Refinishing Furniture Is Economical And Environmentally Green
Posted by Jody Raines on Fri, Jan 27, 2012 @ 01:03 PM
Refinishing furniture can make an old piece new. But did you realize it's also helpful for the environment? Just think about it - you are re-utilizing something that already exists and making it into something that has new life without sacrificing another tree! And even more than that, the furniture is saved from being part of the landfills that are cluttering our planet.
Even something as environmentally simple as refinishing furniture can make a big impact. If every neighbor refrained from throwing away a table or couch and instead, they recycled furniture by reupholstering or refinishing, we'd have less garbage at the dumps and landfills.
Newer, inexpensive furniture is crafted to be disposable. Many of the newer pieces are made with pressboard that will warm or disintigrate if it gets wet. Did you realize that pressboard also contains carcinogens? Formaldehyde levels from new pressboard furniture are high, just as they are from new carpet. It's safer to refinish your existing furniture since the newer finishes are lead and formaldehyde-free, and most new finishes also have the advantage of resisting fading or changing color.
Even if your furniture still looks great, you may want to consider having it refinished. The new sealants are chemically composed to last longer, wear better, and protect the furniture from fading. If you are concerned about lead in an older piece of furniture, having an expert evaluate it for you is a good first step. After that, the professional may make recommendations that will protect the furniture, but also would encapsulate any potentially hazardous material that may have been allowed by an overseas manufacturer or an earlier process.
And refinishing furniture also has the advantage of creating a room of unique styled chairs or tables. By reupholstering, you can change the look of an entire room and create a room that reflects your individual taste and style.
Don't be afraid to expore refinishing tables or chairs or reupholstering a sofa. You will be upgrading and updating your home while saving the planet!
