Essentials Of Antique Furniture Restoration MA

By Ruth Stone


In any household, wood furniture acts as the most commonly used interior decoration in Hudson MA. They are also prone to dust and stains hence need proper cleaning. However, the ones which have seen better days require immediate intervention to resuscitate them. This will therefore call for antique furniture restoration MA in order to pass it down through generations from one family member to the other.

The process of restoration is usually time consuming, but not necessarily complicated when various guidelines are kept in mind. To begin with, the individual should consider his or her safety. This process requires the usage of chemicals and tools that may be hazardous. In this regard, protective gear such as rubber gloves, goggles and long sleeves should be worn.

The next activity deals with identifying the type of antique finish that was originally used. Some of them are difficult to determine their types through observation. Shellac and lacquer are a perfect example of such finishes. Denatured alcohol should be applied in a less conspicuous site and wait for the reaction. If they come off, it definitely pinpoints that such a finish is shellac. Others made of oil or wax is easily identifiable since they do not shine.

The next thing to do now is cleaning the surface to be restored. In this case, oil based cleaner comes in handy to get rid of all dirt layers evident on the surface. In the event those stubborn stains persist, a concoction of detergent together with warm water will work. This is applied by the use a clean rag. After this activity, the surface needs rinsing with a soft cloth so as to prevent the water from causing damages on the wood.

In order to remove long scratches, sanding becomes the next thing to do. In this case, experts recommend the use of fine sandpaper since it enables all the scratches to be gotten rid of. There are many types of papers to use, but the most effective one is the one with aluminum oxide abrasive on its back. Additionally, good lighting is mandatory in order for you to be able to observe all the coarse scratches.

Immediately the surface has been perfectly sanded down, staining is the next thing to do. Such instances call for the use of pigmented wiping stain. This is because it is formulated to highlight grains in all the species of wood. Application is made possible using a brush and after that, it should be allowed some time before wiping is carried out. The rags and materials used for handling these chemicals need to be stored in airtight containers from safety reasons.

The next activity deals with finishing. In order to keep it less complicated, consider wiping the finish on the surface. In most cases, this is done by putting the finish on using a soft cloth and keeping it wet for quite some time. A period of one day is allowed for drying before light sanding. The finish is then applied after sanding.

For maintenance purposes an individual should give the antique furniture a piece of good cleaning using a light oil based product. These products are easily sourced from a number of supply stores within Hudson MA. If the above mentioned guidelines are to be followed, an individual is likely to go through the restoration process with ease even if he or she is a beginner.




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