Refinishing 

Refinishing a piece of furniture can bring back the life and beauty of the wood and display the craftsmanship of furniture making of earlier times.  If you have a rare antique (Hepplewhite, Stickley et al.) you may want to keep the piece as is.  But most of us do not have such rare pieces or a room to display them.  Many people have furniture that has been in the family for years.  Great items are often found in antique stores or garage sales.  Whether it is a family piece or a garage sale find, often old or antique furniture needs fixing up – the chair needs repair to eliminate the wobble, the drawers of a chest need repair to function smoothly or maybe the color of the dining table does not match the rest of home's décor.  We can fix all these problems and make that piece of furniture a valuable addition to your home.  We believe in refinishing furniture to beautify but also to stand up to use in your home.  Stain is sealed with shellac, which gives a deep, rich tone to the wood.  A gel varnish is used to give a hand rubbed finish.  One coat of the gel varnish is comparable to two coats of sprayed lacquer.  Two coats of gel varnish will waterproof the surface.  We always apply two to three coats to vertical surfaces, three to five coats to horizontal surfaces. 

Repairs are done by following the design of the original construction using wood dowels and glue.  If it is wood we can fix it.  We have all the tools and products to take furniture back to its original shape.  If we need to veneer or make a new piece of wood we will.  Given enough time anything can be repaired.

Furniture Care

Care of your furniture is important.  Always use coasters and heat pads to protect the surface.  Do not use spray polishes (Pledge, Liquid Gold, etc.) that contain silicones.  We recommend lemon oil for cleaning and polishing.  All wood can use a lemon oil treatment once or twice a year.  You will need  a roll of paper towels and a bottle of lemon oil ( all brands are the same).  Pour lemon oil on a towel and apply to the wood surface.  Let it set for about twenty minutes.  Wipe off any excess.  Buff the surface until you see no residue on the towel.  For mahogany use “Old English Scratch Cover” for Light Woods.