Refinishing Antiques can be a tricky business.  Altering a antique can often remove any value it holds.  Option like turning it over to an professional, or simple cleaning is often the best option for a piece with value.

Refinishing Antique Furniture

It is well known that many collectors seized with the urge to do their own work start with refinishing and gradually progress to repair work. To the beginner, refinishing looks easy, anyone can do it. Just keep applying remover until the old finish has disappeared, rub a little with sandpaper and put on a coat or two of varnish or shellac. But anyone who tries it usually has his doubts about its being "easy" long before the process of removing the old finish has been completed.

Refinishing old furniture could cost you big bucks

One word about refinishing antiques is sufficient. Don't. It's not that you can't physically remove the old finish and put on a new one, the problem is that the old finish, no matter how dark and ugly, is extremely valuable to antique collectors. The original finish is part of the provenance, or history of the piece, and therefore can't be removed without losing the most visible proof of its age.

Turning Old Furniture New: When Refinishing Isn't Necessary

If you are an avid watcher of the television show The Antiques Road Show or other similar shows, you will know that it is a BIG no, no to do any work, as in re-finishing, re-building or re-storing to old antiques.

How to Clean Wood Furniture

Anyone who has ever owned antique or just plain old wood furniture knows that sometimes you need to give it a deep cleaning. Some people believe the only way to clean old wood furniture is to refinish is, but often all  the furniture needs is to be cleaned.

How to Clean Wood Furniture Antique Pieces

I have many years of experience in cleaning antique furniture, and have explained how to clean wood furniture many times before while liquidating estates, running an antique business and while participating in historic  restoration projects. Cleaning antique furniture just requires a little common sense, a gentle touch, and a little instruction on how to clean wood furniture without using harmful cleaning products.

Turning Old Furniture New: When Refinishing Isn't Necessary

Every once in a while, you run across an old piece of wood furniture that just looks like it has been part of a war zone. The wood appears faded, water spots are scattered along the surfaces, and something waxy or gummy  is streaked down one table leg. Everything points to only two ideas; either trash the piece or refinish it.

How to Restore Antique Furniture

Garage sale and flea market hunting used to be one of my favorite pastimes. I loved seeing what treasures I could find hiding under the coats of paint, damaged wood and warped exterior of furniture others had thrown out  or were selling for a few bucks.