How do I refinish an antique cabinet?
The furniture in question is an American Victorian china and silver cabinet which has very thin, curved glass front and sides. I don't see how they would come off (craftsmanship in 1895 much more permanent than today, I guess) But I can't live with the heavy, dark wood in my remodeled home. Any suggestions?
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Hi Valarie, are you wanting to paint it then to lighten it up? Here are some Hometalk projects about painting antiques.
https://www.hometalk.com/search/all?filter=paint%20antique%20hutch
The glass is held in on the back with thin molding. Easy to break the molding or the glass. Great piece. If you do paint it tape off the glass with blue painters tape and newspaper. Lightly sand with 220 grit sandpaper to remove any gloss. Prime with Kilz primer then paint. If you want to stain it also tape the glass off, use Citristrip stripper, lightly sand and stain.
Here is how I refinished an antique hutch with glass front doors, maybe it will help: https://thehoneycombhome.com/upcycled-hutch-makeover/
I would first check if this cabinet is worth any amount of money being an antique before you tackle a refinishing project.
I would use painters tape to carefully cover the glass and then paint and then remove the tape.
I wouldn't try to remove the glass. It is probably too fragile and old to remove or replace. Good painter's tape, a utility razor scraper to remove any goofs, and you can work around them. Good luck!
I never remove the glass. I just tape it with frog tape, dampen to seal the edges, and then start my refinish. If you are going to paint and there is no damage to be repaired, scuff with fine steel wool then clean with denatured alcohol. You can either tape up the hardware or remove it. I usually tape the hinges and remove the pulls. Then prime and paint. If you are going to stain, you will need to sand away the dark stain before applying a lighter shade. Clean with either alcohol or TSP. Then wipe down, stain, and seal.
I love the idea of painting the piece! I did the same thing to a buffet I bought at a Consignment store and I love it! I used the Rustoleum furniture kit and it turned out beautiful. buildingbluebird.com/orcweek4
Paint will totally refresh the piece and make it brighter!