Hutch Updated to 21st Century

 

Hutch Before

Many people have a China cabinet or hutch such as this one as they a useful to house those precious collectibles, dishes and fancy glassware. And likely because they tend to be large and cumbersome, people are reluctant to replace them with newer versions because of cost, sentimentality or wanting to leave it to a loved one. This is one of the things we enjoy doing, breathing new life and purpose into such a treasured piece of furniture. Although this cabinet had more than served its purpose and was far from retiring, it required some updating. Still an attractive piece of furniture, it was well worth doing to give it a modernized look while still retaining the elements which were original to the design.

Hutch After

Our customer had wanted to keep the wood look instead of selecting paint, and had chosen a fog gray stain so she could still see the woodgrain. She had also asked that the top scalloping in the center be removed, one update, and the other that the plate rack on the bottom portion be eliminated. She had other plans for this large hutch which didn't involve using it for dishes and collectibles. Therefore Jim cut off the outdated scalloped top and carefully removed the plate rack, which resulted in a modernized, streamlined cabinet. Luckily, this massive piece of furniture came in two sections, as most large pieces do. 

There was a lot of prep work involved. Once the scalloped top and plate rack were removed, he proceeded to mask off the glass and mirrors and start the tedious process of stripping the entire thing. This was quite a lengthy process because of the glass and large mirrors on the top half of the hutch. It was also a large area to cover and some of it was hard to reach, even for Jim who has long arms! So after the stripping and sanding was complete, Jim finished this piece off with satin polyurethane to protect the surfaces. The finalized refinished hutch was stunning. Same bones, different facing. The best of both worlds. 

Our customer had chosen new hardware which looked fabulous and is using this lovely piece as a display case in her office environment. It's very cool to see it in its new home, isn't it? Leave comments below. We'd love to hear from you.

1940’s Waterfall Dresser Refinished

Waterfall Dresser After

Waterfall Dresser Before

This was a lovely waterfall dresser that had sustained some burn damage on the top right side. Other than that, it was in pretty decent condition. It also had a matching round mirror (not pictured) that we refinished, in addition to the dresser. I decided not to include it in comparison, since the "before" photo didn't include the mirror, as it was already detached. 

Jim was able to minimize the damage of the burn mark on the top with careful sanding. With veneer you can't sand too much or you will completely remove the veneer down to the bare wood. In furniture such as this, it's not an easy fix so better to keep the sanding to a minimum. Jim decided to paint the center curved section of the front top drawer and the backing since originally it had some kind of painted feature which had long since worn away. It looked better than leaving it stained with an uneven, unattractive color. It also matched the new hardware very well. The plastic back section of the original knobs were broken, so out customer had decided to replace them with new hardware. 

Our photo on the top left is the "before" version, which shows a bit of the top. Since our customer had to order the hardware and it took a few weeks to get it, we were unable to get an "after" photo of this dresser, so the one you see on the right was supplied by the customer. However, they posted the refinished dresser along with the mirror on our Facebook page, so here it is. It looks pretty good!

Dresser with Mirror

1932 Cedar Chest Refinished and Restored

Cedar Chest After

Cedar Chest Before

This is a vintage 1932 Lane cedar chest, with a walnut exterior. The top had been covered with material a foam because whoever had used it previously had done some real damage to the original top. Once Jim removed the foam top, what he saw was startling. 

The wood top had been completely unusable. It was covered with the glue that had been holding the foam in place and the fabric was attached with large tacks. Evidently whoever had done this wanted to cover the top and make it an effective seating area, which is not a bad way to go if you don't have the resources to refinish and restore the piece of furniture. After discussion the possibilities with the customers, they decided to replace the veneer with new veneer (good choice) and it looked great. Jim ordered a walnut veneer that had a self-stick feature which is a great way to go since you do not require adhesive to attach it.

Of course the entire cedar chest had to be stripped, sanded and refinished. Once that was done and the new veneer had been installed, he stained the entire cedar chest with English Chestnut stain (this year's most popular stain!) It turned out terrific. The new walnut veneer was the cherry on top of this hope chest which is once again a lovely, usable and beautifully finished piece of furniture. 

Old Cedar Chest Top (before new veneer) 

Tavern Chairs' Revival

Chair After

Chair Before

A set of four chairs that very much looked like they'd be at home in a 19th Century English Tavern, had been neglected for a long time and needed life breathed back into them. This photo shows the worst of the four, since it looked like it had been left out in the weather. It was in pretty rough shape. 

