How to renew an old tavel trunk
Have you found an old travel trunk in the attic or have you inherited one? A piece not to be missed, a piece of furniture and a very useful container to order sheets, curtains, towels and everything you need to store them. To be able to restore it, it is not necessary to be skilled carpenters or artists but to use simple and particular techniques.
So here is how an anonymous travel trunk becomes more cheerful and lively if it is properly repainted and decorated. Or it wears antique with special treatment. Alternatively, it can also be made modern by covering it with decorative paper or stamps. In the same way, it is possible to transform it into a delicate container full of floral motifs. In the following guide, I will explain how to renovate an old travel trunk.
Materials needed
Fine sandpaper
Soft cloth
Medium sandpaper
1 75 mm brush
1 25 mm brush
1 liter of base color satin enamel
1 liter of transparent oil paint
White spirits
Blotting paper
Decoration paper
Stencil
Palette
Soft pencil
Adhesive tape of paper
Scissors
Shellac
Brush
Wash the travel trunk
The first objective to concentrate on is to wash the trunk that will surely be worn out or yellowed or filled with dust over time. Remove all accessory parts from the trunk, such as keys, studs, iron corner protectors, hinges and decorative elements in general. Get a sponge and a bottle of ammonia, soak it and pass all the surfaces, keeping the sponge only damp, not wet.
Be careful to clean both the external and external parts well. If there is some sticky paper, you can remove it with a cutter; in the presence of stickers or glued drawings and writings, use a product to remove the upholstery that you will find in a hardware store.
Remove the paint
If your wooden trunk is painted, it is necessary to remove the paint with a paint stripper, it is found in all stores specializing in this sector. If you are inexperienced it is better to do a test in advance on a small section of the trunk. The paint stripper has the effect of making bubbles, is left to act and then is passed with a spatula.
But first, you need to wear gloves and remember to keep a certain distance because the paint stripper exhales toxic and harmful substances for health. Whatever technique you choose to use, remember to wash the work tools and dry them carefully.
Sand the travel trunk
Once the trunk has been cleaned, sand it down. Put on the gloves and level the walls and corners with sandpaper until the wood is smooth. In reality, there are alternatives to sandpaper, but this is the simplest solution for those who are beginners and want to try to restore something.
Put on the gloves and calmly scratch the trunk until the external walls are uniform and smooth. In this case, patience and calm are weapons to show off and keep. A good result is often obtained after working for hours.
Fill the imperfections
Thus, imperfections and holes can emerge from the trunk. Evaluated according to this line, if they are minimal, leave them because you risk highlighting them. If, on the other hand, they are rather evident, the advice is to use the stucco that you will then paint.
If your trunk is made of wood, you can bring out the natural grain of the wood bypassing the surfaces with a cloth and cooked linseed oil. Give a hand, then let it dry for a few days, then repeat the operation if necessary. Cooked linseed oil can also be used in the future to restore brightness.
The metal parts that have been removed will also have to be sanded. At this point you have to paint the trunk. Begin to pass the anti-rust on the handles and hooks. Leave to dry for at least 12 hours. After the time, take back the accessories and give a coat of gold or silver-colored iron paint, let it rest for another 12 hours.
To give an antiqued appearance, tar can be passed which must be dabbed gently with cotton balls. Then prepare the surface well and start painting the trunk. If you have chosen a satin glaze, the base must be oil treated. If instead, you have decided to use acrylic paint, this must be water-based.
On the acrylic base, you can then use transparent oil paint. Then pour a small amount of color into a container and add a little thinner. Take a can and pour all the previous mixture with the paint. Mix well and add the thinner, until you reach a rather creamy consistency. Spread the transparent varnish over the entire surface of the trunk, following the veins. After the work, leave to dry for twenty-four hours.
Decorate the travel trunk
Finally, you need to decorate the travel trunk. For the interiors, it is possible to cover the trunk with fabric and foam or upholstery or colored paper. Instead of the exterior, for a creative travel trunk, it is fine to do the classic decoupage or apply stencils. While if you are good at drawing, trace the decoration you have chosen directly on the wooden panel. Otherwise, it is recommended to bring a soft pencil on the wood, first drawing a squared pattern.
