"I pulled up my big girl pants for this one guys…my client wanted to pass this 1947 Lane cedar hope chest down to her son that her husband had purchased after he got out of the military. And to increase the stress level - no paint. It was damaged almost beyond repair having sat in her garage for decades with major veneer damage, mildew, water stains and a bunch of other problems. This transformation makes me so proud. I took my Festool and was able to sand back down to bare wood on the veneer....
"I call her Clara. Because our objective here was to "Clear" her up. You know what I'm talking about..... that old aged Lacquer look that tends to 'cloud' over all the wood grain. We could see the imprints of the fine woodwork below, but it was hard to distinguish the grain patterning below that thick old finish. Honestly I'm not sure I've ever had a buffet with THIS many different wood species in it!
She wasn't in terrible shape. A little moisture damage here and there, a few pieces of...
"After LOTS of sanding, we cleaning the set up and primed the chairs and base of the table and painted it in General Finishes Seagull Gray Milk Paint and the top of the dining table is stained in GF Antique Walnut Gel Stain. Since dining tables take so much punishment I made sure to give it plenty of coats of Arm-R-Seal to protect it for years to come." - Upcycling by Amy
Stunning drums finished with GF Arm-R-Seal and Tung Oil by Bucks County Drum Company!
"A Mid-1800's Empire redesigned into a kitchen cart, coffee or liquor bar or hallway storage. We removed two drawers and shiplapped inside to create a fabulous storage nook. Add some old wire baskets, or perfect for bottle storage! Inside finished in General Finishes Lamp Black for that slightly industrial feel. Outside has been fully stripped to reveal some pretty fantastic grain patterning even with a few pieces missing, and sealed in multiple coats of Arm-R-Seal Satin.... because I mean......
"This gorgeous live edge Walnut Desk and moveable riser is the perfect size space to get your work done without taking up too much space! This would also make an amazing sofa table or coffee bar. The wood is really the showstopper here and was completely sealed in General Finishes Arm-R-Seal in a Satin finish to protect the look for years to come ." - Upcycling by Amy
"I must say the transformation of our den has been wonderful with the addition of the hand hewn beam. Finished with General Finishes Seal-A-Cell and Arm-R-Seal products." Aron Roberts
"Thank you General Finishes for such great products. I designed and built this custom closet for a house in Palo Alto, CA. Figured sapele, all finished with Seal-A-Cell and Arm-R-Seal. The pictures don't do it justice, the panels feel like silk and absolutely glow. Arm-R-Seal for the win!
The finishing took ~150 hours, and ~4 gallons." - David Zaret of Curl and Burl (
http://curlandburl.com/) in Ann Arbor, MI.
L
This table top was sanded down and restained with...
"I can’t get over all the beautiful details on this tall boy. From the weaved cane drawer fronts to the coolest brass pulls I’ve seen, this one is just. I sanded off the original dark finish then sealed it with General Finishes Arm-R-Seal. No stain needed to make this one shine." - Amost Simple Home
Learn more about GF oil based Arm-R-Seal Topcoat in this video:
https://bit.ly/GFVideoHowToApplyArmRSealTopcoat
"Sven took me a little out of my comfort zone as I realized his hardware measurements are virtually impossible size to find nowadays. He looks to me like a beautiful blended piece between likely the 40's and late 50's as the decorative veneered waterfall style turned into the more moderne MCM style. His walnut-veneered body is fully stripped down to naked grain and sealed in General Finishes hand applied Arm-R-Seal in satin. No stain, no frills. Just the tones of the bare wood beneath!
I...
Stunning combo of General Finishes Westminster Green Milk Paint with a natural wood top sealed with GF oil based Arm-R-Seal Topcoat.
"This beautiful dresser and table have been given a new refreshed look and will be heading back home. Refinished with Fusion Mineral Paint Casement and General Finishes Onyx Water Stain with Arm-R-Seal Satin." - Just By Happenstance
Learn more about using water based and oil based products on the same project in this video:
http://bit.ly/VideoGFOilAndWaterBasedFinishesTogether
Specially constructed, designed and donated to the Canadian Cancer Society for their Hope Blooms Daffodil Campaign in April 2021 This has been a true labour of love through countless hours of work put into the creation of this amazing bench!
With many thanks to Prima Redesign for their beautiful “We Care” transfer that gave me the inspiration. A special thank you to Windsor Plywood PG for generously donating the wood and General Finishes milk paint & HPTC, my good friends Scott &...
