Its basically a solvent that slightly dissolves the finish, and adds more colorant and oils back in. Its good for minore stuff, kinda like the Old English Polish. since its oil based (first ingredient is basically a type of mineral oil), it will take awhile to cure, so it does need to be sealed after with a good wax, or it can bleed/transfer onto clothes and material.
I used it on some really old oak kitchen cabinets. There weren't a lot of scratches but the original finish was severely worn off in several areas. This stuff was amazing! I just wiped it on with a cloth, let it soak in then wiped off any residue with a clean cloth. In tiny letters, it says to wait 30 days before applying any kind of finish like polyurethane, so that's what I did. At that point the poly went on fine. Like you say, it's not perfect but it's amazingly better than it was.
@bmac6645 Comments 53 Add a comment... @Goody2shzToo 1 day ago I used it on some really old oak kitchen cabinets. There weren't a lot of scratches but the original finish was severely worn off in several areas. This stuff was amazing! I just wiped it on with a cloth, let it soak in then wiped off any residue with a clean cloth. In tiny letters, it says to wait 30 days before applying any kind of finish like polyurethane, so that's what I did. At that point the poly went on fine. Like you say, it's not perfect but it's amazingly better than it was. 9 1 Black Sheep House @bmac6645 I don't have it in front of me but I think it was something like Golden Oak.
@Goody2shzToo Thanks! Yeah that is one of their colors. I saw on Amazon a photo in a review that even used one of the darker colors on old oak cabinets and it looked good but maybe too dark for me.
Great idea! My 1979 kitchen cabinets still look nice except around the black round knob pulls. Over the years my fingernails have scratched a groove into the wood. I was going to lightly sand and re-stain. I did the whole front of the cabinet doors below the sink several years ago and they still look perfect. This refinisher would be less time-consuming so I’m going to try it on one drawer for a test.
Thank you for this. I have an heirloom, mcm bedroom set passed down from my great aunt, to my mom, and now to me that is in really great condition for its age, but still is needing some love to restore it to its original glory. I’m glad I don’t have to risk ruining it by doing a whole refinish on it.
I love Howard's products - and I use Restor-A-Finish now and then for sure, but isn't for every project, and really is just a great temp fix for things that can last a little longer without restoration. My rule for refinishing antiques: Don't sand them and don't re-stain them (exception: damaged areas that are down to the wood)... only refinish THE FINISH. Learn how to identify which finish is on them (lacquer, shellac, etc) - lots of online info on that. Gently remove the top most part of the old flaking or missing finish, and re-amalgamate the old finish with new. Use LIGHT layers (I prefer Mohawk's spray options), gently "light" sanding between DRY coats, where each layer fills in the scratches until you have a level surface. Use 600-1000 grit for final sanding, and then use a thinned, wipe-on method for final layer (ie: French polish fad/rubber), and it will look like glass. Finish with wax- and you're done. But restoring an antique in a way that preserves its history and its story by NOT sanding to the wood, removing everything that's old, has incredible results. It's can be a tediously slow process, but worth it. Restor-A-Finish is a great option to keep the piece looking great until it's time to fix the old finish. :)
I have used this and Minwax gel stain in the squeeze bottle, (which is similar), dozens of times. You can touch up interior baseboards, doors, cabinets, and furniture, all of which I have done. I even took it to my church to touch up the cabinets there! Be sure not to go too dark so the scratches aren’t deepened in color, which, btw, has never been a problem for me. The stain colors are really forgiving. Just try it on a small less obvious area so you know you like the result. It’s totally addictive and you will find yourself wandering around looking for scratches all over your house. No kidding! It does not work on polyurethane finishes, as far as I know. I believe it is best when used on lacquer, which is the most common finish in homes and manufactured furniture. 10/10 highly recommend. I love making old things look nice without much expense or work!!
I've just watched your video. I'm 78+. My wrists cannot sand so your pieces are beautiful. I was fascinated. Congrats young lady. Keep at it. DiAnn from Ontario Canada! 🇨🇦 🤗👋
The non colored finish remover in that same line of products works great, but it totally ate through normal gloves and I had to get heavy duty thick chemical resistant gloves, it ate through thin gloves pretty much instantly....but it worked great!
