Posted 11 years ago
sarahoff
(279 items)
I found these great Heywood Wakefield school chairs at a rummage sale 10 years ago. The older woman running the sale was an incredibly gifted artist who had taken old beat up furniture items and painted them with amazing designs. I was just newly divorced and very broke so unfortunately even though most items were dirt cheap I couldn't afford much. She had painted these chairs for her grandchildren who had outgrown them and now sadly so has my daughter. I would love to keep them painted this way but are way to childish for a 16 year old. The wood seat and back are solid northern birch and have debated on refinishing them. I could use all of your opinions. Yes or no?
I wonder what year these were made?
I love the fairies on them :-) Makes them special !
The first question I would ask myself before refinishing them is what I want for the finished product. Do you see natural wood or another paint job? Did she use a penetrating paint or stain? If she did the pores of the wood are penetrated to a point where natural probably won't be an option. Next question would be, what did she use and will my finish stick to it or peal? There are several tests you can do using two or three drops of lacquer thinner on a hidden spot that will identify things like latex base, oil base, silicone, penetrating etc. Not all finishes play well together and not all adhere in the same manner. Birch is a close grained wood and looking at the heywood stamp I would say these would strip well. The grain of the wood shows through the paint. Obviously she applied more than one coat but the first coat is what following coats adhere to. If you have an electric hair blow drier put it on hi and aim it at an angle into the paint where it won't show, back or underside. Get it fairly close an inch or so from the paint and watch the paint. If the paint bubbles blisters up and shrinks it is a quick easy job. DO THAT OUTSIDE you will get a foul odor. Heat stripping works good with some finishes and leaves the job where you can clean it up with fine steel wool. Doing a paint over job just requires etching the surface, cleaning it and painting. I recall having to sit in the hallway a good many hours in one of these at school. They really weren't comfortable. I preferred the old wooden chairs for my time outs.
Okay...my two cents...don't paint. Hey wood chairs like this are pretty common and no super valuable. These would be charming as seating in the garden, porch, extra seating at a BBQ etc. and I bet she'll come back around to them eventually.
Amber Rose brings up a good point. My sister and I each had a special chair when we were young. My sister still has hers today and thinks the world of it. Our mother stored it away for years knowing she would eventually want it again. The chair will hold memories one day.
Thanks guys, I was leaning towards keeping them painted this way. Both of my kids each had one in their rooms and my son is now 20. These would look great in my someday grand baby's nursery:)