"General Finishes in for the win! Lamp Black Milk Paint, Seal-A-Cell and Arm-A-Seal turned this project back to its former glory. The pulls are original solid brass. How cool is that!? Added legs to make it a little more modern and lighter and removed the dated glass. Overall very happy with the outcome. Thanks GF!" - Dianne Hunter
"I sanded the whole piece down completely to bare wood, stained it in General Finishes American Oak and Colonial Maple Gel Stain to try to compliment the color of a dresser in her bedroom already. Once happy with the color match the whole piece was sealed in 3 coats of GF Arm-R-Seal to protect it for years to come! To really finish off the new and improved look, I did a deep clean on the hardware to take off all the black tarnish from year of grime. Stained pieces are a LOT of work especially...
"This buffet is just so fun! The top had some pretty severe veneer damage from water so we did some patching and puttying and sanded the whole piece down. Painted it a custom mix of General Finishes Westminster Green, China Blue, Emerald Green and Lamp Black, distressed it and sealed it in Dixie Belle Paint Company clear coat. The top decorative piece and top drawer were stained in GF Antique Walnut and Java Gel Stains and sealed in Arm-R-Seal." - Upcycling by Amy
"If you've ever wanted a statement piece in your dining room or large foyer, this is her! We like to call her Sunflower around here, but this beautiful 60" pedestal table has a circular granite center, surrounded by inlaid Walnut burl and Pecan veneered pieces. We painstakingly and cautiously stripped all the cracked old lacquer off, and recoated the top in a hand applied Arm-R-Seal Finish by General Finishes, that will last for years to come! Dark wood base." - Restoration Reserve
"Ok after a long haul, we've given Miss Vera her wings to fly! She's about as classy of a lady as you'll find anywhere. Late 1800's Eastlake style Three Drawer Dresser- she would make an AMAZING coffee bar!
AuNatural top stripped naked and finished in General Finishes Arm-R-Seal hand applied satin finish. Body has been refreshed in Perfect Gray Milk Paint, with a slight edge distress to highlight all those beautiful carvings, and sealed in HPTC flat finish. Satin Brass Cup pulls are an easy...
"Midnight here is a deep dark stunner in General Finishes Twilight (an ultra rich Navy Blue) with a satin High Performance finish. She's got only a slight edge distress, because....well.... details people! Details!!! Natural Oak Top, has been weathered slightly and sealed in Arm-R-Seal for years of wonderful wear! Two simple brass pulls. One side is a shelf, the other has a small drawer and open space beneath." - Restoration Reserve
"I picked up this hope chest so many months ago and it sat all alone in our garage. I felt so bad not giving it any attention but I had so many other projects to focus on. Luckily last week one of my favorite customers asked if I had a Hope Chest on hand....DING! There it is. So I pulled this poor lost soul out and started cleaning her up! The top and all four sides were completely sanded down. The veneer looked like it had amazing potential so I knew I had to do my best to preserve it....
"These end tables were a custom order for my neighbor and her family. They were used by her parents for many many years and I feel so honored to be trusted with their little makeover! Painted in General Finishes Driftwood and stained in GF Antique Walnut and Java Gel Stains and sealed in Arm-R-Seal for year and years of protection! "
"This is a stunner. Totally refinished Broyhill Emphasis 9- drawer dresser. The wood grain on this is lovely, and it's super solid." - Modern Vintage Refinishing
General Finishes Nutmeg Gel Stain and oil based Arm-R-Seal Topcoat
"This is Phoebe. She's a beautiful Mahogany Duncan style buffet that we 'personal shopped'. YEASSSSS!!! did you know we do that???? Anyways, she was in great shape already. This client has a very tailored Farmhouse style..... again, the things I know about you all by walking around your beautiful homes!!.... Updated in a popular request lately, General Finishes Empire Gray.... it's a lovely warm griege that agrees so well with warm wood tones! We love it around here! Warm Pitch Black glaze in...
"The Raina Dry Bar. As promised this lady has an ultimate surprise your guests will never expect! Closed up she's just a lovely example of a detailed mid-century rolling dry bar. At first glance, she'd just be a great side table... but open up those doors to another world! Metallic gold greets your guests with a Gatsby-like experience that they'll have to comment about! Finished in our newest blend of General Finishes Coastal Blue and Westminster Green... we've named it Everteal, the most...