I'm so glad I accidentally found your site. I picked up this very unique desk that has scratches on the top. Now I can fix it with stripping the whole piece!! Thank you!
I had a wonderful old man show this to me 40 years ago. I was young, pregnant and looking for a crib. He sold me a nice wood one that needed this little trickb so he showed me. What a great guy!
I absolutely love restor a finish! I have about five colors and I plan on collecting basically all of them to have on hand as I refurbish and refinish. Also this is a great way to touch up the inside of drawers if they are not in the best shape also!
Be careful actually USING the drawers for at least 30 days. Adding a seal coat would be good too, as this wonderful product can sometimes "bleed" a bit. But it genuinely is an amazing product, I've used it on 6 or 7 pieces.
I used it on a golden oak coat rack I plucked from the trash. The finish was quite worn but looked new after using Howards. Still looks great after 20 years in my house.
You know, depending upon how far gone a piece is, I err on the side of minimal refinishing of classic antiques. I go in shops and people have completely eradicated the original beauty of historical wood furniture, making it look "hideously" new. The "beauty marks," dressed up with R-A-F, just highlights the character and gives a sense of history while breathing some beauty back into it. I'm a sucker for mahogany or golden oak antiques - I absolutely LOATHE to see people paint such gems. Of course, sometimes a piece is so far gone that it's mostly an eyesore without a substantial facelift - which done correctly, often takes a ton of work. What is also really nice is to bring back the hardware using barkeepers powder (as long as you don't make it TOO new and shiny). Or, you can use gold gilding wax and old, tarnished hardware (look for Pebeo Gilding Wax "Renaissance Gold", for that old-world, deep antique gold look).
I am a fan of your UTube channel! I’m glad to hear you say that you use this product for a temporary face lift. 👍🏼 I’ve used it and have several colors too. I fear some might use it to SELL pieces and in my opinion that would not be good for the buyer or for the refinishers reputation.
A coat or two of miniwax wipe-on polyurethane afterwards helps. It wipes on with a cloth, dries in minutes without picking up any dust, seals the scratches to a large degree, and protects the finish with a very thin durable coat of polyurethane . It is available in gloss or satin finish,
I used Restore Finish walnut on my grandmother's 100 year old secretary desk. I was very nervous but it gave it a new life. I did not cover up the doodles on the inside that my mother had etched. 😅❤
Thank you. I have this same set, buffet, side table, table, chairs, and the entire bedroom suite... good to know how to fix some of the problems. Id say it was 8/10 condition to begin with so... heres hoping the rest works out.😊
I used this for the first time last weekend. Works great! Topped with the wax recommended. Instructions sais to wax monthly after refinishing. Also, I thought it said to use steel wool with the grain. Is it okay to use steel wool in circular motion?
WOW. I OWN THIS FIRST DRESSER. A REPRODUCTION MADE IN THE 1940S. AND ITS SCRATCHED LIKE THIS ALSO. YOU JUST SOLVED MY DILEMMA. THANKS. ITS A Duncan Phyfe reproduction
I used Restore-a-finish on a beautiful walnut veneer top. It did not work to my liking (scratches were still visible) so i had to strip the top. I uncovered a ruined veneer top with dark stains (that were not there before the restore-a-finish). No amount of stripping, sanding, bleaching could get them out. It is a possible reaction to this product. If I were to reuse this product again, it would only be on furniture legs :( I am too scared to use it again on veneer.
Oh bummer! I’m thinking since I’ll have to sand as deep as the scratches are into the wood I’ll sand past any staining. I get staining when I use stripper too that I have to sand off.
I love your technique!! So beautiful! I have a question. I’m refinishing my grandmothers bureau and one of the drawers pulls is missing. They are exactly the same as what is featured in your video. Can you tell me a place I can order a draw pull like yours? I would so very much appreciate it!!!
I have this exact dresser and love it also, but it is very scratched and I don't love the red tone of it. Do you think the brown color would reduce the red tones very much? Was planning to paint it, but love how this might be a better option!
I am about to use some Howard’s Restore-a-Finish on a coffee table but can’t decide whether to use neutral or a color. Thank you so much for the color sampling! Does anyone have any thoughts on neutral?