The original seat and back were black vinyl, with upholstery tacks surrounding the seat area and sides of the top. The seats were torn and the foam was destroyed. Time to renew.

There was a lovely medallion carving in the center of the back, which was almost invisible prior to refinishing. Made of solid (and I mean SOLID) oak, these chairs must have weighed 40 lbs. each. This made the refinishing and reupholstery project tough, because of how many times needed to move the chairs to complete the work.

To save time, Jim removed the black vinyl and got to work. He opted to take them apart so he could access the areas that needed to be re-glued and repaired and that's the best and proper way to do it. Apart, he sanded the pieces down to bare wood then stained them with English Chestnut stain.  Once the new stain was applied, the chairs were put together and "brought back to life." The final step was sprayed the polyurethane, and wow! The chairs were beautiful and that beautiful flower medallion just popped! 

Once he was done working his magic, it was time for me to work mine. The chairs needed new fabric. My customer and I agreed gray would be a nice color. The old padding was not usable, so each chair got new foam and batting on the seats. As I stated before, these chairs were HEAVY! Since adding material requires a lot of moving the chair around, it was necessary to lift them up to put on my work table then down again on the floor for stapling and then up on the table again to continue other parts. You get the picture. 

The curved back portion of the chair was trickier than it first looked, because each chair needed a template which I had to create from the chair's measurements instead of using the old material, since it was so distorted and badly damaged it was unusable. Upholstery has many challenges, one being sometimes you simply do not know what is involved until you get into it. Such was the case with the backs. Once I figured out that part, measuring the material properly was crucial, because if the measurement was incorrect, it wouldn't fit. 

I created templates out of card stock, which gave me the precise size of each fabric section. I had to line up the top edges of the curved portion of the top prior to stitching, so that once it was pulled into position, it would fit snugly to the bottom edge before I could attach the underside with staples. This required a lot of lifting, turning, more lifting, more turning, etc. Good body mechanics is essential when doing this heavy lifting.

The last step in the process was adding the double welt cord around the seat to finish it off with a polished, professional look. I used hot glue on the double welt cord, as it is the most effective way to attach welt cord, but I also like to reinforce welt cord with tiny nails to make sure it doesn't move over time. Needless to say I was extremely happy to finish these heavy, but lovely, tavern chairs.

Oak Dining Table Makeover

Dining Table After

Dining Table Before

A classic oak dining table never goes out of style. One of the more popular tables we refinish are like this very one. Due to time and use, this table had seen some wear for many years and needed a lot of TLC. Basically in great condition, this solid oak table needed to be stabilized prior to refinishing. Some of the original wood components of the table were missing or broken, so Jim reconstructed them to stabilize the table. 

At some point wheels had been added, but they were metal and rusting, so Jim replaced them with new rubber wheels. Traditionally, wheels aren't recommended for dining tables, but sometimes they are useful when the person plans on moving the table's location.

The color had been faded, showing its wear. Our customer chose a lovely stain color, English Chestnut, which worked quite well for the table as well as the chairs it came with.  He used satin polyurethane to give the surface a durable finish and it looked great once it was done.

The chairs and table were not an original set, but once they were finished, the wood actually matched very well. The chairs will appear in a separate blog post titled, "Tavern Chairs' Revival." 

Antique Desk Refinish

Desk After

Desk Before

A beautiful antique walnut desk used by our customer's grandfather for his practice as a physician. It had been kept near a window and had a little sun damage, but other than that it was in great shape. 

The top was a bit worn as it had been used for many years. But overall, this desk/table served a great purpose for the owner's business use. In front is a drawer which is difficult to see in the photographs, but it was a nice feature of this lovely piece of furniture. 

Jim stripped it down to bare wood and sanded it carefully, maintaining the original details at the bottom edge. It had a sturdy base with two sidebar supports which made this desk a very stable piece of furniture. He chose dark walnut stain and satin polyurethane for protection. This makes a great family heirloom and can be used for many more years to come, serving the future generations well.

Octagon Sorrento Table with Inlaid Wood

Table Before

A small table with a big personality! What a beautiful work of art this was! This table was comprised of thousands of tiny pieces of inlaid wood to create a pointed star design in the center that extends outward in overlapping chevrons. Each section uses contrasting colors of wood tones in beautiful variations, complementing the overall design. The design really draws you in, begging for a close-up view. 

Table top after

The border also more dimension and each border is made up of a different design, some of the tiniest pieces measuring 1/8" x 1/8" in continuous lines that circle the gorgeous centerpiece.  The pedestal itself complemented the tabletop with its own unique detailed design (It's difficult to see that detail in this photo).