"Here we go again with a fabulous color and I have to thank General Finishes for creating Tuscan Red...I'm using my supply up pretty quickly and I think it’s time to place another order!❤️ The buffet top and doors were first sanded down. I did the same to the single door cabinet panels and the drawer face. I then created a custom grain stain with General Finishes Java Gel Stain and Arm-R-Seal. The remainder of the pieces were painted in the Tuscan Red. I updated the pulls with wood pumpkin...
"This... my lovely friends.... is Gail. As many of you saw my earlier post- we named her Gail even before we found out that her previous owner's name WAS indeed Gail... creepy. Anyways, we're fairly certain that's the point that the creep factor ends because what lays beyond that is just pure and simple... Class. A beautiful example of simple French inspired design with clean lines and delicate decor. Gail has been refreshed after a full sand down and shellac base, in General Finishes Empire...
"Just completed this Vintage Seven Drawer Solid Mahogany Federal Desk & Chair. The beautiful wood surfaces were all sanded down and clear coated with General Finishes Arm-R-seal. This is a lighter mahogany which isn’t as much red as it is golden. The remainder was painted in black chalk paint and heavily distressed and then sealed. I just had to keep the original vintage brass hardware but decided to spray it in black gloss."
"The massive maple round coffee table is finally at home! The customer came to us with a rustic “stump” base in mind, and a maple cookie top, so we rummaged around and found a burled ambrosia maple crotch outside and went to work with the chainsaw! Love the flow of the entire piece! As we had this in the shop,I kept thinking, man,this is a giant coffee table, but it fits like a glove in this beautiful mountaintop home!!"
"Refinished this heirloom Martha Washington sewing table using a custom blend of Westminster Green, Lamp Black and a touch of Emerald Milk Paint by General Finishes. The drawers were sanded down and sealed with Semi Gloss Arm-R-Seal (no stain). The body was protected with Satin High Performance."
"The original plan had to been to save the veneer but you know how things go...so I tore all the veneer off and found amazing wood underneath. I sanded it all down, burned it a bit and then clear coated it with General Finishes Arm-R-Seal. Next the base was painted with General Finishes Perfect Gray then lightly distressed and glazed and sealed. The drawer face was sanded and sealed like the top then I added Waverly Fabric and D. Lawless Hardware Oiled Bronze Cup Pull."
"Adelle. She's flowy and airy with solid traditional solid cherry bones and an update she can flaunt in any room! She's been sweetly sanded down, and refinished in our newest favorite white by General Finishes, Alabaster. Van Dyke Brown Glaze in those beautiful scrolling side pedestal detailing! A High Performance flat Topcoat. Top has been stripped, and stained in a deep blend of Jacobean and Kona to reduce any residual red tones, and has the most satiny finish in our hand applied Arm-R-Seal...
"This little parlor table was found at least two years ago. It was in horrible condition finish wise and had a bum leg from numerous bad repairs. But I had to have it because I could see so much potential. Once I started working on it, I learned it had been refinished at least once before and the veneer on the top was paper thin. What does that mean? That meant I had to be extra extra careful when I sanded so I didn’t go through the veneer and ruin the chances of staining the beautiful top....
"I started working on this buffet over 2 years ago. I had planned to strip the entire piece and refinish, but after stripping it 3 times, sanding, and stripping again some of the stubborn finish still would not come off the sides and front of the frame. So I had to paint those areas in this burnt orange color to match my living room rug. Buffet stained in General Finishes Nutmeg Gel Stain, sealed with Arm-R-Seal in gloss. Painted in a mix of General Finishes Persimmon and Lamp Black Milk Paint...
When I found this desk, I knew it had so much potential even though it had seen way better days. I was looking at it through a painters eyes knowing how fun those details would be. But the original finish was peeling in places and worn completely off in others and I knew it was going to be a big job to prep and get it ready to paint. So it went into my trailer where I store my ‘I’ll get to it someday’ unfinished furniture. When my client came to pick up a couple of pieces he had purchased that...