How long will this last? I’ve heard that this product is a short term fix. I’ve got a project that I’d like to try this on but don’t want to waste time and money if in a few months it looks crummy again. I’d appreciate your insight!
In my experience if it works on your finish then it holds up for at least 1 year and that was with me not using the wax they recommend. It’s like $15 so not a huge waste, and you could sell what’s left of your bottle on Facebook marketplace too.
@@MelJWeikI have just used a dry or slightly damp dust rag to dust. I don’t use any of those “Pledge” type products because they build up over time and can get gummy even on my non Restore a Finish furniture. I have never had the finish “wear” off.
That is not true for me, I have since filming this video sanded this actual piece and 2 others after using restore a finish and I had zero issues when sanding to raw wood and restaining 🌟 tell your daughter to give it a try and she’ll see
Beautifully done! So glad I finally stumbled upon a furniture restoration channel that doesn't use paint to conceal the natural beauty of wood.
Its basically a solvent that slightly dissolves the finish, and adds more colorant and oils back in. Its good for minore stuff, kinda like the Old English Polish. since its oil based (first ingredient is basically a type of mineral oil), it will take awhile to cure, so it does need to be sealed after with a good wax, or it can bleed/transfer onto clothes and material.
Do you mean to seal it with a good wax BEFORE it has cured? Can you suggest a specific wax?
Denatured alcohol does the same thing cheaper too
@@VintageLPs no, she means seal afterwards. I have never needed to do that though. 😊
@@steelsunpi just FYI: it’s not like Old English in that it’s permanent and Old English evaporates away.
I used it on some really old oak kitchen cabinets. There weren't a lot of scratches but the original finish was severely worn off in several areas. This stuff was amazing! I just wiped it on with a cloth, let it soak in then wiped off any residue with a clean cloth. In tiny letters, it says to wait 30 days before applying any kind of finish like polyurethane, so that's what I did. At that point the poly went on fine. Like you say, it's not perfect but it's amazingly better than it was.
Which color did you use?
I don't have it in front of me but I think it was something like Golden Oak.
@bmac6645 Comments
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@Goody2shzToo
1 day ago
I used it on some really old oak kitchen cabinets. There weren't a lot of scratches but the original finish was severely worn off in several areas. This stuff was amazing! I just wiped it on with a cloth, let it soak in then wiped off any residue with a clean cloth. In tiny letters, it says to wait 30 days before applying any kind of finish like polyurethane, so that's what I did. At that point the poly went on fine. Like you say, it's not perfect but it's amazingly better than it was.
9
1
Black Sheep House
@bmac6645 I don't have it in front of me but I think it was something like Golden Oak.
@Goody2shzToo Thanks! Yeah that is one of their colors. I saw on Amazon a photo in a review that even used one of the darker colors on old oak cabinets and it looked good but maybe too dark for me.
Great idea! My 1979 kitchen cabinets still look nice except around the black round knob pulls. Over the years my fingernails have scratched a groove into the wood. I was going to lightly sand and re-stain. I did the whole front of the cabinet doors below the sink several years ago and they still look perfect. This refinisher would be less time-consuming so I’m going to try it on one drawer for a test.
Thank you for this. I have an heirloom, mcm bedroom set passed down from my great aunt, to my mom, and now to me that is in really great condition for its age, but still is needing some love to restore it to its original glory. I’m glad I don’t have to risk ruining it by doing a whole refinish on it.
Just go to WoodPrix if you want to know how to make it yourself.
