doing up furniture

My only advice would be that if you intend to paint, make sure you remove any polish that may have been applied over the years. Paint will not adhere to waxes. Dipping is quite cheap and ensures a clean base.

In 1985 (I have just looked inside the book to see!) I bought "How to Restore and Repair Practically Everything" by Lorraine Johnson

it ahs detai455led instructions for doing all kinds of things and I have used it a lot. I have just looked it up on amazon, and the 10 May 2004 edition is on there for a peeny, plus postage! There are other editions too, at various prices, none of them all that dear.

It doesn't mention staple guns, but we recovered and revarnished two fireside chairs using one. We took off the old cover, but kept the padding underneath. Then we (well, DH mostly) sanded the old varnish off, and I put new polyurethane varnish on it.

We cut a piece of fabric larger than the padded back, and long enough to go under and a few inches up the back. We laid it on evenly and and pulled the top over to the back and stapled the top edge an inch or so down, then each side was wrapped round to the back and stapled an inch or so in - that really needed two people, one to pull and staple, the other to hold the fabric with the pattern even, as it pulls out of shape easily, but it could be possible on your own.

When we got down to the arms, we didn't cut the fabric, but folded in that bit and then took the fabric under the arm and continued stapling, and at the bottom of the back it was taken under and up the back, side edges folded in to fit, and stapled.

The cover for the back was laid face down onto the front of the back (IYSWIM) so that a couple of inches hung over to the back, and that stapled near the top edge of the chair. Then we folded the sides in, to match the width of the back and turned the fabric over to hang down the back. Then it was just a matter of stapling it down near both edges and folding in the extra at the bottom before stapling it.

It was straighforward enough to sew a cover for the cushion.

hope this helps - Ask if it isn't clear.

Sorry about the 455 and the peeny.

I do up (if that's the word) furniture. As far as doing up your dining chairs in not sure of the wisdom of dipping; I think this process may destroy the glue holding the items together.

I'm lazy so I just use chalk paint which pretty much covers everything.

For the pad, I'd take off the existing material and simply recover using your chosen material, making sure your pad will still fit.

Wilco and other suchlike shops..do paints where you do not have to strip..just make sure clean and dry. Your library may have some good books as well..especially if they have a craft club

We do up a lot of furniture. Wipe the furniture thoroughly with white spirit to get any polish or other dressings of the wood. Rub down with some fine wirewool until the surface is smooth, wipe again with white spirit to get off the dust and paint with the paint of your choice, although a matt finish generally looks better than gloss. Three coats then, ideally a good coat of wax polish or, better still finishing wax.

Look on You Tube for clips of people doing furnitutre up and explaining what they are doing.

Many thanks for advice, I probably couldnt afford to have it dipped anyway, I have started to sand one chair down, washing it well with washing up liquid afterwards, there is still a lot of varnish on though, have to persevere. I will look for the recommended book, 'Elegran' and have another go. I haven't started the other one yet. I will try to get a photo .

making progress with the chair, I don't care much for chalk paint it cost me £25 for a tin and a tin of wax to add after the paint. the chair doesn't look as good as if Id used ordinary gloss.

Ive just forked out £25 as well on Autentico paint to do up a chair and am now wishing I'd just bought an eggshell tyoe gloss. I'll also have loads of paint left over as you can't buy smaller tins. The chair only cost 50p in auction many years ago, seems disproportionate amount to spend on paint really.

Several thin layers are best with chalk paint. I find very light colours are ok with wax but dark colours are better with varnish. And I always use Annie Sloan brushes for painting.

I sold a small writing desk today I had painted it in Annie Sloan Country Grey and then waxed it.

A friend of DH called this morning to buy a Belfast sink we were selling because it was too large for our new kitchen and spotted the desk which I was about to protect with a sheet because I needed to store it in the garage.

£40 for the sink and £60 for the desk.....Result!!

I painted a console table in 'Graphite' the other week; turned out to be dark grey, and I was quite disappointed with, but when I varnished it, it became black and looked lovely. It was horrible to use though; much stickier than usual, even when watered down, and the brushes were a nightmare to clean.

my vile chair with the horrid chalk paint, I just want to buy a hard gloss in scarlet and change it.

My next job is to redo the seat cover, I thought red and white check or spots.

The chalk paint will be a good base to paint over. Eggshell finish lasts for years on furniture and is easy to clean.

I bought some red gloss and it never covered the chalk paint, it kept blistering and making blobs so when it fried there are bits missing. I will have to do another coat. I have got a lovely red vinyl cover for the seat. I WILL get it done eventually.

I've just signed up for a days workshop run by local shop on doing up old furniture. Hoping it will give me ideas, maybe see if anywhere near you run them.

I would love to do something like this. will look around.

Could be that the wax was what caused the blistering. A rub with fine sandpaper before the next coat might help.

Have you double checked that there is no woodworm?

Glad about the tip about chalk paint as I have a wicker chair which needs a make over for my dining table. Just have to decide on the colour now. I don't normally like white so will probably go for pink or green. Enjoy your doing up skills.

What should I use on a loydloom basket,probably a linen basket. ANYONE GOT any ideas.

I used spray paint on my Lloydloom chair, worked a treat

ruby paint will clag on Lloyd Loom. Spray paint works best. Those from car shops are good and come in a load of colours.