Upcycled Bleached Timber Chair
Have you bleached timber before? It’s so easy and lots of fun!
My daughter Celeste has been asking for a desk in her bedroom so naturally I went to my favourite tip shop to see what I could find. I didn’t come across a desk but I found a chair that had so much potential. It was quite masculine however, so I decided to sand the timber and then lighten it with bleach to create a beautiful, raw timber finish. I didn’t use any fancy materials, just your classic home bleach. After wiping down the timber chair with equal parts vinegar and water, I also reupholstered the cushion with pink and white striped cotton fabric and spray painted the hardware gold. And I am completely blown away. This chair looks completely different; the timber is light, you can appreciate the beautiful grain and it's perfect for Celeste's bedroom. Tap the link in my bio for the tutorial and as always happy upcycling!
And to see how this Upcycled Bleached Timber Chair came together, make sure you check out this video!
Before & After
Project Details
🕒 Project Time Estimate: 4 hours, not including bleach drying time
💰 Materials Cost: $50
⚒️ Power Tools: Sander and drill
👷♀️ Skill Level: Beginner DIYer
Materials
Timber chair
Protective gloves and face mask
Bleach
Paint brush
Bucket
White vinegar
Cotton cloth
Gold spray paint
White fabric
Striped fabric
Staple gun & staples
How To
Step 1: Firstly, I removed the existing cushion and set put aside. Then I removed the existing varnish with a palm sander and ended up taking the chair apart so I could get into some more trickier spots. I also removed two dowels from the sides of the chair using a mini hand saw.
Step 2: I put on some kitchen gloves and a mask, then applied a coat of bleach directly onto the timber using a synthetic paint brush. I let the bleach dry out in direct sunlight, then repeated the process about 20 times. You might not need to or want to apply this many coats of bleach, but the more coats you apply, the lighter the timber will get. Following this I wiped down the timber with 1 part white vinegar and 1 part water to remove the bleach. I did this 3 times and let the timber dry in full sun, before wiping it down again.
Step 3: I removed the screws on the side of the chair and spray painted them gold; then I popped them back in.
Step 4: I cleaned the existing cushion using my steam cleaner, then reupholstered the cushion with a piece of white cotton fabric first, followed by a very cute pink and white striped fabric. I placed the cushion back on using screws and my drill, and that’s it!
Ta daaaa!
And there you have it! This chair is totally Celeste’s vibe - it’s super cute, bright and fun. I love the striped fabric and I am so impressed with bleaching timber, it's an absolutely stunning technique for breathing new life into stained, dark timber. And I love that we can now appreciate the beautiful timber grain!