I love Howard's products - and I use Restor-A-Finish now and then for sure, but isn't for every project, and really is just a great temp fix for things that can last a little longer without restoration. My rule for refinishing antiques: Don't sand them and don't re-stain them (exception: damaged areas that are down to the wood)... only refinish THE FINISH. Learn how to identify which finish is on them (lacquer, shellac, etc) - lots of online info on that. Gently remove the top most part of the old flaking or missing finish, and re-amalgamate the old finish with new. Use LIGHT layers (I prefer Mohawk's spray options), gently "light" sanding between DRY coats, where each layer fills in the scratches until you have a level surface. Use 600-1000 grit for final sanding, and then use a thinned, wipe-on method for final layer (ie: French polish fad/rubber), and it will look like glass. Finish with wax- and you're done. But restoring an antique in a way that preserves its history and its story by NOT sanding to the wood, removing everything that's old, has incredible results. It's can be a tediously slow process, but worth it. Restor-A-Finish is a great option to keep the piece looking great until it's time to fix the old finish. :)
I have used this and Minwax gel stain in the squeeze bottle, (which is similar), dozens of times. You can touch up interior baseboards, doors, cabinets, and furniture, all of which I have done. I even took it to my church to touch up the cabinets there! Be sure not to go too dark so the scratches aren’t deepened in color, which, btw, has never been a problem for me. The stain colors are really forgiving. Just try it on a small less obvious area so you know you like the result. It’s totally addictive and you will find yourself wandering around looking for scratches all over your house. No kidding! It does not work on polyurethane finishes, as far as I know. I believe it is best when used on lacquer, which is the most common finish in homes and manufactured furniture. 10/10 highly recommend. I love making old things look nice without much expense or work!!
It's good to see the WoodPrix has new instructions to save my money and energy to build it.
It does work on poly. I used it on the doors that the dogs had scratched up when they decided 5 mins was enough privacy.
@@virginiamarshall7328good! I think it won’t penetrate if the poly is super thick without scratches, but hopefully I am wrong!
I've just watched your video. I'm 78+. My wrists cannot sand so your pieces are beautiful. I was fascinated. Congrats young lady. Keep at it. DiAnn from Ontario Canada! 🇨🇦 🤗👋
I’ve used this product for years. I probably have every color they make. It’s tops! Love it.
Enjoyed your video. The color sampling was really helpful. Thanks! I love this stuff too.😊
The non colored finish remover in that same line of products works great, but it totally ate through normal gloves and I had to get heavy duty thick chemical resistant gloves, it ate through thin gloves pretty much instantly....but it worked great!
I'm so glad I accidentally found your site. I picked up this very unique desk that has scratches on the top. Now I can fix it with stripping the whole piece!! Thank you!
Love the end result, simply amazing. I’ll give it a try
I have used this product for decades. It's amazing!
Did you need to remove the furniture polish first?
I love Restore-A-Finish! I’ve used it on my maple dining room table and multiple side tables!
The end product looks amazing for how easy it was to use the Restor-A-finish.
I had a wonderful old man show this to me 40 years ago. I was young, pregnant and looking for a crib. He sold me a nice wood one that needed this little trickb so he showed me. What a great guy!
Sounds like a toxic crib
I absolutely love restor a finish! I have about five colors and I plan on collecting basically all of them to have on hand as I refurbish and refinish. Also this is a great way to touch up the inside of drawers if they are not in the best shape also!
Be careful actually USING the drawers for at least 30 days. Adding a seal coat would be good too, as this wonderful product can sometimes "bleed" a bit. But it genuinely is an amazing product, I've used it on 6 or 7 pieces.
Wow! That’s amazing!!’ Can’t wait to try it!
I have a table and buffet that can really use this product. Thanks for the introduction!
I used it on a golden oak coat rack I plucked from the trash. The finish was quite worn but looked new after using Howards. Still looks great after 20 years in my house.
Wow! I have furnishings that have been passed down through 4 generations, and most of them need this kind of TLC! So glad I found you.
This is exactly what u need for my antique pine bedroom furniture. I'm gonna give it a go.
You know, depending upon how far gone a piece is, I err on the side of minimal refinishing of classic antiques. I go in shops and people have completely eradicated the original beauty of historical wood furniture, making it look "hideously" new. The "beauty marks," dressed up with R-A-F, just highlights the character and gives a sense of history while breathing some beauty back into it. I'm a sucker for mahogany or golden oak antiques - I absolutely LOATHE to see people paint such gems. Of course, sometimes a piece is so far gone that it's mostly an eyesore without a substantial facelift - which done correctly, often takes a ton of work. What is also really nice is to bring back the hardware using barkeepers powder (as long as you don't make it TOO new and shiny). Or, you can use gold gilding wax and old, tarnished hardware (look for Pebeo Gilding Wax "Renaissance Gold", for that old-world, deep antique gold look).
Wow! That is amazing!