We believe the origin of this table is from Naples, Italy in a "Sorrento" style. This type of inlaid wood is known for its inlay wood tradition originating from Naples,  dating as far back as the 15th century. This unique, high specialized craft of art of inlay is made by inserting different materials into wood. This technique creates highly intricate designs and the process requires precision, patience and determination as well as attention to detail. Sorrento is the hub of the Italian inlay furniture and is known for its exquisite craftsmanship with woodworking. Some of these tables can cost upwards from $2,500 to $11,000, depending on design and size.

Once Jim had the table sanded, he used a natural stain since it didn't require a color change. The beautiful original colors of the surface are the true star of this show making it a true work of art.

Dad's Old Desk Fixed and Cleaned Up

Desk After

Desk Before

My customer's father had owned this desk many years ago and during cleaning out his mother's home after she had passed away. He had wanted this desk restored in memory of his father and keep the desk in the family. The desk had a broken lower drawer, which Jim repaired, otherwise the desk was in pretty good condition. 

Jim removed the hardware then proceeded to strip, sand and re-stain the desk using walnut stain. He applied three coats of satin polyurethane which finished the surface nicely. The handles got a great polish and the desk was once again beautiful. A perfect size desk for anyone's use.

Grandfather’s Chair Refinished and Reupholstered

Rocking Chair After

 

Rocking Chair Before

This was a very old rocking chair that belonged to my customer’s grandfather. It had plenty of use and had seen better days, so it was in need of some TLC. The right arm had broken off the spindle and needed to be glued back into place prior to any refinishing work being done. 

She had wanted to keep the same color, so we decided to go with traditional walnut, which brought out the beauty of the solid oak wood, refreshing the overall look and making it once again a beautiful piece of furniture.

Like most old rocking chairs, this one had a very badly worn seat which had the original horsehair stuffing and some very unusable other materials. The dust was enough to make me sneeze! My customer had chosen a fabric similar in color to the original, which was a lovely dark olive velour, to keep the original look and feel of the chair. Jim was kind enough to remove the old fabric, since I was still recovering from my stomach surgery and he took plenty of photos for reference. I have found taking photos to be an essential part of reupholstery disassembly, because you need to know how it was put together, before you take it apart and reassemble it properly, and photos are a great way to accomplish this.

The springs on this seat were installed from the bottom side, downward. I have worked on a few chairs like this and always wondered the reason for this type of installation of springs. For a chair to be comfortable, you have to have a “crown,” which is a curved top so that the springs are underneath you, covered by layers of various materials so you don’t feel the springs. Installed from the underside of the seat seems backward and puts more stress on the springs, since they can’t really support you properly. Since I have been doing reupholstery, I have learned the proper way to attach webbing to the underside of the chair and hand-stitch each spring to the webbing using a curved needle, then using the 8-way tie  to keep the springs tight, creating the “crown” chairs should have for support. 

After the springs are tied up and in securely in place, they get covered with upholstery burlap. This is the first layer to cover the springs. Since this chair had only five springs, I built-up the in-between spring area with a bit of raw cotton to keep everything level and soft. Next I covered the springs with a one inch layer of foam, which gets stapled to the chair’s seat edges, covering the springs. On top of the foam, I covered everything with a 1” layer of Dacron. This is a more dense material and really does a great job of covering the springs so you don’t feel them at all. My last covering was a high-quality layer of muslin. This keeps everything neat and makes it easier to attach the fabric, the last step in the process.

This chair originally had tacks along the bottom edge, but they weren’t the correct upholstery tacks. Someone used regular tacks that you’d use on a bulletin board, which are not adequate for chair use. I used brass upholstery tacks on the folded underside edge of the material so it will not fray. My final step for the fabric was to finish it with a double-cording on the chair’s arms and back spindles. This adds a nice finishing touch and secures the edges of the material.

The last step of the process is to cover the underside of the chair with chambray to cover the webbing and keep the dust out. It is also referred to as the dust cover on chairs and couches. This finishes off the chair and looks great.

Below I have a few photos of the springs’ underside tying and correct 8-way tying so you can see how much better it looks. I’m not really sure what the reason is to do it the underside way, but the way I’ve been self-taught is to use the 8-way tie on the topside of the chair.

Underseat tying,
incorrect way

        

8-way tie
correct way

Updated 1980’s Dining Room Set

Dining Chair After

Dining Chair Before

A simple, yet functional dining room set made well never goes out of style, but the fabric sure does. My customer had wanted an updated look for her 1980’s style dining set and decided to go lighter. Sometimes this isn’t possible, depending on the wood, but in this case it was achievable. 

