There are so many skills and techniques to restoration, Often the approach adopted is based purely on experience. Time and practice has meant, many techniques though complex are can be done relatively quickly for amazing results.

What is furniture repair?

Furniture repair simply means the art of mending broken or damaged furniture. It covers a broad range of things, from fixing a loose chair to restoring damaged pieces of furniture. Normally this is the perfect definition for furniture repair, but to simplify it further it consists of three main procedures

• Fixing loose parts

• Restoring damaged parts

Nails, screws and brackets

The usage of nails and screws do more damage than help in repairing a piece of furniture.

This is especially true when it comes to antique furniture restoration, the right way to repair antique furniture is with glue and clamps.

Knowledge

Over the years I have built up a lot of knowledge and expertise when it comes to antique furniture restoration. Before I start work on a new job I analyze each step and its consequences before actually putting them into action. This process helps me to get a clear picture about the piece of furniture I am working on. I get to know which parts are actually loose or broken. It also helps to have knowledge on the type of joinery, wood species, wood grain and finish that is required for the piece I am working on.

When it comes to furniture repairs, I always prefer to use most of the original parts that I can, rather than adding new timber. It also helps that I have collected a large amount of antique timber from broken furniture. This also helps when replacing missing sections as they have a similar grain and finish to match in with the repair. It helps to maintain the look and authenticity of the piece I am working on.

History of the piece

When you are dealing with antique furniture it is important to know the history of the piece. When a restorer is dealing with antique furniture he should carry out repairs in the same manner and technique as they were carried out generations ago. This shows the quality of your skills and workmanship.

It is believed that French polishing came into existence in the late 19th century, but the tradition of using shellac is as old as 3000 years.

French polishing is mostly used on antique furniture. It is often misinterpreted to be the finish that is applied on wood, but it is in reality the technique of applying shellac to the timber surface. The result of this process is a solid surface which is formed with a highly glossy and mirror like finish.

The pieces I polish with the shellac is dulled down with fine steel wool and then polished with Beeswax furniture polish.

This helps protect the surface and also gives it a more natural and warm look.

French polishing became popular in the Victorian era, but it was not given as much importance in the 20th century as it was a more tedious and a time consuming job.

This is also when modern finishes start to arrive which were considered more durable. But the fact remains true that this “lost art” provides the best finish for wooden furniture.

The art of using shellac for furniture has been followed by woodworkers since the early 1800’s. It is proficient in many ways, shellac is non-toxic it can be utilized as a sealer before applying a stain, it can be mixed with almost any color and it is very simple to repair when it is damaged after use.

Apart from the positive aspects there are also some negative aspects to it. Shellac has the ability to dry up very quickly hence it cannot provide the wood protection against water or heat. This makes people believe that applying shellac is a very difficult process.

What is Shellac?

Shellac is actually obtained from the resin of an insect that are mostly found in South East Asian forests. The resin which is secreted by the insect is collected from the bark of the trees and when it is refined and takes the form of light brown or orange flakes. To form a usable finish, it is mixed with alcohol and then applied.

What’s the quickest and easiest way to make antique furniture look great?

The most effective way to make antique furniture look as good as new is the application of either polish or wax.

When you are selecting the polish, you must also know what was the original finish used.

The furniture polish which is typically applied on Antique pieces of furniture are, lacquer, shellac, urethanes, varnishes, oil, French polish and bees wax.

Not sure what polish will do?

You have to try it first and make sure you are happy with the results.

You can try using it first on a furniture leg or the lower sections of the furniture that are not as noticeable. This will enable you to examine how the furniture polish will react to a given piece of furniture.

For determining this, inspect the piece of furniture from various angles. Look for any kind of dark blotches or stains. This might be a sign that the polish is being absorbed in areas where the finish is damaged.

To make sure that you are using the right polish in future, checking to see if you are happy with the results is especially important.

Is it a polish or a finish?

The answer to this question is quite simple, most of the furniture polishes do not act as an overall finish. So to determine this fact, you have to read the labels carefully before purchasing the product. You might come across some finishes that utilise the word “polish” in their name, like for example – Liberon Easy French Polish, a great product used to apply a finish, but not something to clean your dining room table with.

Involves the removal of old damaged veneer and replacing it with a new one using the same techniques, wood and adhesives that were used originally.

Involves the skilful replacement of inlays found on wooden boxes and on the top of tables and desks. The inlays are often made of brass, ivory or wood. Ladson Restorations is much sort after by antique dealers for their inlay work.

Ladson Antique restoration is your chair repair expert on the Sunshine Coast.

Chairs seem be my most popular job as most people are using them in their daily life. They seem to get more use and abuse than most other pieces in your home. You also get to see a lot of bad repairs where people have tried to fix it themselves. People put screws in joints and use the wrong type of glues for the job. This ends up taking more time and costs more to repair when it can be done right the first time by an expert.

Mentioned below is a step by step process which will give you a clear picture of how I mend a broken chair when it is brought to me.

The chair mentioned below is an antique chair which was originally constructed in 1900. When it was brought to me it was very wobbly and loose. Lucky the chair was bought in before any further damage was caused.

To begin:

The first thing I needed to do was detach the wooden plugs which are used to cover the screws located at the arm-to-back and arm support-to-seat. As soon as the screws were taken out, the arms of the chair came off. I also removed the seat and the corner blocks.

After that, using a rubber mallet I dismantled the stretchers, legs and arms. All of the detached parts were examined for any kind of breakage or cracks. As it is seen in common cases the back frame of the chair was solid and it did not need to be removed.