I am a fan of your UTube channel! I’m glad to hear you say that you use this product for a temporary face lift. 👍🏼
I’ve used it and have several colors too.
I fear some might use it to SELL pieces and in my opinion that would not be good for the buyer
or for the refinishers reputation.
That was the best before and after on restore a finish I have seen. I have a few things that need some TLC🤣🤣
A coat or two of miniwax wipe-on polyurethane afterwards helps. It wipes on with a cloth, dries in minutes without picking up any dust, seals the scratches to a large degree, and protects the finish with a very thin durable coat of polyurethane . It is available in gloss or satin finish,
I used Restore Finish walnut on my grandmother's 100 year old secretary desk. I was very nervous but it gave it a new life. I did not cover up the doodles on the inside that my mother had etched. 😅❤
I have been using Howard's Restore- A- Finish for years. I also use it on my 62 year old oak floors. It makes them look great after a good cleaning.
Wow thanks for the video and tip. I think the steel wool is the perfect way to apply the product
My dad has been using this since the early 80s. We used to put some on a cloth rag and dust all the wood furniture with it.😊
I use it often and a little goes a long ways!
Wow, looks great and thanks for showing us the other colors.
Super helpful!
Thank you, I own this but forgot why I bought it!! You are applying it with steel wool? I wonder why? Interesting. Thank you!!
Thank you. I have this same set, buffet, side table, table, chairs, and the entire bedroom suite... good to know how to fix some of the problems. Id say it was 8/10 condition to begin with so... heres hoping the rest works out.😊
They have neutral too which is what I'll try because I do want to strip my piece at some point... It's just like your piece but it's a Vanity...
I used this for the first time last weekend. Works great! Topped with the wax recommended. Instructions sais to wax monthly after refinishing. Also, I thought it said to use steel wool with the grain. Is it okay to use steel wool in circular motion?
That stuff is amazing really!! Thanks just subscribed!
Great video…thanks!
WOW. I OWN THIS FIRST DRESSER. A REPRODUCTION MADE IN THE 1940S. AND ITS SCRATCHED LIKE THIS ALSO. YOU JUST SOLVED MY DILEMMA. THANKS. ITS A Duncan Phyfe reproduction
I am soooo glad I found your channel! I am learning so much! Thank you for your hard work.
So its better than Old English Scratch Cover which lasts all of a couple months at most!
Technically you could play with a bit lighter or darker drawer finish (2ea) as an option. imho.
A Shannon video!!! I always do a happy dance when you post.
What a great video!!!!!! I love the Ebony Brown. ❤
I used Restore-a-finish on a beautiful walnut veneer top. It did not work to my liking (scratches were still visible) so i had to strip the top. I uncovered a ruined veneer top with dark stains (that were not there before the restore-a-finish). No amount of stripping, sanding, bleaching could get them out. It is a possible reaction to this product. If I were to reuse this product again, it would only be on furniture legs :( I am too scared to use it again on veneer.
Oh bummer! I’m thinking since I’ll have to sand as deep as the scratches are into the wood I’ll sand past any staining. I get staining when I use stripper too that I have to sand off.
I’m sure if you needed to you could mix the finishes to make a custom color.😃
I've used Howard's for at least 30 years. Wouldn't be without it.
I love your technique!! So beautiful! I have a question. I’m refinishing my grandmothers bureau and one of the drawers pulls is missing. They are exactly the same as what is featured in your video. Can you tell me a place I can order a draw pull like yours? I would so very much appreciate it!!!
I have tons, send me an email with measurements of yours and I’ll send you one! Blacksheeprestoration@gmail.com
Used it loved it
I have this exact dresser and love it also, but it is very scratched and I don't love the red tone of it. Do you think the brown color would reduce the red tones very much? Was planning to paint it, but love how this might be a better option!
Yes it changed the tone a lot and I only used dark walnut! I bet if you used the ebony you’d really get a pretty cool brown!
@@blacksheephouse thank you so much!
Beautiful! I’m curious though…Are there any toxic fumes to be concerned about even after it’s dried?
It really works.
This works on scratch lines, but anything wider or more like a full circle or rectangle, it won't cover at all,
Very helpful, thank you. Do you, or does anyone else, know if this product would do anything to the piece to prevent a full restoration in the future?