The four chairs all had rollers, which had to be removed prior to stripping. Once Jim had stripped everything, chairs and table alike, he began carefully sanding all surfaces and applied the new stain, golden pecan. This gave it a perfectly suitable color for the customer, lighter and updated. 

Originally she had not wanted to replace the fabric (based on budget) but once the staining and finishing was done, I thought I’d suggest she splurge and get the fabric updated as well and because I had given her a great price she agreed. I provided her with resources for the fabric and she chose a gorgeous Hillary Farr Design with an aqua chevron nap. It was the perfect accompaniment for the newly stained lighter wood. Had she not chosen new fabric, the old fabric would have been okay, but without the feel and touch of fresh new fabric. I probably would have chosen the same fabric since I am a fan of that color!

Dining Set After

Dining Set Before

The table had some damage due to her husband’s wheel chair, which Jim was able to sand out and make invisible. Magic happens when you sand furniture. You remove the old and expose the beauty buried beneath the years and grime. The table was solid wood, always a great thing to work on. 

When they say, “They just don’t make ‘em like they used to,” furniture would be a prime example of the truth of that statement. Not to say you can’t get that same quality, but the cost is much higher by comparison. But if you have that special piece of furniture that belonged to a grandparent or great-grandparent many times over, you  have a priceless piece of history that is worth keeping and definitely worth restoring.

Antique China Cabinet Refinished

China Cabinet Before

China Cabinet After

Grandmother's antique China cabinet needed an overhaul. While in pretty decent condition (we’ve seen much worse!) Made of mahogany, this cabinet had plenty of space with shelving on the top and doors and drawers on the bottom. 

The middle top had a decorative piece of wood that had broken and become disconnected, so Jim glued it back together and put it back on top where it belonged.

In the process of restoring this cabinet, it was necessary to remove the decorative wood that covered the upper door to properly stain that area. The glass was removed to preserve and protect it during the restoration process. Each step is carefully taken to get the best results.

Our customer had wanted to replace the original wooden knobs with new ones and she chose black knobs, which looked great with the refinished cabinet. Jim used a red mahogany stain with satin polyurethane which was the perfect finish for this piece. Upon completion, this old cabinet certainly looked much better than when we got it.

Dainty Fluted Chair Reupholstered and Refinished

Armchair Before

This dainty fluted chair, a ladie's chair, was in desperate need of updating and 
love. The fabric was stained and worn, with evidence of a cat who likely used the back to sharpen her nails. Needless to say this chair had seen better days. 

Armchair After

At a glance, the structure looked okay, but after I picked up the chair, the right side collapsed and was wobbly. Clearly there was internal damage to the frame. Once I began removing the fabric, I located the source of the damage. 

The far right support board was cracked and had come apart from the arm. This board needed to be reattached with glue and a single screw. The top curved board was cracked in the center; the inner right board had broken off at the top. Repairs included making a new dowel and reattaching the inner support board and gluing, then screwing the outer side board back in place to make it structurally sound. *(See photo below to see where the chair was broken and repaired).

Once the repairs were made and the structure strong again, the legs were stripped, sanded and restrained then protected with polyurethane. After Jim had worked his magic, it was my turn to tackle the exterior upholstery. 

This chair had zig-zag springs which were in great condition, so they didn’t need to be tightened or replaced. The first step was to cover the springs with burlap, which was stapled to the top edge of the seat. Burlap keeps the springs secure, while providing a good foundation for the layers that follow. After the burlap was secure, I added a 1” thick section of high density foam which covered the entirespring/burlap seating area. A few staples held the foam in place. 

Next, raw cotton was liberally layered on top of the foam, creating a nice “crown” for the chair’s seat. The raw cotton can be purchased per yard, or per a 10 yard bulk, which is the preferred method as it is less costly per yard. The final layer was a 1/4” foam, which was also stapled to keep it secure. I always give it the “sit” test, which is when I sit on the chair and test its softness and support. You shouldn’t feel the springs when sitting on a chair. If you feel springs, there’s not enough padding. I was satisfied with the thickness of the padding, so I cut the fabric for the seat and made the “V” cuts carefully around the arms and legs for a perfect fit. 

