Make The Past Come Alive: Antique Furniture Restoration.

A true fan of antique furniture can often find as much underlying delight in admiring a well constructed piece as they can in outright ownership. A kinesthetic disposition in conjunction with a curiosity about old world style has led many collectors to focus their energy on not just ownership, but also into the realm of restoration. It is important to note that without a certain baseline awareness, restoration is not only difficult, but often expensive and disappointing.

One of the most frequent mistakes that most people make when dealing with antique furniture is the assumption that all old furniture is automatically an antique. The expression antique specifically refers to any collectible item that is not only old, but to any item that is old, and possessing a relatively high financial value as a consequence of that age. Many things that people consider antique are actually not that old, or have little inherent collectability; sometimes they are just extremely worn or damaged, giving relatively modern items the appearance of age.

One thing that people just entering the antique furniture business often learn through an economically costly encounter is that when it comes to rare or sought after collectibles, any amount of restoration can actually damage the value of the item. Most collectors prefer that the items they purchase be in original condition, or, at the very most, lightly touched by a professional restoration organization. Luckily, most people usually have at least a few modest items around their house or garage that they would like to see restored because they hold special sentimental value.

Creating a functional plan factoring in the condition of the antique should be part of any initial step in a restoration endeavor. It is important to remember that when it comes to antique furniture, or even just worn or aged items, the general idea is not to carry out a total makeover, but to restore a natural look. Any foreign debris or material that cannot be taken off of the top level of the item with a minimal amount of effort is actually a part of the finish, and should be left. The best way to touch-up any old or breakable item is to apply solvents as close to a neutral PH level as possible, with a set of precision tools.

Occasionally, a piece of antique furniture will suffer from some degree of structural damage or lost hardware; again, the idea is not to completely change the item, but to recreate an original look through the simplest means possible. While rotten or severely damaged parts of the item may need to be completely exchanged, many small cracks or separation points can often be simply touched-up or fixed with a small amount of special glue. It is amazing what people will save; every story of finding a lost hinge in an aunt's cellar or rubbish drawer increases the personal value of any piece of furniture.

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More interesting points regarding this subject are available at antique furniture or reproduction furniture.

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