FAQ

1. What makes a piece of furniture a good candidate for refinishing?

What does the piece mean to you? Do you have a place for it in your home?

Your furniture, heirlooms, and antiques can bring back many pleasant memories: Grandma knitting while sitting in that old rocker, Mom giving you the bedroom set she used as a little girl, so your little girl can use it now. How about that roll top desk that belonged to your father? The piano your took your first lessons on. We can save these precious items for you to enjoy for many years to come.

Look for good design, construction and engineering. Sometimes manufacturers will place their company’s name on the inside of the top left or right drawer. It means they had pride in their craftsmanship.

 

Also look for these clues:

Remove a drawer from a dresser and look at its construction. Does it have dovetail joints at all corners? Does the bottom have a wooden center guide with corner blocks?

Open up a dining table. Look at the table glide. It can be made of wood or metal and should be easy to open and close. Look at the legs; is it a solid looking joint with two bolts?

The best dining chair construction has the rear leg integrated into the back with a removable upholstered seat

There are many methods of construction. Please call us before you make a purchase or consider restoration. We are happy to answer your questions by phone, email, or by inspection in your home.

2. Can wood furniture be stripped and refinished to a different color than the original finish?

Generally, the answer is yes; especially if you want the new finish darker than the original. If the new finish desired is to be lighter in color, the answer is dependent on the type of wood. Most soft woods, such as pine, will absorb more stain than the harder woods, such as oak. When soft woods are stripped, they may not lighten up to their original unstained color. These pieces can only be lightened to the extent that the stripped wood allows.

3. What’s the difference between refinishing and refurbishing?

Refinishing a piece of furniture is the most extensive enhancement of its appearance. It involves stripping the pieces down to the bare wood, staining it, sealing it, and spraying finish on it. After all this work it will look like new. This process is very labor intensive and therefore costly.

Refurbishing offers a less labor intensive alternative to beautifying wood furniture. The finish is not stripped off. Instead the piece is cleaned very thoroughly with minor dents and scratches repaired. The furniture is then sprayed with a clear lacquer finish to impart sheen to the wood. The piece will NOT look like new but will look considerably more attractive than it did.

4. Will refinishing hurt the value of my vintage antique furniture?

Quite often your furniture will appreciate after restoration, rather than depreciate. If, after evaluating your piece, we feel that a restoration would hurt its value, we will inform you of this.

5. How long will it take to have furniture stripped, repaired, and refinished?

Standard turnaround time is approximately 2-4 weeks; however, the time involved in refinishing the piece may vary depending on the size, condition, and complexity of the piece.

6. Is my furniture worth refinishing?

Typically, furniture is restored because it has aesthetic value, sentimental value or historical value. The first and last are simply calculated financial considerations. Sentimental value is not calculated easily. Family history is often associated with furniture handed down through the generations. These pieces deserve special consideration when weighing the cost of refinishing.

7. If my furniture is missing a piece, can you replace it?

Of course we have a fully equipped woodworking shop with skilled craftsmen available to repair or replace any missing pieces of your fine furniture.