At this point, go over the decoration with a dark pencil concerning the background, so that a delicate three-dimensional effect stands out. Once the enameling of the decorations has been completed and allowed to dry, it is advisable to complete the work by spreading a layer of glossy transparent paint on the panel. The latter, in addition to making the surface shiny, has a protective function.
Materials needed
Fine sandpaper
Soft cloth
Medium sandpaper
1 75 mm brush
1 25 mm brush
1 liter of base color satin enamel
1 liter of transparent oil paint
White spirits
Blotting paper
Decoration paper
Stencil
Palette
Soft pencil
Adhesive tape of paper
Scissors
Shellac
Brush
Wash the travel trunk
The first objective to concentrate on is to wash the trunk that will surely be worn out or yellowed or filled with dust over time. Remove all accessory parts from the trunk, such as keys, studs, iron corner protectors, hinges and decorative elements in general. Get a sponge and a bottle of ammonia, soak it and pass all the surfaces, keeping the sponge only damp, not wet.
Be careful to clean both the external and external parts well. If there is some sticky paper, you can remove it with a cutter; in the presence of stickers or glued drawings and writings, use a product to remove the upholstery that you will find in a hardware store.
Remove the paint
If your wooden trunk is painted, it is necessary to remove the paint with a paint stripper, it is found in all stores specializing in this sector. If you are inexperienced it is better to do a test in advance on a small section of the trunk. The paint stripper has the effect of making bubbles, is left to act and then is passed with a spatula.
But first, you need to wear gloves and remember to keep a certain distance because the paint stripper exhales toxic and harmful substances for health. Whatever technique you choose to use, remember to wash the work tools and dry them carefully.
Sand the travel trunk
Once the trunk has been cleaned, sand it down. Put on the gloves and level the walls and corners with sandpaper until the wood is smooth. In reality, there are alternatives to sandpaper, but this is the simplest solution for those who are beginners and want to try to restore something.
Put on the gloves and calmly scratch the trunk until the external walls are uniform and smooth. In this case, patience and calm are weapons to show off and keep. A good result is often obtained after working for hours.
Fill the imperfections
Thus, imperfections and holes can emerge from the trunk. Evaluated according to this line, if they are minimal, leave them because you risk highlighting them. If, on the other hand, they are rather evident, the advice is to use the stucco that you will then paint.
If your trunk is made of wood, you can bring out the natural grain of the wood bypassing the surfaces with a cloth and cooked linseed oil. Give a hand, then let it dry for a few days, then repeat the operation if necessary. Cooked linseed oil can also be used in the future to restore brightness.
The metal parts that have been removed will also have to be sanded. At this point you have to paint the trunk. Begin to pass the anti-rust on the handles and hooks. Leave to dry for at least 12 hours. After the time, take back the accessories and give a coat of gold or silver-colored iron paint, let it rest for another 12 hours.
To give an antiqued appearance, tar can be passed which must be dabbed gently with cotton balls. Then prepare the surface well and start painting the trunk. If you have chosen a satin glaze, the base must be oil treated. If instead, you have decided to use acrylic paint, this must be water-based.
On the acrylic base, you can then use transparent oil paint. Then pour a small amount of color into a container and add a little thinner. Take a can and pour all the previous mixture with the paint. Mix well and add the thinner, until you reach a rather creamy consistency. Spread the transparent varnish over the entire surface of the trunk, following the veins. After the work, leave to dry for twenty-four hours.
Decorate the travel trunk
Finally, you need to decorate the travel trunk. For the interiors, it is possible to cover the trunk with fabric and foam or upholstery or colored paper. Instead of the exterior, for a creative travel trunk, it is fine to do the classic decoupage or apply stencils. While if you are good at drawing, trace the decoration you have chosen directly on the wooden panel. Otherwise, it is recommended to bring a soft pencil on the wood, first drawing a squared pattern.
At this point, go over the decoration with a dark pencil concerning the background, so that a delicate three-dimensional effect stands out. Once the enameling of the decorations has been completed and allowed to dry, it is advisable to complete the work by spreading a layer of glossy transparent paint on the panel. The latter, in addition to making the surface shiny, has a protective function.
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