Easily Spruce Up Wood Cabinets And Furniture With One Affordable Product

Restoring old wooden furniture can be great fun and hugely rewarding. You can apply any number of paint effects to old pieces, but even if you don't want to use paint, here's a popular, no-paint tape trick for giving cabinets a makeover. For many restoration projects, however, the aim is to bring back the rich, natural warmth of the original wood, but doing so can be pretty time-consuming. Refurbishing wooden furniture usually means taking off all the old finish before you can apply a new layer.

Howard's Restor-A-Finish is an affordable product that promises to make the job a whole lot quicker and easier. It claims to spruce up wooden cabinets and furniture without any stripping or sanding, restoring the wood to its former glory as quickly as possible. It can renew worn patches and minor scratches and conceal both heat rings and water marks.

Restor-A-Finish comes in a neutral finish, plus a range of eight tones that match everything from light maple to dark ebony. At around $10 for a 16-ounce can (depending on the color you choose), it's competitively priced when compared to other oils, stains and waxes. That all sounds great, but does it live up to expectations?

First, make sure whatever surface you're re-staining is free of dust, dirt, and grime. Then, apply Restor-A-Finish with a small cloth pad or fine steel wool. It will blend in with the existing finish almost immediately, so all you have to do is wipe it on, then wipe it off. Here's a TikTok video from user @southernescape demonstrating just how fast and easy application can be.

In many cases, a single application will be all you need, but the Howard brand warns that this depends on your furniture's existing finish. For example, other products may be required to achieve a high shine. Also, because Restor-A-Finish penetrates the wood, it can't be used as a stopgap before a complete restoration. It's an either-or situation. The product also isn't weatherproof, so you'll need to find another DIY treatment for outdoor furniture.

Here are some necessary precautions to keep in mind when using Restor-A-Finish. It's highly flammable, so never use it near an open flame. Additionally, the liquid itself is toxic, and the vapor can irritate eyes and cause headaches or dizziness, so only use it in well-ventilated areas. It's also solvent-based, so if you're looking for a super eco-friendly product, this might not be for you. However, our search for water-based alternatives failed to provide any worthwhile competitors in terms of speed or ease of use.