Master Grazia’s life skills

Reviving a tired piece of furniture is an affordable and fun way to upcycle and add personality to old pieces or charity shop finds. Here, a Wickes expert explains how to renovate a bedside cabinet.

Before you start a project like this, get your kit together: medium and light sandpaper, a soft angled sanding block (it looks a bit like a sponge), possibly wood glue and/or wood filler and clamps, furniture paint in the colour of your choice, varnish, paintbrushes and a roller.

Next, remove any loose fixtures, such as drawers and shelves. Check the condition of fittings, for example handles and hinges, and get rid of any you don’t want or plan to replace. Check for any wayward pins or screws and remove these too. Sand your furniture with medium sandpaper and follow with a soft angled sanding block to get into tricky-to-reach areas – this will ensure a smooth finish.

Now see what needs to be repaired. For cracks or deep splits, using a paintbrush, apply wood glue into the crack and then clamp either side of the cabinet until the crack disappears. Leave to dry. For deep scratches, apply wood filler along the scratch using a wet rag or your finger to work it into the crevices. Wipe away any excess with a damp cloth. When dry, lightly sand with your light sandpaper.

Dust your cabinet thoroughly, stir your paint well, then apply a liberal first coat, working the paint into any nooks. Sand back any clumps or drips with sandpaper. Leave to dry.

Be more precise with the second coat, again working the paint into grooves but also smoothing over any brush strokes on larger surfaces with a roller. When dry, seal with varnish in thin, even coats, working it into the grooves. Leave it to dry between coats.

Repeat this process with the drawers and shelves.

When dry, simply put the fittings back on and re-assemble.