What does furniture restoration actually entail? Furniture is one of the most important aspects when it comes to the topic of interior design. Furniture gives definition to your room by bringing out the signature of a person’s particular style and aesthetic sense. In fact, now with the option of bespoke furniture, you can create your own custom-made furniture allowing you to portray your personality beautifully through your furniture.
People always try to purchase furniture that is unique to them, their style, etc., which is why people do not prefer to change their furniture in a hurry and opt to hold on to them for as long as possible. The way to keep furniture last for long is by doing furniture restoration. This basically refers to the cleaning of the furniture unit at regular intervals along with repairing any broken or wrongly functioning parts, as and when they come up. Restoration of Furniture is irreplaceable in order to maintain the structural integrity of the furniture unit. Also, if the unit is an Antique one (vintage furniture), then keeping up its exterior appearance (patterns and/or designs), also falls under restoration.
Things to Keep in Mind Before Making the Decision
Furniture is extremely important to the person who owns it. They treasure it so much, that they are ready to spend quite a lot of money for repairing them when the need arises, and this has become a sought after and revered profession. But it is always better to make an informed decision and make sure that your furniture unit actually is in need of restoration. Here are the steps to check that –
- One of the first things to check in the furniture restoration is whether or not the unit is actually painted. In case the old shade is not available, the whole unit of furniture may completely lose its aesthetic identity if painted in a different shade. Also, owners of second-hand furniture must always think twice before trying to restore it, as there have been instances where previous owners simply hid damage (dents, holes, stains, etc.) with paint.
- Another important check should be done on the structural integrity of the furniture piece. Quality furniture restoration does not come cheap and it would be distressing if a lot of money was spent on a furniture piece that would not last for long.
- While testing for integrity, thorough checking will also reveal whether furniture restoration has to be done or not. It may not always seem worth the effort.
- The final look of the furniture, post-restoration, must also be kept in mind before diving into the process. In case, it is deduced that the resulting look does not truly reflect the true style of the furniture, restoration can be overlooked. This process is mainly carried out on antique furniture, owing to its price and it is important for antique furniture pieces to have their own aesthetic signature.
The Steps of Furniture Restoration
One of the most important things to do in order to properly maintain your furniture is to clean your furniture so as to not let any kind of muck or dirt accumulate on or inside the particular furniture unit. This, in fact, is the first step in the whole process of furniture restoration. In case of furniture units that have paint re-work to be done, next need to have their paint cleaned of them, generally using paint and/or lacquer thinner after using some kind of paint scraper(s) to scrape the topcoat off.
Smoothening tools like power sanders, sandpaper, etc. are next in line as then you need to smoothen out the surface(s) of the furniture. After being taken apart, when the heart of the furniture is exposed, it is when the major repair work is done which includes sealing the damage, restoring dysfunctional mechanisms, etc. Then finally everything is taken in the reverse order and glued back into their original place(s).
To conclude, quality restoration does have the power to bring the furniture back alive again, but the decision to have it restored should be taken only after weighing up all the options.