Restoring Antique Wood Furniture

Antique wood furniture pieces make popular collectibles due to their classic flair and nostalgic look. If you want to revamp your antique wooden furniture to restore its beauty, follow the steps below to do this project without having to spend a lot of money.

Step 1 – Clean the Furniture

Start the restoration project by giving the furniture a thorough cleaning. Use the steel wool to remove areas with dirt, but do not scrub too vigorously as you might scrape the surface. If your furniture has a painted finish for more pronounced grains, do not use the steel wool, but opt for the hard bristle toothbrush instead.

If the furniture piece is not too dirty, remove dust and grime with a soft lint free cloth. Do not use any harsh cleaning chemicals, and not even water, as these can damage the finish of the furniture. Instead, use lemon oil beeswax, which can remove oil, dirt, grime, grease, mold, mildew and silicone while keeping the furniture finish intact. Apply the lemon oil beeswax using the toothbrush or soft cloth.

Step 2 – Examine the Furniture

After you’re done cleaning, carefully examine the furniture to decide for yourself if it already looks beautiful. Don’t worry about minor defects as these are part and parcel of the antique’s quality. You can further improve the look of the furniture by buffing it with lemon oil beeswax. This feeds the wood and beautifies it over time. Wipe the areas in a circular motion. Repeat this process at least once a month.

Step 3 – Make Necessary Repairs

If there are major defects on the furniture, such as a broken chair leg or loose hinges, then you need to bring the piece to a skilled wood repair center. Unless you’re confident with your handy skills, it would be better to leave this job to the professional. If the required repair is simple enough, you can do it yourself. If you are going to reassemble the piece, just make sure that you use the original glue called hide glue, which is made from animal hides.

When restoring antique furniture, there is no need to strip or refinish it. This would only decrease the value of the antique. Just follow the simple steps mentioned above and you can be on your way to having a stunning piece of antique furniture that you can add to your collection.