How to restore antique furniture to its original beauty
Restoring old furniture includes handling any part of work that is required to get an old dresser or table as close to its former glory as physically possible. To collectors, it's often more than only a facelift - it's making the piece usable again, and perhaps increasing its worth. Here are some tips that can offer you some assistance with making the old and vintage, new and vibrant once more.
Old Furniture Polish
Traditional antique furniture was regularly restored with a blend of linseed oil and different chemicals. It was a simple polish that was intended to defend against a miniscule contact of water. Furniture dating back further than 50 years ago may benefit from utilizing this blend, but it is inadequate for modern lifestyles and protection that lasts beyond 50 more years.
More current furniture is regularly topped with a polyurethane covering. Polyurethane is a reliable and strong solution that can take a great deal of adversity before requiring reapplication. Oil timber polishes are in most cases preferred when dealing with more valuable or costly furniture.
Instructions to make minor Furniture Repairs
After some time, all furniture endures blemishes and bruises, no matter how careful the owner may be. Regular issues like water marks, stains, scratches and scrapes are perfectly normal.
Water Damage
Water marks and rings are a standout amongst the most widely recognized flaws found on furniture. These spots are frequently created by icy beverages left sitting for a really long time on wooden surfaces. Water buildup from the surface of a chilly glass will saturate the polish and make the white rings you see. The rings themselves are essentially waterlogged wood.
One strategy to use for removing water stains is warmth, which will bring about the water that is affecting the polish to dissipate, subsequently wiping out the ring altogether.
Try this with a hair dryer, by warming the surface and bringing the water up and out of the affected area. For a more controlled heat, you can use an iron placed over a towel.
Cuts and Scrapes
Believe it or not, most surface-level scuffs can be fixed without having to hire a professional. You can smooth out the surface with a wood restoration polish, which will buff away any damage, similar to those paint scuff removers for cars.
Total Makeovers
If your furniture has lost most of its finish and adding a new layer on top of it just looks terrible, you’ll need to take it all off and restore the wood to its original surface. That means sanding it down and smoothing it so that the wood can take the new finish completely. In most cases you want apply two even coats of finish for maximum protection.
If you find the whole process of refinishing old furniture intimidating, you may want to consider hiring a professional to do it for you. There are many antique experts out there, each specializing in their own category or materials (wood, metal, fabrics, etc.) There are plenty of restoration experts out there, however not all of them are experienced with antiques, so be sure to do your research.
It all comes down to how much of value the antique is, either monetarily or sentimentally. If it does have a high cash value, your choice is just a matter of investment, but if it’s a priceless antique that has been in the family, it could be much more emotionally rewarding to take the task upon yourself.