This was my first fluted back chair, so I researched how to create the “flutes,” or “channels.” However, before I could get to the fluted portion of the chair, I had to pad the arms and create new fabric panels for the sides. Using raw cotton and foam, I made sure both arms would be soft as well as supportive enough for the new fabric. I chose not to use the old fabric as templates. Instead, I made my own templates from muslin. This allowed me to customize the arms and create a “partial sewn” arm instead of just folding fabric and stapling in place. The fit was perfect. 

I can’t say enough about making an accurate template for upholstery work! It is an essential part of getting that perfect fit. And with plenty of muslin at my disposal, I was able to create accurately measured templates for each arm, then sew them together to test them before I cut the fabric. Templates can save a lot of time and fabric and ensure accuracy and a proper fit. Measuring is also essential. The more accurate the measurements, the better turnout. 

For the flutes, or channels, I used the original fabric as templates. I took apart the original fluting, separating them into individual units. (I like to iron the old fabric. This flattening makes it easier when cutting the new fabric). 

Once the flattened templates are laid on the new fabric, it’s necessary to allow a few inches to the top and bottom lengths, so there is enough material to pull underneath the seat and over the chair's frame. The individual units are then sewn together. Once they are attached, they are sewn to the backing fabric on lines you have created by measuring the original fabric. The lines on the backing fabric must be narrower than the flutes to create enough space for the fiber fill or cotton. My channels measured 5-1/2”, so I drew lines that measured 4-1/2”. 

Prior to attaching the flutes, I made marks on the top rail of the chair to line up the fabric to keep it centered. The last fabric panel I attached was the back. After it stapled to the frame, I created the double cording, or piping. This is used to cover the staples and add a customized look to the chair. 

The fabric I used for this project was burgundy, with a diamond motif, that I had used last year to reupholster a bench. My customer saw this fabric on the blog and loved it, so she wanted it for her chair. Luckily I was able to get the same fabric! It’s one of my personal favorites. You can view that bench by clicking on this link: http://finalefurniture.blogspot.com/2021/11/antique-bench-trash-to-treasure.html

This chair was a true challenge, but with each project, I learn and advance my upholstery and sewing skills, which I truly enjoy.

View of repairs 

*As pictured on the left, you can see the areas where the chair was damaged and needed repair. This needed to be done prior to the leg refinishing and upholstery.

Antique Solid Cedar Chest Refinished

Cedar Chest After

Cedar Chest Before

This is one of many cedar chests we have refinished, but it is the third one that was solid cedar; it had no veneer on the exterior. It was in pretty good condition with just a few minor scratches on the top left side in the back. Because it was solid cedar, those scratches were easily sanded away, bringing out the natural beauty and scent of the wood. 

My customer had used it as a coffee table with a glass top, so it will be protected and serve a dual purpose for many years. Cedar chests are one of my favorite furniture items because they are so versatile. In addition to storing linens, they make great toy boxes, a place to hide Christmas presents from snooping children and a great place to store seasonal clothing because of their natural moth repelling fragrant interiors. There’s nothing quite like the smell of a cedar chest. The cedar tree is one of many nature’s beautiful contributions to a family’s needs in the form of storage, seating and beauty. 

In addition to their versatile properties, cedar chests come in various shapes, sizes and styles. The waterfall cedar chest is very common with its curved front top and heavy lid. Many of these cedar chests were built in the 1940’s, used for linens and towels. Some cedar chests have legs with drawers, in addition to the lid-top storage interior. My personal cedar chest has a built-in shelf that is a perfect place to keep smaller items like my husband’s ties, socks and table runners. I love it for storing my quilts and extra sheets. If you don’t have a cedar chest, you may find one at an estate sale or at an antique store. If they need to be restored, you may get it for under $100.00. The best deal I got on my first cedar chest which was a 1945 waterfall style, was $5.00 at an estate sale. I doubt I’ll ever find one that cheap again!

You can see the other cedar chests we’ve refinished by clicking on these links:

https://finalefurniture.blogspot.com/2019/11/solid-cedar-chest.html
https://finalefurniture.blogspot.com/2016/08/1948-lane-cedar-chest_22.html
https://finalefurniture.blogspot.com/2015/04/elegant-cedar-chest-revival.html
https://finalefurniture.blogspot.com/2013/12/1945-lane-waterfall-cedar-chest.html
https://finalefurniture.blogspot.com/2012/06/my-waterfall-cedar-chest.html

Antique Cabinet/Secretary Revival

Cabinet After

Cabinet Before

This was an antique glass cabinet/secretary which had damage on the bottom curved section due to a dog chewing on it. Replacing wood from pet damage can be difficult since it involves putting something there that is missing. This area was uniquely difficult because of its location, right in the front and to make matters  more complicated, on a curve parallel to the curved glass door. 

