Since I wrote this past week about finding Free and Nearly Free Treasures, I thought I’d share two must-have DIY refinishing products.
Refinishing is fun, frugal, and rewarding, especially if you are referring to taking a piece of furniture with lots of surface ugly and revealing the gem below.
First, though, you’ve got to be open to seeing the beauty beneath.
It’s like looking at that poor, rag-clad young woman sweeping the hearth and not recognizing that it’s Cinderella.
We’ve discovered beautiful mahogany nightstands—for $25 each—under glossy black paint.
I’ve had my husband turn the truck around to pick up a FREE bureau that had been sitting by the side of the road out in the rain.
It had no feet—why would you cut those off?!— and had been painted white, but was grimy and sported multi-colored paint splotches.
It had a graceful curved front, however, that hinted at inner beauty, and upon a quick, closer examination, was still sturdy.
Apparently this jewel had been relegated to the garage as a parts cabinet, although its heritage was clearly suited to something better.
In our last home, we found a wood table the owner had left behind in the barn.
It had been painted multiple times, the latest with a flat gray paint.
Lots of surface ugly?
Yes.
The joints were in good shape, we liked the overall lines, and we guessed there was some lovely hardwood waiting to be revealed.
Since we had to do the project inside the garage, we wanted a paint stripper with low or no odor, biodegradable, and that cleans up with water.
I know you are probably thinking while I on this search, perhaps I should have asked for my own unicorn, too. 
Color me surprised when I found a product that met those criteria: SoyGel Paint Remover
It is my absolute favorite product now when refinishing furniture, as it does a great job removing the paint.
Our table came out beautifully, and you can read about our first experience with SoyGel here.
It isn’t cheap, but it is an amazing product that will make the project go quicker, easier, easy on you and your home, and the end result will be better.
Here is a quick video of how to use SoyGel to strip a bureau:
If you just need to clean a finished surface rather than removing the paint, here is my second favorite product for helping to turn pumpkins into coaches:
This is a no-rinse cleaner, too, which I liked.
It removes “grease, grime, mildew and food stains, crayon, smoke, old wallpaper paste and wax from painted or unpainted wood, metal or vinyl wallpaper.”
You must take the time to clean the surface you are painting, so you get a strong bond between your old surface and the new paint.
The directions say you can dilute it, but we needed the cleaning power of full strength.
We are using TSP on a scrubby sponge to currently clean our kitchen cabinets, which are oak with a stain and clear finish, prior to painting.
The molding and paneling that sits above the cabinets needed cleaning, too, especially in the area over the stove.
If the grime is a bit thick, just grab a small putty knife to scrape off the excess. 
Not that I had to do that. . .
If you are doing any painting or furniture stripping, I heartily recommend these two must-have DIY refinishing products.
They will make the project much more enjoyable, and I think you’ll like the end result better, too.
Of course, mind all the directions and take care to be safe.
Question: What is your favorite product to use when revealing the true beauty of a great find?
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My husband. He’s the best “product” around as he does it all and enjoys it!
nan recently posted…Intimacy
You are a very lucky woman. My husband does not like these kind of DIY works at all.