Essential Upcycling Tools For Furniture Projects

Are you equipped with the essential upcycling tools you need for home upcycling DIY projects? Upcycling is a really popular way of giving new life to old pieces of furniture, old materials and home accessories, such as chairs, chests of drawers, old picture frames or tables. Old or unwanted items can be transformed into new, functional pieces and it can give you the chance to revive vintage or inherited furniture into more contemporary styles. Plus, by upcycling it can save items from ending up being dumped at the tip, so it’s an environmentally friendly option too.

What are the essential upcycling tools you need?

Whether you’re about to embark on your first upcycling project, already have some DIY skills and have a list of things you want to upcycle, it’s a good idea to ensure you have the right tools for the right projects and jobs, including both hand tools and power tools. Here’s the Fresh Design guide to the essential upcycling tools you need to add to your tool kit for all your furniture upcycling projects.

Pliers and wrench

When it comes to removing old fixtures and fittings, sometimes they can prove tricky to get off. It’s useful to have a set of pliers (such as long nose pliers, flat nose pliers and cutting pliers) and a wrench in your upcycling tool kit.

Hammer

A hammer is another essential upcycling tool. If you’re making something that involves hammering in nails, joints or upholstering a chair, you’ll need a hammer in your upcycle tool kit. A claw hammer, that helps remove rusty old nails, can be useful too.

Screwdriver

A screwdriver is handy for removing old screws and attaching new ones, such as for door handles or hinges. Depending on the types of upcycling projects you’re doing, a single screwdriver or a set of different sized ones will prove useful. You could also consider an electric screwdriver, especially if your DIY involves adding or removing lots of screws, as it will make the job easier.

Drill

An electric drill, a multi-tool that includes a drill bit attachment or a combi drill, is a useful bit of DIY kit to have available. Power tools can help speed up upcycling jobs and enable you to progress quicker.

Sandpaper

Sandpaper is one of the essential upcycling tools to keep in your kit. If you’re planning on upcycling a piece of furniture or anything made from wood, then the chances are you’ll need to sand it down before giving it a new coat of paint or stain. Sandpaper is inexpensive and always useful to have to hand, especially for tackling awkward corners.

Electric sander

For those projects that require a bit more effort and lots more sanding, like solid wood doors or floors, it’s useful to have access to an electric power sander. These powerful tools make light of sanding rough surfaces, saving you time and energy.

Paint stripper

If you’re dealing with a piece of furniture that already has an old coat of paint on it, paint stripper is an essential upcycling tool. If it’s a thick coat of paint that you need to get rid of, buy a thick paint stripper. If there’s just the remains of an old paint finish on it, you can buy a thinner paint stripper to do the job. All traces of old paint need to be removed before you add any new layers onto a piece and gain a smooth finish.

Brushes

Another of the essential upcycling tools to have in your DIY kit are paint brushes. Ideally, aim to have a selection of brushes of different sizes – from wide brushes to narrow brushes – so that you’ve got something suitable for every job. You’ll use the brushes when painting, adding varnish or staining furniture.

Craft or utility knife

Another of the essential upcycling tools is a craft or utility knife. A craft knife is a useful tool for all sorts of projects, from cutting various thicknesses of card, foam or fabric, to making score lines in soft wood.

Masking tape or duct tape

Masking tape or duct tape is one of those essentials that you’ll always use in DIY projects. Whether you need to hold some pieces together whilst you’re making something, or need to put it around the edges of a piece of furniture whilst you paint it, masking tape helps make life easier.

Paint, stains and finishes

Depending on the type of project you’re completing, you’re likely to need paint, stains, polishes or finishes, such as chalk paint, varnish or wood stain. For small projects you may be able to get away with buying tester sized pots, but larger projects will require more. Don’t abandon pots with small amounts of paint or finishes left in them, as they may come in handy for future DIY.

Paint sprayer

If you’ve got large surfaces to cover with new paint, then you may want to consider adding a paint sprayer to your upcycling tool kit. There are various different types of paint sprayers available and they help make the painting process quicker and easier.

Gloves

Depending on what you’re upcycling and the state of the original materials (for example, if there could be splinters from wood), you may benefit from wearing a pair of gloves. Just take care to ensure that the gloves fit well and don’t hamper any of your DIY efforts – for example, you don’t want to wear gloves if you then lose your grip whilst using any tools.

Cloths

Add some cloths to your upcycling tool kit too as they’ll come in handy for all sorts of projects. As well as being practical for cleaning up any spills, some paint finishes, particularly if you’re trying to create a vintage, shabby chic style, benefit from being rubbed and polished by a cloth. Try and recycle any old fabric, such as cotton t-shirts, old tea towels or odd socks, that you can use as DIY cloths.

Tape measure

It’s crucial to get your measurements right with any upcycling DIY project, so don’t forget to add a tape measure or metal ruler to your upcycling tool kit.

Tool storage

Once you’ve gathered all these essential upcycling tools together, it’s well worth giving them some dedicated storage, such as a storage case, box or tray or wall-mounted tool storage in a shed or garage. That way you can ensure everything is kept together and you’ll easily be able to find the tools you need when your start your next upcycled furniture project.

Endnote

Hopefully this post has given you some ideas for what types of DIY tools you’re likely to need for your upcycling work. Don’t worry if you don’t have everything when you start out, as you can gather tools over time. If you can’t afford to buy them new, look out for old tools in charity shops, online marketplaces or car boot sales, as people often get rid of tools they no longer use.

If you find that you could do with some extra know-how when starting upcycling, look out for online courses that could help you learn creative ways and the best way to use tools. Don’t underestimate the importance of safety equipment and always protect your eyes with goggles when cutting and your face with a face mask when spraying paint.

Whatever home decor projects you’re undertaking, we hope you enjoy the world of DIY giving a new lease of life to old furniture pieces and enjoy your upcycling journey. It may take a bit of elbow grease and effort, but home DIY upcycling projects are definitely worth a go.

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