There was also a piece of wood missing along the top in the back which Jim replaced with a matching piece of oak that looked like it had belonged there and was a great addition.

The rest of the piece was in pretty good condition but needed full stripping and refinishing. This piece had some lovely original features including detailed wood carving on the drop-down desk area right below the leaded glass panel which was a separate place to store knick-knacks. Three storage drawers were right below the desk area, a nice place to keep stationary and other desk items. 

Interior of  Desk Area

Jim had to remove the door, drawers, leaded glass panel and drop-down area to be able to access the interior and properly strip the interior. The shelves weren’t included in the “before” photo, but they were later added  in the “after” photo. Jim had to recreate the missing wood section where the dog chew damage was, no easy task, but somehow he created another piece of oak and formed it to follow the curve of the original radius so that it looked natural as if it had been there all along. 

Working with antiques are never cut and dry as each piece is unique and requires a lot of thought, time and improvisation. We always try to maintain the original integrity of the antique and the end result shows the time and dedication we put into every piece. This one is a great example of the process of refinishing as well as innovation mixed in with creativity and a great deal of time commitment. 

Mid-Century Chair Stripped / New Needlepoint Seat

Mid-Century Chair
w/Needlepoint After

 

Mid-century chair
before refinishing

It’s amazing how styles from the past tend to pop up fifty or sixty years later, as if the idea is brand new. This mid-century modern chair is classical 1960’s style, wide, low back and clean lines which were commonly seen in living rooms across America which mimicked the Scandinavian style. I loved the lines of this chair. 

This chair was extremely well made, quite strong and needed no tightening or repairs. The back had a few missing veneer pieces, which were easily filled in and stained so that it was hardly visible. 

I made the choice to completely strip this chair instead of touch-up because I felt that this is what it needed. In order to be true to the piece, you must determine what’s the best course of action to make it look the best it can. In this case, I stripped off the old finish, luckily wasn’t too difficult to remove as old stain mostly is. It came off easily and once that was done, I thoroughly sanded it, removing the excess stain and stripped. I cleaned it with lacquer thinner and sanded it smooth. 

I was very happy with the way the chair turned out. The light cherry stain was definitely the perfect color to offset the dark color of the needlepoint. A nice foam padding finished off the seat so that the chair is as comfortable as it is pretty.

I chose cherry stain to keep the color light which I felt complimented the lovely needlepoint seat that my customer made just for this seat. This was the third seat such as this that I had made for this same customer. The other two were benches. She is making a needlepoint seat for each of her grandchildren. She makes the needlepoint then finds the chair or bench which is the right size for the needlepoint. So far she’s been pretty lucky! 

To see one the previous needlepoint benches I made for this customer, check out the link below. Unfortunately, I don’t have a photo of the other one, but it had a blue background with a black bench.

https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/5936537173467203420/24816612440806533 

1940’s Night Stand Restoration/Revival

Night Stand After

 

Night Stand Before

Some furniture has a lot more wear than others, therefore those most used could be in dire need of restoration and refinishing. Such is the case with this 1940’s night stand. It was made of solid mahogany, no veneer, which is a sign of a well-made piece of furniture. 

Most of the furniture we refinish has veneer. Sometimes it’s in great condition, other times it can be chipped a little bit or in major need of replacement. Not having veneer made this night stand much better to work on. It had definitely seen lots of use, especially the top, which was worn and scratched. 

It looked like someone tried to remove the finish on the left side of the top at some point in time, but never followed through with the rest of it. Not uncommon for someone to begin the stripping process and stop before getting too far into it once they realize that it’s a lot more difficult than they had originally planned. Using the right stripper is only part of the refinishing process. We always say, “if it doesn’t burn your skin, it’s not strong enough.” That sounds crazy, but it’s true. A good stripper is an essential part of furniture refinishing and restoration as it’s the first step before anything else can be done. 

Night Stand Drawer After

Night Stand Drawer Before

This night stand took me four days to strip from start to finish. Although the legs were Queen Anne style instead of spindles, they were still challenging to strip because they are curved. 

The tools we use to strip are straight, such as a putty knife and carving tools, so stripping a curved part of furniture takes a longer time than a straight section. And of course all the old finish must be removed or it’s impossible to sand and stain it. It’s all part of the process. The better the prep, the better the results. 

