How to Restore Antique Furniture without decreasing value?

Question

My wife has an old dressor that is a family heirloom.She doesn't want to restore it without knowing it won't effect its value (a matter of originallity). It has come apart a bit and is in need of restoration. Can I just glue it back together with clamps, sand it down and throw a clear coat finish on it?

Answer 1

You can glue it back together, but don't sand it or refinish. If you want to retain value, just clean it. Furniture stores, piano stores, etc use the two step process with Doozy.

Doozy Pre-Cleaner, [phone], www.doozy.com to find where in your area you can purchase it. Doozy products can be found at hardware and furniture stores or buy direct from the company on the Web or by phone. Spray on and wipe off with a 100 percent cotton cloth. You will be amazed at how fast that rag turns dark.

After deep cleaning, give them a protective coat of Doozy Furniture Polish.

This stuff works wonders on kitchen cabinets that are grimey from cooking grease too

Answer 2

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Answer 3

Heirloom value cannot be measured.
If you think it has value as an antique, it is best to leave it alone until you determine its worth.
if appraisor approves, might consider re-gluing if it will save it from further collapse.& repairs are not visible.
A good piece is best restored by a professional to preserve it's value.
If ti is considered to ba a DIY project, Re-glue before any refinishing is attempted.
Hide or fish glues were most commonly use on older pieces & require clamping & adequate drying time.
Natural glue does not fill gaps well & relied on tight joints to
bond well.
Remove as much of the old glue as possible then reglue, adding hardwood gluing blocks if there are splits around joints from having opened up.
Avoid sanding.
The original finish on older pieces was most likely shellac or varnish & possibly laquer.
(Shellac will get tacky if tested w/ a little denatured alcohol ).
Less is more so it would be best to just clean it for starters.
A simple cleaning using a hard furniture wax ( Butcher's wax ) & a terrycloth rag or fine bronze wool is one way.
Avoid sanding..please.
There are other products available in kits ( Formby's is one) that will remove surface grime & wax & leave the original finish mostly intact.
A complete refinish requires removal of all the old finish before a new one is applied.
Shops rarely do a complete stripping unless the piece has been painted or the original finish is badly damaged.
Oil finishes, shellac or a "french polish finish are easy to apply by hand as well as touch up.
They will also give a warmer finish & enhance the grain.
Synthetic clearcoats will look like a synthetic clearcoat & not the rich look it took years of ageing to achieve.
Hope that helps.
Best of luck.

Answer 4

Sure - then throw it in the dump, because it won't be worth anything. (I restore antique furniture for a living.)
Gluing, when done correctly (meaning the end product doesn't look like its been fixed) has no effect on value; but stripping (with a sander, no less) will destroy it like that.
Why strip it at all? If its absolutely necessary, do it with a chemical stripper, not sander. Many times I've been given the task to fix what a belt-sanding has destroyed (its easy to go right through a 1/64 of an inch veneer - and then what would you do?)
I'd glue it with Titebond III, give it a wax job and call it good.

Answer 5

No. As far as the repairs go, if you are just using woodglue and no new nails,screws or hinges,that aren't authentic to the piece, then by all means repair, but put a strip of wood under both sides of the clamps so there will be no indentations in the furniture. And don't ever sand down and coat a piece until you've talked to an antique dealer or appraisor ,as he will imform you as to wether you should leave it as is, or he will inform you as to how to go about refinishing. Most usually refer you to an antique refurbisher who will use the right products and methods to keep it as close to the way it would have originally looked in it's mint condition. Don't even replace old tarnished handles, knobs,hardware of any kind or mirrors, as that could lower the value tremendously.

Answer 6

Most definitely repair loose joints and make the furniture sound. Do NOT sand! Use furniture refinisher. This does not remove the finish, but 'melts' the old finish and restores it. (Homer Formby's brand comes to mind. Although, I have heard that other cheaper brands work just as good.) After refinishing, apply tung oil to seal and protect it.

This will restore the piece without decreasing it's value.

Answer 7

Antique Furniture with Oriental Rugs!

Answer 8

I don't know if you've ever seen any episodes of Antiques Road Show or This Old House, but both suggest that depending on the age of the furniture, it's origin, and possible value "Unrestored" you should definitely check with someone knowledgeable locally, such as an antiques appraiser.

Many times, no matter how degraded a piece may be, the patinas, finishes, and construction of a piece create its value "AS IS", and best left alone at times also adds to the probability that the value will increase.

In researching the above, I'd definitely connect with a pro restorer and appraiser if only for an educated assesment, before doing anything. Just one Wolfs opinion.

Steven Wolf

Answer 9

You can glue it back together, but the moment you sand and refinish it, you will destroy much of its' antique value. Better to just try to clean up the old finish with a little mild soap and a water and a soft rag.

Answer 10

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