Antique Furniture Restoration

Furniture restoration is heard in a selection of settings. If you like observing DIY shows, shows that help establish the value of antiques, like the Antique Road Show on PBS and other similar programs, you can sometime end up looking around your house and thinking you have got some furniture restoration projects you would not mind taking on yourself. Some furniture restoration projects are reasonably simple and easy. Dumping a waxy build-up on an antique table or roll top desk, for instance, is a project that might be different and lots more tricky than what it was originally forecasted to be.

What you presumed was just increase may be degradation of the item's finish. Before instantly going to furniture refinishing there are steps you can take to make certain you do the job right. In a number of cases, by removing the increase, you can see the project could be as easy as cleaning the surface with a soft rag and mineral spirits. In other cases, refinishing furniture is the sole way you can solve the problem, this is typically the case when the surface finish has been declined and cleaning it leaves exposed wood. Before taking on this technique of furniture refinishing, you need to ensure the original finish doesn't have cracks inside it, otherwise those cracks may show even after your furniture refinishing project has been finished. If the finish is fine, you will be able to move right into preparing the surface for refinishing. By wiping down the outer layer of furniture you are working with, you can remove skin oils and furniture polishes you have used while cleaning or perhaps traces of food or drink that have been left on the surface of the furniture. After you know the surface is clean, the very next step in your furniture-refinishing project will be to sand the surface, this makes it simpler for a coat of paint to paste. After sanding, be certain to wipe off any dust that could be on the surface with a wet rag. Let the furniture dry and apply your first coat of paint, cleaning up after you are done. Naturally, your furniture-refinishing project's goal might be to remove color from the table, desk or cupboard - not to add a new layer to it. In this example, you must strip the wood and probably bleach out a prior stain which will have been darker than you would have preferred it.

Some furniture restorations are straightforward to take on as a weekend do it yourself projects. In other cases your concept of a straightforward furniture restoration project might be something that will be better left to a pro. This is typically the case if you're working with furniture that has to be mended or furniture which has worth as an antique. Unless you know the difference between white carpenters' glue and the Elmer's glue your children use in class, you have to avoid making an attempt to glue furniture as a step in the furniture restoration or correct process. Though you may feel at the start of a project that you can handle it, you do not need to finish up half way thru your project and realize you could have taken it to somebody else at the start. There's simply little worse than realizing that one has gotten in over their heads or made an irreparable mistake. While there are some furniture refinishing projects that are straightforward to do on your own at home, restoring an antique table and chairs may not be one of them - particularly if you may want to sell them down the line. The same is true for antique-dish cupboards, old roll top desks, dovetailed firms, and other furniture. If you're having a look at furniture restoration as a method to a sale, it could be best to talk to a pro before making an attempt to do it yourself.

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Just like any other material, antique furniture pieces may deteriorate over time. When such happens, the owner is faced with the question of whether he should refinish or restore the antique piece. In choosing which process should be undertaken, it is vital for the antique owner to have a complete understanding of the difference between the two.

What is the difference between Antique Restoration and Antique Refinishing?

As the name implies, Antique Restoration process refers to the step by step procedures to "restore" the antique piece. Basically, the process ensures that the antique object will not lose its value or worth. Antique restoration may refer to light cleaning, antique refinishing, or conservation.

Antique refinishing is a method of antique restoration. In this restoration technique, the restorer usually prioritizes the upholding of the functionalities of the antique furniture.

For example, if the antique furniture is a table, the restorer would have to make sure that the legs of the table are in good shape and condition to hold some weight on the flat surface where food can be displayed. As such, aside from light cleaning or the process of removing dirt and stain from the item, reassembling and repainting should also be considered. However, the restorer should make sure that regardless of whatever he does, the antique furniture should be able to retain, if not totally increase its value.

The factors that should be considered

In deciding whether an antique piece should undergo refinishing, the restorer or the owner of the piece should consider the following factors:

The peculiarity of the furniture's design: Consider if the furniture piece has a unique design from the old or medieval years. If the furniture looks like a classic example of art from another century or decade, it would be preferable to do some light cleaning only to ultimately conserve the furniture piece instead of altering it and diminish its value.

The craftsman or the manufacturer of the furniture: There are some cases when the value of the furniture is based on who crafted such. Thus, the furniture is considered valuable and notable regardless of its age and functionality. In such cases, light cleaning is recommended as refinishing will ultimately make the item an ordinary furniture piece.

The basis of value: There are some instances where the restorer would have to choose what to prioritize- the age or the functionality of the antique furniture piece. In the case of tables, chairs, beds, closets, doors, and other huge furniture pieces that are not ideal for mere display, it is best and more practical to focus on the preservation of the antique's functionality. However, in the case of display items such as paintings, jars, lamps, and other small antique objects which can be displayed and used solely as a decorative art, some light cleaning or conservation will be the best way to go.

The cost of the restoration process: Budget is a prime consideration when restoring antique furniture pieces. The restorer would have to note that there are some furniture pieces that would need highly expensive materials in order to restore or refinish them. As such, in cases where antique furniture will be used only for home purposes, the more cost-effective restoration process should be considered.

Antique furniture refers to those interior furnishings that are of significant age. Generally, these furnishings function as human support fixtures such as beds, tables, and chairs; or storage equipment such as cabinets, drawers, shelves, and the like.

Apart from playing functional roles in the daily existence of men, antique furniture also function as decorations and designs in one's home. Antiques can also be in the form of religious or cultural symbols.

Basically, antique furniture can be made from various materials such as wood, metal, glass, or plastic. The value and price of an antique is basically based on its age, condition, and its peculiarity or uncommonness.

In the quest to preserve the value and price of such precious tools, people have tried various processes to "restore" antique furniture. Such art and science that was developed, is referred to as Antique Restoration.

Factors to Be Considered In Antique Restoration

The main purpose of antique restoration is to maintain the value and worth of the piece. As such, the usual main basis for the antique's worth is its age or its functionality. In restoring antique furniture, it is often necessary to first examine whether the age or the functionality of the item should be emphasized or prioritized.

Note that there are some antique furniture collectors who value the "patina" of the item. As such, they make it a point to examine if the appearance of the item still reflects its age and aesthetic value. In such cases where the age of the furniture should be reflected by its appearance, light cleaning should be made.

Light cleaning refers to the form of restoration that involves the process of removing the disfiguring dirt, grime, stain, or any other foreign materials that the furniture acquired through the years. However, careful consideration to maintain the "old" appearance of the furniture should be made. This type of antique restoration is usually applicable for paintings, jars, pots, goblets, and other small furniture.

On the other hand, there are some cases when the antique furniture is valued only when they seem useful or functional. This is usually the case of antique cabinets, chairs, tables, drawers and other storage furniture. As such, light cleaning will no longer be sufficient. Refinishing, stripping, and repairing should also be made. Such processes may entail the replacement of some parts of the antique furniture. Polishing and repainting can also be considered. However, regardless of the process that will be applied, it is important to note that the value of the antique should be retained or increased after the restoration process.

Another form of antique restoration is conservation. Unlike other restoration processes that aim to retain the object's functionality or appealing form, conservation is mainly concerned with the preservation of the remaining material. Note that in such cases, the value and worth of the antique solely depend on the fact that it is old.

Basically, conservation is highly applicable for an antique furniture piece that is only displayed. In the conservation process, the task of the antique restorer is to not to make the object seem new. Instead, he needs to stop or slow down the deterioration process of the antique material.