Up cycling wooden bed frame

[trampoline123]

I've napped a free toddler bed from market place and was planning to sand down and paint or varnish, but now I have it quickly realised I've not done it before and don't know where to start.

It's quite a dark brown, I'm guessing it's lighter wood underneath and the scratches in it are lighter.

Any tips, amazing products to use etc.

His cot was his dads when he was a baby which was sanded and painted white which has all chipped annoyingly, so keen to avoid that happening.

If you're sure it's solid wood and don't want to paint, sand down with rough paper to remove the current finish, then a smoother paper to finish off. Osmo oil is really good and their raw oil won't darken the natural colour much, or they do colours if you want a darker shade.

If painting, use zinsser 123 as a primer. There's no need to sand before using, but personally I would, as if the odd chip does occur it will be less obvious with lighter wood coming through. A couple of coats of that, then 2 coats of your chosen top coat. Paint recommended for kitchen cupboards will be good, as obviously it will be made to withstand wear and tear. You can very lightly sand between coats to remove any brush strokes and get a smoother finish.

And always sand in the direction of the wood grain 👍

Thank you!

It does look like pretty solid wood, I'll start with sanding and go from there.

That's your best bet, then you can see what you're dealing with and it will give you an idea of the end result. Good luck!