How to restore a old clothing trunk?

Question

Inside of trunk is good.Little smelly,but outside is bad.Needs sanding or??????

Answer 1

That would depend on the exact style of trunk you have. Is the inside paper lined and the paper is flaking off? The paper lining is there to hide the nails on the inside. Most trunks were made of very thin pine. The nails were driven through the metal corners or whatever and a heavy metal bar or plate was placed inside. The bar made the nails curve or bend against the inside of the wood, leaving a rough surface inside that could snag fine clothing. So they were lined with something. The old style nails are available from trunk restoration companies, as is most of the old hardware, locks, hinges etc. If your trunk is covered with embossed metal, let me know. I refinished one of those that came out great, but it is an involved process. Good luck!

Answer 2

Old trunks come in so many variations, that some people may have trouble with this question. Many of those old ones have cloth (muslin or canvas) varnished onto the wood. If so, you want to be careful sanding that area. I'd check first, for loose nails and screws, then try pulling off any metal including locks and hinges. Depending on the condition of it, you may have to strip the old finish, or just sand the whole thing smooth. Give it a couple coats of polyurethane varnish -either high gloss or satin, depending on your own preference. If the hardware is rusty, brush it well, and maybe even use some rust-disolver chemical. I'd use a brush wheel on a motor, rather than a handheld wire brush. After the metal is all cleaned, give each piece a coat of spray-on clear plastic finish, to prevent further rust. After this dries, put the metal back on and enjoy. A slight musty odor inside says it's old. You can usually kill that with a spray of diluted household bleach. Spray at the beginning of the project and by the time you're done, the inside will be dry and ready for use.

Answer 3

If the outside surface is wood,and you plan on sanding , be careful not to sand to deep, as some wood workers in the old days applied a thin layer of laminated wood on top of the surface to enhance the quality of wood used for the finish. I would suggest applying a small amount of Bleach on a lent free cloth and wiping the trunk in a not so noticeable area . Bleach will often remove stains and wood discoloration and bring it to a faded grey color. Then if you desire , you can apply a wood stain to change the color. After this you need to wipe off any stain residue with Tact cloth and spray a clear wood sealer to prevent it from ever loosing it color again.

Answer 4

The wear and tear is part of its history and charm,restoration may be possible but costly,the value of these trunks are fairly nominal.If it has any travel stickers,shipping labels or owners names do not remove them as that adds to the romance of the item and collectability.

Answer 5

I would leave it as-is. I like old, authentic furniture. Air it out for a while if the inside smells and then put an air freshener inside.

Answer 6

sand it down and give it a new coat of varnish or paint

Answer 7

sand, varnish, polish, varnish and polish.