case, you can fill the damage with timber putty.

Looking at your image, it seems like you've achieved quite a good result, and I can't see any visible damage. If you are happy with how it looks, then you should be right to varnish.

Mitchell

[tanteNdut]

It's finished! Thanks for all the help. 

I had to re-do varnishing a couple of times and the result isn't as smooth as I thought it would be. But it looks pretty good and I'm happy! 

 

[Jason]

Congrats @tanteNdut. 

Feel free to post anytime you need a hand.

Jason

[EricL]

Hello @tanteNdut

Thank you very much for posting those photo updates. You're being too hard on yourself the finish on the chair looks superb. It looks like it just came right off the showroom floor.

We look forward to seeing your next project.

Eric