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Furniture Restoration

When it comes to furniture restoration, often the piece of furniture just needs a good clean. Here are some basic tips on how to restore furniture and how to clean it up.

Waxy Build Up

When most people think they have a wax build up, most likely the culprit is a softened finish. Oil from your skin, food oils, and some detergents can break down a finish making it sticky, which in turn collects dirt and grime. Particularly if the problem lies on an area that is frequently touched. To clean it, try using mineral spirits as your cleaning agent and a cleaning rag or steel wool.

Painting Over An Existing Finish

To paint over an existing finish, there are few things to consider. One is the overall condition of the original finish. Most factory finishes are applied in lacquer and older finishes tend to lose their plasticity and develop hairline cracks. If this has happened to your piece or you have bare or worn spots, it may be worthwhile to go ahead and strip the old finish off. Otherwise the cracks will show up in the finished project.

If your finish looks sound, you need to start by removing all the hardware and any removeable parts to make the job easier.

Removing Colour

Stripping colour does not necessarily remove the colour from the wood. It may not be possible to lighten the piece to the desired colour if the original stain is dark. As a general rule, you can always go darker, but you cannot always lighten the finish later. Just to be safe, before staining a light wood, make sure that you are comfortable with it being dark forever. If your furniture has been stained with an aniline dye, you can use Stain-away to bleach it out. Make sure you work outdoors and use a respirator.

What Kind Of Finish Is It?

To determine what kind of finish you are dealing with, you will need to do a solvent test. Put some acetone or nail polish on a finger and rub it into an inconspicuous spot to see if the finish starts to soften. If it does, you are dealing with nitrocellulose lacquer which is predominately used in the furniture industry. If it doesn't soften, repeat the test using denatured alcohol. If it softens with alcohol, you have a shellac finish. If neither seems to soften the finish, you are dealing with varnish, polyurethane, catalysed lacquer, conversion varnish or polyester which are all non-reactive finishes that cannot be re-dissoved by their original solvent.

MOST COMMON MISTAKES

• Neglecting to apply the finish smoothly, leaving streakes and ridges.
• Not allowing the finish to dry long enough between coats.
• Shaking or stirring a clear finish too fast, creating bubbles which show on the finished piece.

Finishes range from lacquers, varnishes and polyurethane to penetrating resins, catalytic sealers and natural waxes. These come in various degrees of sheen from high gloss and semi-gloss or satin to a matte or dull finish. All have different manufacturers application and drying instructions to follow. Your chosen finish should be durable, waterproof, and good looking. One with a slow drying time will give you more control over any build-up or lap marks that could cause problems. Problems can occur with a quick-drying finish.

The hardeners in some finishes settle to the bottom, so it is important that you stir well, but slowly and gently to avoid cerating bubbles.

For easy application, work on a horizontal surface at a comfortabel level as much as possible. Apply the finish with a natural bristle brush in a steady and smooth manner. Do not overload the applicator. It is better to return to your well frequently. Too much finish and an aggressive application can stir up bubbles, which can dry and pimple the surface.

When working into carvings and crevices, take care to apply a uniform coat with a minimum of runs. After the finish is applied, go over the work with a dry brush to even out the beaded areas and depressions. Follow the manufacturer's recommendation for the number of coats and drying time.

For a finishing touch, apply one or two coats of fine past wax, to protect the finish and increase the lustre. Buff thoroughly between wax coats with a lambswool buffing pad using your electric drill. Renew the finish from time to time. A wax finish has a luxurious apearance but the wax can build up over time. Use a wax remover to take off the old wax. Then apply a new coat and buff again. 

The final step is careful reassembly of the disassembled pieces and the cleaned hardware.

Tip: When working indoors, cover the floor with a thick layer of plastic covered with a canvas drop cloth.

HIDC Exhibitor(s) who specialise in this area;

Peninsula Curtains and Blinds