"After a GOOD cleaning and sanding they were primed and painted in General Finishes Antique White and sealed in the GF High Performance Topcoat. The top was stained in GF Java Gel Stain and sealed in their oil based topcoat Arm-R-Seal for years of protection!!" - Upcycling by Amy
"A French Scrolling Console table with two matching benches. This set is phenomenal! Get the Look: Finished Exclusively in General Finishes Reverent Gray (which is actually a bit more of a stone color and agreeable with many other warm tones), Van Dyke Brown Glaze and a matte finish. A rustic Kona Top with our Hand applied Arm-R-Seal Finish. " - Restoration Reserve
"By far, this dresser is my favorite piece we have ever done, and we get to look at it everyday! When we found out we were having a boy this dresser came to mind. I knew I wanted a unique look, I wanted a mix of wood and metal and a dark blue. Soon after, this dresser came along and I claimed it as ours! We used General Finishes Arm-R-Seal to bring out the beautiful raw wood and painted the rest Queenstown Gray, then we finished it off with some new hardware to complete the look!" - Moses...
"The Lauren. A secretary with the IT factor! Softly and sweetly brought back to a beautiful life in General Finishes Antique White, with a warm aging glaze and High Performance Flat Finish. Insides had the old lacquer stripped down to bare wood and sealed in my favorite Arm-R-Seal. She took a good amount of time to rebuild those spindled legs, but I definitely think she was worth the wait!
Salvaged as much original hardware as she came with, and improvised on the rest!"
"This piece was made between 1871 and 1900 because of the beautiful Knapp Joints on the drawers (those cute little scalloped joints in the second pic.) Knapp joints were only used for this short period of time in history. So that would make it between 120-149 years old! How cool is that?!
It is made from all solid Walnut with the exception of the burl veneer on the drawers and door front. I just couldn’t paint this beauty! It was missing it’s top so I made a new wood plank top painted...
"Twenty eight feet of perfectly spalted live edge Red River Pecan joined together to make a conference table. We finished this with General Finishes Arm R Seal Satin."
Learn more about how to apply GF Arm-R-Seal in this video:
https://bit.ly/GFVideoHowToApplyArmRSealTopcoat
" 'The Caroline' OH Sweet Caroline. The update she desperately needed... including the salvation of some rare and amazing burl. This lady has been in my shop for over 6 months. I didn't know how I wanted to refresh her until I gently thinned that old lacquer off one door, to reveal a naked natural grain I KNEW we needed to preserve!
Since the legs were what I felt was dating it I decided that would be the best place to add some painted details to bring her up to today's standards, without...
"Couch caddy! This beautiful piece is 10” wide 24” long made from solid walnut and African paduak. Finished with General Finishes Arm-R-Seal Gloss" -
Check out out video to learn how to apply Arm-R-Seal at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Fb4U9toUrA&t=2s
Classic double chevron stained in General Finishes Carbon Grey Gel Stain and sealed in Arm-R-Seal
"Gorgeous Dixie mid century dresser, redesigned in General Finishes Lamp Black and Nutmeg Gel Stain with middle drawers simply sanded and sealed with Arm-R-Seal so the wood grain design would stand out from the rest. Classic, elegant and one of a kind."
"Oak. Everybody has it. Not everybody Loves it. Tends to have a golden look too often then not. Well this client had a dream of ditching the Gold and simplifying her buffet!
Voila!
A soft General Finishes Antique White with a subtle edge distress, and a sweet dark Walnut top, finished off in our favorite satiny Arm-R-Seal Hand applied finish!
Some rockin' iron pulls give this girl a beautiful tailored look for years to come!"
"This custom built bench is headed home. Painted it in a custom color General Finishes Blue Moon and Patina Green Milk Paint. The top was stained in GF Antique Walnut Gel Stain and sealed in Arm-R-Seal for protection.I love this color combo! So cute!!"
"Fresh out of the workshop! This stunner was an antique typewriter desk. It’s been redesigned to be a kneehole style desk and was given a new walnut top by The Furniture Fix
I finished the body in Lamp Black Milk Paint and sealed that gorgeous walnut with Arm-R-Seal oil based poly by General Finishes."
Purchase GF products from Eight Hundred Furniture on the second floor at Homestead Studios in Parkesburg, Pennsylvania!
"Did something a little different because variety is the spice of life, right?! Loving how this super sleek and moody piece turned out! The contrast of the petite knobs that coordinate with the (practically indestructible) Formica top are simple yet oh so elegant. Color~ General Finishes Gel Stain in Black and sealed with 2 coats of Arm-R-Seal Gloss for clarity and a final coat of Satin for a beautiful subtle glow✨"
