How to Lime Wash a Chair
Remove the seat portion of the chair., Strip the chair., Use a wire brush on the chair., Run sandpaper of a 220-grit over the brushed wood., Clean the chair of dust from the sanding., Don a pair of gloves, if you haven't done so already., Dip the...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Remove the seat portion of the chair.
You can do this yourself but it's a lot easier and faster to take it along to a professional furniture restorer who can dip it into the paint-stripping tank.
If you do it yourself, follow the instructions of the stripping packaging and allow to dry out completely before moving to the next steps. , Push this brush along the surface of the chair, following the direction of the grain.
This method is known as "raking out" and is done to remove loose soft wood.
It will also drag up any dust trapped inside the grooves of the wood.
Try to use a good quality brush for this, to avoid leaving deep cuts in the wood. , This will smooth it out nicely. , Either use a brush attachment on the end of a vacuum cleaner or use a damp cloth and run it over the chair.
Ensure that the chair is dry before you start lime washing. , This will protect your skin. , Rub the wax into the wood.
This time you can rub both with and against the grain of the wood. , This should take about half an hour, although it's a good idea to read the instructions accompanying the liming wax too. , Rub over the chair where you've added the liming wax.
This will lift off all surface liming wax.
What will be left behind will be the liming wax stuck in all the grooves of the wood, showing up the grain of the wood.
It's a really lovely effect, so enjoy your efforts! , You can even add some protective oil as a final layer, but that's optional. , If you need to recover it, do so before replacing. -
Step 2: Strip the chair.
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Step 3: Use a wire brush on the chair.
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Step 4: Run sandpaper of a 220-grit over the brushed wood.
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Step 5: Clean the chair of dust from the sanding.
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Step 6: Don a pair of gloves
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Step 7: if you haven't done so already.
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Step 8: Dip the wire wool into the liming wax.
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Step 9: Allow to sit on the wood to dry.
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Step 10: Dip a fresh piece of wire wool into the furniture polish.
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Step 11: Buff with a soft cloth to bring up a shine.
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Step 12: Restore the chair seat.
Detailed Guide
You can do this yourself but it's a lot easier and faster to take it along to a professional furniture restorer who can dip it into the paint-stripping tank.
If you do it yourself, follow the instructions of the stripping packaging and allow to dry out completely before moving to the next steps. , Push this brush along the surface of the chair, following the direction of the grain.
This method is known as "raking out" and is done to remove loose soft wood.
It will also drag up any dust trapped inside the grooves of the wood.
Try to use a good quality brush for this, to avoid leaving deep cuts in the wood. , This will smooth it out nicely. , Either use a brush attachment on the end of a vacuum cleaner or use a damp cloth and run it over the chair.
Ensure that the chair is dry before you start lime washing. , This will protect your skin. , Rub the wax into the wood.
This time you can rub both with and against the grain of the wood. , This should take about half an hour, although it's a good idea to read the instructions accompanying the liming wax too. , Rub over the chair where you've added the liming wax.
This will lift off all surface liming wax.
What will be left behind will be the liming wax stuck in all the grooves of the wood, showing up the grain of the wood.
It's a really lovely effect, so enjoy your efforts! , You can even add some protective oil as a final layer, but that's optional. , If you need to recover it, do so before replacing.
About the Author
David Fisher
Brings years of experience writing about practical skills and related subjects.
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