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By: Reggie Carvel
Dried, cracked and damaged wood, dull and soiled furniture surface, dark splotches and rings; they mar the beauty of your office furniture and spoil the prime and proper look of your office or den. There are only a few things that make your office or den look more beautiful than wooden furniture and desks.
In order to preserve the look of wooden desks, refinishing can help restore the shine to the wood. It also serves to protect the wood as much as to enhance the appearance of the wood. In desks made from cherry, walnut, and mahogany, refinishing can show off the grain contrasts that exist in these woods.
The first step in the process of refinishing the desk is to strip the old finish. Make sure you use a remover that is safe for use on wood furniture. You can find these products at home improvement stores and specialty shops that sell fine furniture. Look for a friendly solvent to clean up the residue left by the remover. Remember not to use a water-based solvent for cleaning and never clean desks or other fine wood furniture with water.
Once the cleaning process is over remove the left over finish or any paint by sanding the entire desk. You can also use an electric sander to make the sanding process easier and faster. Sanding is all the more important if you are using a rough surfaced desk.
Next, it is time to decide on a color and sheen for your desk. You can refinish the desk close to its original color, or you can make a color change, depending on the stain that you use. Before you do the entire desk, make sure you test the color of the stain on an out-of-the way portion of the desk, or on a similar piece of wood. You want to make sure that when the stain dries, it is the color that you prefer.
If you want a glossy look of the desk you can choose from a variety of glossy levels. Most home improvement and furniture specialty shops sell spray on finishes. Many people prefer the matte finish that is not shiny, but has a more natural look. However, if you want shiny high-gloss sheen you will find a whole range of sprays of different glossy levels.
It is up to you whether or not you want to add a coat of paint. Most wood desks, however, look very beautiful without paint. Indeed, paint often ruins the look of the desk. But if you wish, then you can paint the desk, of course.
Before applying paint, make sure you have a good finish on the wood. This will not only protect the wood but make it easier to revert back to natural wood, in case you change your mind after some time. Finally, apply a clear-coat on your desk's paint after the final coat of paint dries.
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