Authentic Upholstery

It is not always easy to perform restoration work on antique furniture items. Sometimes, even the most efficient restoration jobs can be detrimental for an old chair or table thereby decreasing its value. One thus needs to exercise suitable measures to maintain an antique furniture.

Advantages

There are a number of benefits that one reap by getting restoration work done on their antique furniture. In case the piece is not specifically valuable, restoring damaged wood and finish can greatly enhance its usefulness and beauty. This is because most old furniture items have timeworn finishes which are damaged more readily by aging or dampness.

Types

In Sydney, many companies offer different types of antique furniture restoration services. The most fundamental one is refinishing that involves stripping or sanding off old finish, removing dings or scratches, and applying new finish. At times, severely rotted or damaged furniture may necessitate replacement of wood during restoration. Damaged or worn hardware like locks, hinges, latches, etc., can be replaced as well.

Considerations

An antique furniture must never be restored overly, except for the parts that need to be reverted to their original condition. If a professional firm is hired for getting the restoration work done, they should be requested to make use of traditional products like lacquer or shellac as finish instead of modern finishes such as polyurethane. It is also important to ensure that the firm would use authentic materials and products. And even before hiring any firm, one must consult a reputed antique dealer and decide what is best.

Time Frame

A big restoration project like a filigreed armoire or pie safe can require a few months for completion, even if the professional restoration firm is well-staffed. An amateur can increase the duration by spending more time on sanding and stripping. Besides that, ornate trim of antique furniture may need careful attention to notches and corners, and a lot of hand-sanding. In case the task of salvaging the piece is being done at home, it can take more than some months.

Misconceptions

As has been stated already, antique furniture restoration can sometimes reduce original value of the piece. Collectors of historically important or extremely old pieces generally seek the original finish for sake of authenticity, irrespective of whether it is damaged or flawed. What is regarded as a well-restored piece that has been refinished using modern hardware or products, can be considered spoiled by a collector.