Easy Tutorial on Applying Wood Appliques to Furniture

I love furniture with unique character! Something distinct that sets it apart from all the other pieces. Do you have a piece of furniture that you would describe as ‘blah?’ A sturdy piece but it’s just kinda boring? Adding wood appliques is a super easy way to add character to furniture! No fancy tools are required so it can be really affordable as well!

Last week I re-did a dresser for my older daughter’s room in her favorite color purple. So it really wasn’t suprising this week when my younger daughter Emmie insisted I paint something in her favorite color pink! Fortunately being a mama with a little bit of experience I had anticipated this copying tendency. And I had already purchased Annie Sloan Antoinette for a set of small chairs in her room. 🙂

The chairs were part of a handmade table set perfect for a little girls room. But the paint was chipping and even after re-painting the chairs I just felt they lacked character. Wood appliques to the rescue!

For just over a $1 with my 40% off coupon at Hobby Lobby I purchased little wood appliques and applied them to these chairs. So let me share with you how you can easily apply wood appliques. They will add beauty and a distinct look to your furniture. But don’t worry you won’t need any special tools.

Here’s what you need:

• Wood applique
• Wood Glue
• C Clamps or something heavy
• Q-tips or cloth

Here’s what you do:

Step 1: Pick your applique

There are several places where you can purchase appliques. Local hardware and craft stores generally stock them. Or there are a lot of options on-line. I was looking for small ones so Hobby Lobby worked just fine. The biggest factor is what the applique will look like once it’s on your furniture. So I recommend trying it while still in the package. Some look better than others so this little strategy has served me well.

Step 2: Prepare the surface

Once you have picked an applique to apply. The first step will be to get the surface ready. This is almost always the first step when working with furniture. Sand down any rough areas. Clean and dry the area where you will be applying the applique.

Step 3: Take your measurements

You will want to get an idea of where you will place the applique. So measure out how big the space is and where you will place the applique. You can make small pencil marks to remember.

Step 4: Apply wood glue

Apply a drop of wood glue and spread it around the applique. You don’t need too much glue. Just enough to spread a thin layer on the back. You want enough so all parts of the applique are glued but not so much that you have a lot of glue oozing out. But even if you put too much on you can just wipe away the excess.

Step 5: Apply pressure to hold the applique in place

I used small C clamps to hold the applique in place while it dried. But you could just put books or something else to apply pressure while the applique dries if you don’t have C clamps. Wipe away any glue that oozes out once the clamp is in place with a Q-tip or cloth. Wait at least 30 minutes or according to the instructions on your glue.

Step 6: Paint or Stain your applique

The final step is to get your applique to blend in with the rest of your piece. Paint or stain it to your liking. With my project I just painted the applique the same color as my chairs. You can also add different color waxes to get original finishes.

And that’s all there is to it! now you have a unique piece, unlike anyone else’s to enjoy!

What do you think of how the chairs turned out ? Emmie’s already enjoying them. She’s playing with her stuffed kitties on them. We have planned a tea party planned for later so now we will use our new pink chairs!

Let me know below if you do a project with appliques and what thought of the finished product!

Hope you had a good week!

Elizabeth