How to Restore Antique Wooden Furniture

The perfect piece of antique furniture can transform a room in a way that can’t be achieved with furniture from the high street. But when buying wooden pieces, you often need to put some work in to restore them to their former glory.

Here are some of the ways you can restore your antique and vintage wooden furniture:

Cleaning

What looks like a rough or damaged finish can sometimes just be dirt - so make cleaning your first step when restoring furniture.

Even a piece that has been well cared for can build up a layer of wax and dust that can very quickly give it a dull appearance. A lot of the time you will be able to buy an oil-based wood cleaner that can remove this.

Apply the cleaner generously with a soft cloth and let it stand for an hour or two (or as long as directed if instructions differ), then wipe it off with a new, clean cloth. Repeat the process until the wood is clean (or follow instructions).

Finally, using another clean cloth, lightly buff the surface to remove any excess oil.

If this approach doesn’t work, try using warm water with liquid soap. However, be very careful when using water on wood - use it sparingly and don’t pour it straight onto the surface.

Once the piece is clean, wash off the soap with water and gently dry with a cloth or towel. Try to avoid using solvents on your furniture as they can damage the finish - solvents are only to be used as a very last resort.

Refinishing

If cleaning isn’t quite enough to restore your antique, it might need refinishing. Heavy use areas such as drawers and cupboard doors can often wear down, so a fresh coat is a great way to brighten up an older piece of furniture.

You will need to determine what kind of finish you need for the piece (this is especially important if you are only refinishing certain parts as it will need to match).

Choose between either a lacquer, shellac, resin or varnish, read the instructions and make sure you have everything you need before you start - you don’t want to get halfway through refinishing a gorgeous antique sideboard and then ruin all of your hard work because you have to stop!

When you’re ready to start, clean everywhere on the piece that will be refinished. Then apply a coat of your finish of choice, following the instructions carefully. Don’t skip out on cleaning the wood - if you apply a finish over dirt, it can make it look dull and cloudy.

Refinishing localised spots

You might not always necessarily need to refinish the entire piece. Localised spots that have been worn down over time can be finished separately to the rest of the surface.

1. Lightly sand worn spots using fine grit sandpaper.
   
   
2. Wipe the sanded areas clean with a dry cloth.
   
   
3. If the wood is unstained, apply the finish to the sanded spots.
   
   
4. If the wood is stained, use an oil based stain that matches the rest of the piece - be sure to test it on an inconspicuous unfinished spot first.
   
   
5. Apply the stain using a clean cloth or a paint brush for detail areas.
   
   
6. Let the stain sit for 15 minutes then wipe it off with a clean cloth.
   
   
7. Buff the stained surface with No. 0000 steel wool.
   
   
8. Apply the finish, feathering it out into the existing coat to avoid any lumps.
   
   
9. Let the new finish dry for a couple of days.
   
   
10. Gently buff the refinished areas with No. 0000 steel wool.
    
    
11. Wax the entire surface with hard paste wax and then polish it to a shine.
    

West Yorkshire Architectural Antiques are specialists in genuine antique furniture. If you’re searching for a new addition to your decor, take a look at our antique interior pieces.