For this little gem, I custom-mixed red mahogany stain with a bit of English chestnut to give it a rich, natural color that was true to the original color. One of the fun things of refinishing/staining, is mixing two or three stains to create a completely new, unique color. Using your creative license is encouraged when working with stain colors. I chose a semi-gloss polyurethane to protect the stain. The drawer pull was pretty dull, so it got polished and painted with gold spray paint. The original pull was not brass, just metal, so painting it gold was a better look for the drawer. For a bit of whimsy, I painted the drawer’s interior and put a piece of glitter drawer liner on the bottom for a bit of “bling.” I was happy with the results as the refinished night stand was once again restored to its former glory.

His and Hers Twin Rocking Chairs

 

Rockers Before Restoration

Rockers After Restoration

Twin chairs! This was definitely a first for us, having two identical rocking chairs to refinish at the same time. The most surprising feature of these chairs was the size. Each chair weighed in at 60-70 lbs., possibly more. This required both of us to unload them from the customer’s van and bring them into our work space. 

Having chairs such as these as heavy as they were, made working on them quite challenging. They were not only heavy, they were huge! We have a large rocking chair in our living room with a similar style, but ours isn’t nearly as heavy as these were, nor is it as tall as these were.

The keyhole cutout design in the back center of each chair was a unique feature that gave them personality, adding a nice detail. The front of the chairs’ seat had a very rounded and thickness that I could hardly wrap my hand around. Yes, definitely massive. One of the chairs had suffered dog chew damage on the lower right leg spindle. The chairs had been repaired by someone else for the damage prior to us doing the refinishing. 

The chairs were both fairly worn and really cried out to be stripped, sanded and stained. This process was very time-consuming due to the sheer size of these mammoths and the detail, mainly the spindles, which if you’ve read other articles in our blog you know that they require a great deal of time and attention to remove all that old finish. We use work carving tools which allow us to get into the nitty-gritty of the spindles’ curves and tight spot. You’d be surprised at how much stain there is on any item of furniture even though it may look worn. There’s still a lot to remove. And that takes time. There’s simply no getting around that part of this work.

When the chairs were all stripped and sanded, Jim used English Chestnut stain, followed by three coats of polyurethane which will protect them for years to come. Refinishing really shows off the gorgeous woodgrain that was unseen prior to refinishing. That’s the beauty of a full refinish. You can see the woodgrain that is normally not as visible when furniture comes from the factory. Their process is different from hand finishing, therefore has a different look. 

If you've ever wondered if that special piece of furniture you’ve held onto for many years because you don’t know if it’s worth restoring, take a look at the wood. More times than not, once it is stripped, it is better than new because the hand stripping process restores it to its original beauty that was likely not seen when done on the assembly line. The value is already there so refinishing is always worth it. Unless a piece really is made cheaply and has no sentimental value, having it restored/refinished is a great way to preserve a piece of your family’s history or create a new family heirloom for future generations.

Mahogany Buffet Refinished

Buffet Before

Buffet After

One of my personal favorite refinishing woods is mahogany. Being a darker wood with a natural reddish tone, when refinished the woodgrain is more apparent, making it look fabulous. When furniture comes out of a manufacturing plant, much of it hides the natural grain of the wood. Unlike refinishing, furniture right from the factory woodgrain isn’t as prominent as it is upon stripping.

This buffet was a good, sturdy piece that had seen some wear, but overall was in great shape. There were minor scratches on the top, a few on the front legs and sides, but nothing that stripping and sanding can’t remove. Surface scratches are almost always removed when sanding, however, if the scratch is a gouge, sanding can only do so much. Especially with veneer furniture. If you sand too deeply, you will remove the veneer and go too far into the wood beneath (big problem!) That’s why we love working with antiques; the wood, even if it has veneer, is thicker and much more durable, thus better to work with on the refinishing end. 

That being said, the finishing product looks fabulous. Once it was stained and protected with satin polyurethane, Jim polished the original hardware, a Federal Style, and once again the piece looked like new (if not better!) I love the way hardware makes a piece truly stand out. Over time the brass will oxidize, faded and dull. But polished, it shines and adds beauty and freshness to any piece of furniture.

The beauty of working with a piece such as this mahogany buffet is that you have so many color choices with stain. Our customer chose “Carrington,” by Varithane. It’s a rich, warm color with no overly red tones. Mahogany can accept most stains, but seldom can you go a lot lighter with it because the wood is naturally reddish and darker, like walnut. A good tip to keep in mind when choosing stain is the wood itself. 

