If you have been hanging out here for a while, you know that I regularly mix family, friendships and frugality for lots of fun. I am a fan of being on the same page as your spouse financially, getting the most for your money, and getting or staying out of debt.
Today we are talking about treasure.
Buried treasure.
Well, treasure hidden away amongst common household items, very possibly under layers of paint, varnish and grime.
But you know it when you see it.
You’ve been there.
You’ve felt the excitement.
You are at a yard sale, an auction, or yes—even stopped by the side of the road to peruse a “free” pile—and you spot that amazing piece of furniture hiding under several coats of really ugly paint.
You can see that the lines of the piece are beautiful and the construction is still solid.
It’s just that the gem is covered with so much ugly that you are not sure it is even worth bringing home to refinish:
The endless sanding that creates fine dust that settles everywhere.
The refinishing products that smell so incredibly awful that require you to work outside.
You think to yourself that you would take that diamond in the rough home in a heartbeat if there was just some kind of refinishing product that was easy to use, non-flammable, non-caustic and nearly odorless, and that worked really well.
There is.
Welcome to SoyGel Paint Remover
I don’t blame you if you are a bit skeptical. I admit to feeling the same way when I first read about the product.
However, since I was a yard sale junkie and was married to an equally enthusiastic treasure finder/keeper, we thought it was worth trying.
We decided to use it on a dull, gray, paint splattered table and chairs we had discovered in a barn but had not yet tackled. The layers of paint appeared pretty thick, and the decorative carving on the legs looked like they would never see the light of day, no matter what we used to clean them.
The remover brushed on like thick honey and even stayed put for the most part on the vertical surfaces. We did discover that the longer we left it on, the better job it did wrinkling up the layers of paint. Another real bonus: there was also almost no smell at all, just as the manufacturer had promised.
While the SoyGel is much more expensive than other paint strippers, I think the advantages are well worth the cost. When I rate this with my Wow Factor scale, I give it a nine. It makes the refinishing process much less labor intensive than anything else I have used, I can work on a project inside the house-especially important in the winter here in the Northeast, the end result is lovely, and the process overall is much more pleasant than any other product I have used.
From our frugal standpoint, we love the SoyGel. I think we used about a half to two thirds of a gallon to do our table and three chairs. They turned out to be simply lovely, with character and warmth. A comparable set in a furniture store would have cost considerably more, and they would have lacked the charm of these older originals. The project gave us the opportunity to work together-truly a labor of laughter and love. The bottom line is that we had seen the possibilities that shone just beneath the surface of that flat metal gray paint, and knew that while our refinishing would reveal both beauty and flaws, the end result would be something we would enjoy for a long, long time.
Never tackled a refinishing project before? The maker of SoyGel has a YouTube channel with lots of help.
Just for the record, as much as I dislike have to do this, a disclaimer. Always, always follow the manufacturer’s directions when using any products. Use care, caution, and your God given brains and common sense. If you use the products mentioned in this post or are encouraged to start a do it yourself project, realize that you are the responsible party, and I am in no way liable for your actions, especially if you get distracted and put the soygel on your toast instead of honey. . .
With that said, have fun as you bring hidden treasures back to life!
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I haven’t heard of this product, Kim. I’ll have to check it out! Maybe it will motivate me to get back at refinishing. I haven’t done a project in about a year. Thanks for sharing!
Beth Steffaniak recently posted…Being One Flesh