I have fully restored 2 pieces that I used restor a finish on (1 being the 1st piece in this video since filming) and had no issues
@@blacksheephouse great, thank you
I wonder if i can use on my kitchen cabinets? 🤷♀️
Thank you, great video.
🚨🚨🚨Small print: 🚨WAIT 30 days 🚨BEFORE putting on polyurethane or top coat!!!
I’ve used this product. It does not remove water marks or stains.
I am about to use some Howard’s Restore-a-Finish on a coffee table but can’t decide whether to use neutral or a color. Thank you so much for the color sampling! Does anyone have any thoughts on neutral?
So when to want to refinish later do you hvae to remove the restore a finish -finish?
Could you use this to darken a lighter piece by going over with a darker color? Ebony over light oak for example?
It's only a temporary fix, you do eventually need to refinish the pieces properly
Feed and seed?
Excellent video! Thank you; incredibly useful information. I hope you apply this on your kitchen piece and show the results. More videos please.
Is it ok to put on a shiny factory finish? No sanding?
Using that company’s wax after the oil stain dries makes for an even more amazing result. Try it.
My piano is starting to crack in spots. I am assuming that it’s the varnish that is cracking and not the wood. Would you recommend using this?
It didn’t fix the cracks on this piece but did blend the color more evenly so helped a bit
Fine steel wool?
Yes, not stainless steel.
How long will this last? I’ve heard that this product is a short term fix. I’ve got a project that I’d like to try this on but don’t want to waste time and money if in a few months it looks crummy again. I’d appreciate your insight!
Her "year later" piece, at the end of her video, still looked pretty good.
In my experience if it works on your finish then it holds up for at least 1 year and that was with me not using the wax they recommend. It’s like $15 so not a huge waste, and you could sell what’s left of your bottle on Facebook marketplace too.
Caring for the piece afterwards….do’s and don’ts with dusting, cleaning and etc??
@@MelJWeikI have just used a dry or slightly damp dust rag to dust. I don’t use any of those “Pledge” type products because they build up over time and can get gummy even on my non Restore a Finish furniture. I have never had the finish “wear” off.
My wood is maple. Will the walnut be too dark? I cannot find the color maple. I'd like to use it on apartment kitchen cupboards.
I’d try this color for maple - amzn.to/4e7MpR2
Try the Neutral on maple
Stainless steel?
No, fine steel wool.
I had the whole bedroom set from my grandma.
Omg can I buy the dresser from you
we can't get it in Ireland :(
That looks exactly like furniture I’ve had since 1970. Is it Dixie? If so the furniture is mahogany
Yep! Dixie!
Just know that as the product dries over a week or so the old finish comes back.
How about on flooring?
Steel wool.
Does anyone know if this product is available in UK
Can this be used on hardwood floors?
It is simply stain combined with poly.
What is the name of this product.?
What is the product? Did she show the oridtct in the video ? I listened and she didn’t even mention what she was using besides steel
Howard’s restor-a-finish 🙂 amzn.to/4dE2AEA
I wonder what this product would look like with several coats on lightly sanded raw unfinished wood ???
It looks really good and matches pretty well to original antique finish but it will look lighter and more clear
How do I match the color with my furniture?
Pretty sure that's steel wool. Not stainless steel.
Go WITH THE GRAIN! Much better results.
Da rabia cuando enseñais productos que es España no los hay 😢
Denatured alcohol will do the same thing and its way cheaper
Been around for years.
Steel wool?...not stainless steel...
Could you say the product name any less?
Why don’t you tell us what you are using? That would be a better promo.
My daughter refinishes furniture and tells me that if you use this, you can never properly refinish it again. FYI.
That is not true for me, I have since filming this video sanded this actual piece and 2 others after using restore a finish and I had zero issues when sanding to raw wood and restaining 🌟 tell your daughter to give it a try and she’ll see
Pay reklame
steel wool is not stainless AND she needs to go with the grain! I can't watch her. Great product though.
This doesn’t work that well!!! This is bs
It isn’t a product for furniture in that poor of condition
Shut up and show what it is and how to use it. You lost me in less than a minute