After the whole chair was dismantled, all the residual glue was removed from the joints.

Now while all of this process is going on one thing to keep in mind is that the parts of the chair have to be dismantled in a proper way so that they can be put back together. If a mistake happens, it proves to be very damaging as even if one part is misplaced the overall appearance of the chair is affected.

All the disassembled parts were cleaned and also the joints on the oak chair were cleaned, I then re-glue the parts using the correct glue for the job and put back all the dismantled pieces as they were before. Clamps are used to pull the joints tight and the chair was left to dry overnight. Many of the missing wooden plugs were restored. Wooden plugs are found in countless shapes, sizes and species of wood.

To finish up

For the last bit of finishing a fresh coat of light oak furniture wax was applied and it was buffed to a soft sheen.

Does your bentwood chair need a new cane seat?

I am going to be brutally honest with you, there is not a single readymade replacement seat that is already caned.

If you want your cane seat to be replaced, here’s a quick list of things that you might want to do.

Tighten first.

Sturdiness and stability is a must for any chair, when it comes to replacing the cane seat you also have to keep in mind these factors. Glue is only needed to join the top of the front legs. All of the other parts are joined by screws.

Hand cane or cane webbing:

Before replacing the old cane seat, you need to make sure if it is hand cane or cane webbing. A hand cane is woven by workers strand by strand and it goes through holes in the wooden frame. To identify a hand cane, you just have to turn the chair over and if you find the cane on the other side the seat it is definitely a hand cane. If you want to identify a cane webbing look for the spline around the surface of the chair.

Antique bentwood chairs mostly have hand cane seats. Though many have been transformed from hand cane, to cane webbing. There are two main reasons for this, time and money. Cane webbing is the affordable option when compared to hand cane. Such conversions are one of the services I can provide in my shop. The main reason behind doing such conversions are that it is cost effective and does not decrease the strength of the frame. For Bentwood style chairs it is very easy to identify which type of cane has been used as on the top it will either have a spline holding the cane in or you will be able to see the cane threaded through the holes underneath the chair frame.

Replace the cane seat

The most difficult part of restoring the cane webbing is removing the spline and cleaning the groove. Once this is completed, a pre-woven sheet of cane is cut exactly to fit in position and installed and a whole new spline is glued in.

Once that’s done the chair is left to dry and the cane is stained to match

Make the new look old

This procedure is especially important for antique furniture. Even if the seat is new, we carry out this process to match the chair to others especially if the chair is part of a set.

Danish furniture has become very popular, I have been doing more restoration on these types pieces over recent years. Danish furniture is usually made of tough and hard wood like teak or ash. Danish furniture is simple and beautiful at the same time. Danish furniture is most famous for its tough construction along with an attractive, beautiful finish. Danish furniture rose to fame in the early 1960’s, various objects like the hardy dressers, coffee tables, chairs, credenzas and dining room tables have been popular for many decades. There are many antique furniture lovers out there who would do anything to have Danish furniture in their home. There are certain ways in which you can make your Danish furniture look as good as new.

Caring for Danish Furniture:

Danish furniture requires special care and attention when it comes to restoration and maintenance. Although this kind of furniture is durable in its nature and stands the test of time, proper maintenance will increase its longevity. Here are some tips for maintenance:

Cleaning: When you want to clean your Danish furniture, always use a soft cotton cloth to dust, you can even wet it a bit for better results. If you have a small build up of dirt or grime, you can use a mild soap or oil for cleaning. Never use chemical cleaners.

Oiling: Oiling or waxing the wood on a monthly basis will keep the wood in good condition. For this you can use various types of oil like teak oil, Danish oil or a beeswax furniture polish. When you are applying the oil make sure you do not leave any extra oil be on the furniture, wipe away the extra oil from the furniture and let it dry in air.

Tips for care: Never keep Danish furniture in direct sunlight as the sunlight can dry out and bleach the timber. When you are using your Danish table always use coasters for placing under a glass or cups to protect the surface as water or alcohol can damage the finish.

It is indeed a fact that maintaining Danish furniture can be tedious and time-consuming, but you will be definitely pleased with the results and you will get a valuable asset which you can pass on to the next generation.

Cleaning Danish Furniture

There are many techniques when it comes to cleaning Danish furniture, you can use lint free – microfiber piece of cloths for furniture cleaning. For deep cleaning you can utilize mineral spirit or denatured alcohol. If you find any grimy or dirty spots utilize a fine steel wool pad to help erase the build up on the wood.L

For routine cleaning that is to be done every week, use a slightly wet microfiber cloth to clean up the dust. Make sure that the water from the cloth does not remain on the wood as it might leave unwanted marks. For monthly cleaning you can either use beeswax or oil. You can apply this on the furniture with teak or wood oil and use a soft cotton cloth for the process. Let the furniture soak in a bit of oil and then wipe away the excess oil.

There are many people out there who use Danish teak furniture for their homes. Teak furniture is special because of its look and feel, it adds an extra charm to your house. Apart from that, teak is also very user friendly, it can be easily crafted into any piece of furniture. When there are positive aspects there are some negative aspects as well, for instance teak is prone to fading. But you can renew the look of your teak furniture if you know how to maintain it.

Restoring Danish furniture

When restoring Danish style furniture you have to be very careful not to damage the surface veneer.

I have worked on many pieces over the years where people have had a go at it themselves. Most of the time people don’t realise how thin the veneers are and end up sanding through the surface to the timber particle board underneath.

This makes it quite difficult to repair. I have quite a large selection of veneers I use to match in where required. Sometimes it’s best left to a professional!