Old furniture, whether a treasured heirloom or consignment shop find, is often better made than anything that can be bought today. So, why let damaged finishes detract from a beautiful piece when you can repair or refinish it in a way that preserves the piece and makes it look as good as new? Author Jeff Jewitt, a professional refinisher with over 30 years’ experience, shares his tricks, shortcuts, and tools of the trade in Refinishing Furniture Made Simple, an easy-to-follow book/DVD set that is sure to fly off the shelves.

Weekend refinishers as well as professional woodworkers will benefit from the insider tips on how to evaluate the condition of a piece to decide the best strategy for rejuvenating it, repair and revive finishes to enhance their beauty while preserving their patina, and match an old finish for a seamless look.

About the Author
Jeff Jewitt has been a professional refinisher for over 30 years. He runs a finishing and refinishing business in Cleveland, Ohio, and markets his own line of finishing products. He is a frequent contributor to Fine Woodworking magazine and the author of several books including Spray Finishing Made Simple, The Complete Illustrated Guide to Finishing, and Great Wood Finishes, and has also appeared in two award-winning videos on finishing.

Preview a sample of this book below

Chapter 1: Evaluating your project                                 
The five-point exam                                                                        
Evaluating finishes                                                                         
Valuable antiques                                                                            
The mineral-spirits-wipe test                                                    
Testing for lead paint                                                                     

Chapter 2: Tools and solvents                                          
Hand tools                                                                                         
Clamps                                                                                                
Rags and brushes                                                                           
Safety equipment                                                                           
Glues                                                                                                    
Solvents                                                                                            

Chapter 3: Structural repairs                                           
Diagnostics                                                                                        
Dismantling                                                                                      
Assembly                                                                                            
Breaks, cracks, and splits                                                            
Regluing a top                                                                                 
Repairing broken wood                                                              
Repairing a split or crack                                                           
Replacing a glue block                                                                 
Dismantling a chair                                                                      
Assembling a chair                                                                        

Chapter 4: Cleaning and reviving                                  
Finishes that can be cleaned and revived                         
Clean first, then decide                                                               
Reviving a finish                                                                            
Testing a finish with solvents                                                  
Two-step cleaning                                                                         
Waxing                                                                                                
Reviving with solvent                                                                  
Reviving a crazed finish                                                             

Chapter 5: Removing the finish                                      
Types of strippers                                                                          
Working with strippers                                                              
Stripping problems                                                                       
Preparing to strip                                                                          
Using methylene chloride and NMP strippers                
Using a liquid refinisher                                                            
Stripping paint                                                                               
Stripping carved and detailed pieces                                 

Chapter 6: Surface preparation                                     
Sanding                                                                                              
Surface repairs                                                                               
Bleaching                                                                                           
Final steps                                                                                         
Sanding by hand                                                                            
Sanding to remove flaws                                                            
Steaming out a dent                                                                      
Using wood putty                                                                           
Using oxalic acid wood bleach                                                 

Chapter 7: Staining and grain filling                           
Grain fillers                                                                                       
Stains                                                                                                   
Restaining and glazes                                                                 
Matching color                                                                                 
Using a water-based grain filler                                             
Using an oil-based grain filler                                                 
Applying a wiping stain                                                             
Applying a dye stain                                                                    
Using a stain controller                                                               
Glazing basics                                                                                  
Matching color using sample boards                                    
Layering color to match                                                               

Chapter 8: Applying a finish                                              
Choosing a finish                                                                           
Applying finishes                                                                          
Sanding between coats                                                               
Rubbing out a finish                                                                     
Wiping on a finish                                                                      
Brushing on a finish                                                                  
Removing fisheye                                                                       
Rubbing a finish to gloss                                                          
Rubbing a finish to satin                                                          

Chapter 9: Minor repairs                                                   
Hardware                                                                                       
Fixing minor surface damage                                               
General care of finishes                                                         
Cleaning and polishing brass hardware                        
Antiquing metal hardware                                                    
Darkening brass with ammonia                                          
Waxing furniture                                                                        
Cleaning furniture                                                                     

Resources                                                                                       
Index