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How I Revive your Cherished Pieces of Furniture

One of my specialties is restoring pieces of furniture that have been damaged in fires or exposed to excessive levels of smoke. First, the piece is washed to remove the soot, disassembled, and two chemicals are applied to neutralize the smoke odor. The condition of the finish is evaluated; it may be restorable or require removal. This is done by hand and/or flow-over method, no dipping/soaking. Now the wood is evaluated; what must be done to bring back that warm patina.

When color is needed: When asked about staining, most people think of MinWax, something out of the can from the paint store. My thought on staining (adding color) is this: It is the application of artistic skill. Does the color add to, or take away from the beauty of the piece? Most of the colors are custom made by me.

Choosing the finish; shellac and colored wax produced a soft, warm look. That satin glow, like an old rifle stock, is achieved with penetrating oils, old world varnish or cabinet lacquer (amber appearance). Hand rubbing with various compounds is the last step. It is more of a journey than do step one, two, three and-so-forth, always keeping in mind how the piece should look at the end.

Here is an example of a pulpit, notable for its detail, that I restored:

restored pulpit with exquisite detail

Here is an example of an entrance way. Bill Winkel is the contractor who duplicated the side lights. The sidelites were decayed from exposure to rain (entrance door); if you look at the lower corners you can see some dark areas. A custom made stain and some tinted varnish made the new work look like the original.

Inside: Before	Inside: After

Outside: Before	Outside: After

Fine Furniture Revival

How I Revive your Cherished Pieces of Furniture