Should Antique Furniture Be Refinished
The next step is to identify and assess any damage to the piece and make a plan to remedy any problems.
Should antique furniture be refinished. On Antiques Road Show a couple that had an antique Arts and Crafts Stickley table chairs and buffet had the pieces refinished because they were damaged during a hurricane. But refinishing isnt always the best solution to make an older or antique piece of furniture look nice. Keep track of all your supply costs and try to break it down per project.
Anyone who has watched the Antiques Roadshow on television has heard it would have been worth a lot more if it hadnt been refinished. If youd like to replicate that look you can do the same. If youd like to tone down that sheen you could choose a satin finish.
At the same point in time you might find pieces of furniture that are totally out of style that are copies of an original and often its been reproduced later its not going to have as much value. Antiques before and after Oak Furniture restoration Shady Lawn Antiques. Thanks for the tip to makeover your antique furniture if you dont like its finish.
According to Carrocel Restoration you can also tackle some furniture restoration jobs yourself. Awhile ago we at Antiques Roadshow received a letter from Professional Refinishing editor Bob Flexner pointing out that our apparent obsession my word not his with original finish has had the effect of misleading the public about what repairing and refinishing actually do to the value of furniture - most furniture that is. If the trunk only needs a little cleaning and polishing your elbow grease can enhance its value.
Maple pieces made from the 1890s through the 1920s are often a beautiful figured birds eye or tiger maple and will have a strong yellow tone if you refinish. Decide whether the old finish should come off or if a thorough cleaning will do. And if it is significantly damaged unless you are an experienced refinisher this is a job best left to the pros.
After cleaning you will know better what you are working with. In some cases you can restore an antique trunk yourself according to Shenandoah Antique Restoration. For example dont add the full price of a can of paint if you only used half of it on a dresser.