Darker woods usually cannot go much lighter than their natural color, but lighter wood, such as maple, birch or pine can accept both light and dark colors of stain. An example is if you were to put the same color stain on five different types of wood, each one would look different. Some wood has more grain than other wood, such as oak compared to birch. There are also different types of the same wood; tiger oak, tiger maple, birds eye maple, and so many more. The choices are endless as are the stain colors, so it’s not difficult to narrow down which stain is the right one for you.

Luckily we have plenty of experience in choosing the right stain for your project (unless you are 100% sure what you want). But no matter, the finished furniture item will always be the one you love the most.

Two-Drawer Dresser Makeover

 

Two Drawer Dresser
Before

This cute little two drawer dresser was original much lighter and our customer had wanted a completely different look, so she chose two stain colors, black stain on the body and a warmer wood tone on the drawers and top. It was a great choice. We used “Minwax True Black” and “Varithane Carrington” for the wood tone. The two colors married well to create a dynamically elegant piece of furniture. 

Two Drawer Dresser After

She had also wanted artistic gold tones to highlight the bottom decorative scallop and edging as well as the natural curves along the bottom front and side edges. 

After Jim finished with the stain, I applied a craft ink called “Vegas Gold,” to achieve the accent paint she had wanted. I used a small sponge to dab the ink on the scallop decorative area and switched to a tiny paint brush for the thin criss-cross lines on the drawer fronts. I love doing the “crafty” parts of restoration as this gives it a unique look that stands out from the rest. This one was a real beauty.

Very Old Rocking Chair Gets a “Boost"

Rocking Chair Before
Saggy seat!

This rocking chair was estimated to be about 150 years old. My customer’s grandmother had installed the pink fabric (seen on the photo on the left) in the 1930’s, so it definitely had seen a lot of wear since then, which was over 80 years ago. Unbelievably, the fabric had maintained its overall condition, with no rips or other damage, but the seating itself had sunken in the center. Sagging happens over time, no matter how the chair had been originally constructed. And this one was reupholstered over 80 years ago, so sagging was not unusual. The upholstery work was done very well with unseen nails and tiny stitches. Quality lasts.

Rocking Chair after
Higher padding in the seat

Since my customer had wanted the chair refinished in addition to replacing the worn, outdated fabric, the first step was to remove the old fabric and all the padding, webbing and dust cover that’s beneath the seat. Once the fabric and padding, etc. was removed, the tedious task of stripping was the next step.

Chairs have a lot of surface area, therefore they take a long time to strip and refinish, because you must remove all the original stain prior to sanding and re-staining it. (See video at bottom). The detail in this chair with its dowels on the front arms and across the front crosspiece took the most amount of time, but the rockers themselves were also a challenge because they were harder to reach because of their location beneath the chair. I spent five long afternoons to remove all the finish, sand and re-stain the chair. Two coats of polyurethane applied over 24 hours was the final step prior to moving ahead with installing the new fabric. 

Unfinished 
Rocker

Prepping the chair for fabric is essential and involves replacing the original webbing with new webbing, making sure it’s nice and taut so the seat is built with a strong foundation. This chair had seat and back webbing, as well as front and back fabric on the backing. The seat area of the chair had some damage. It was broken on one side and the webbing had come apart, causing the sagging seat. I repaired the damage before installing the new webbing.

New Webbing
After Refinishing

After the webbing has been secured with staples on the folded edges, the next step is covering it with burlap. This strengthens the seat even further. (See photo on right). I then put a fitted piece of high density foam on the burlap, covered it with nice, thick cotton batting and finished it with Dacron, stapling everything in place. Last is the fabric. In this case, I was installing directional fabric. This means the fabric is installed in the “up” direction. Most fabric manufacturers have a line on the border side, with an arrow that points to the top of the fabric. This is vital, because the last thing you want is to get the fabric fitted perfectly only to find out it is upside-down!! Ugh!

The most difficult part of putting fabric on any chair with arms, is making sure you cut the fabric towards the arms with a “Y” cut. This gives you enough fabric to wrap it around each arm before folding and tucking the fabric securely next to either side of the arms prior to securing it with staples. It’s a long, labor-intensive process and should not be rushed. Installing the fabric properly requires concentration with no distractions so that you can focus on what you’re doing. If not, you may make costly mistakes. 

I got lucky with this chair, because the back of the arms had a screw and were removable, so that I could slide the fabric beneath it, which made the installation nice and clean with no cut lines required. Not all chairs have that option, in which case you have to make those tricky cuts, but sometimes you get lucky. After I finished the front, making sure the fabric was tightly wrapped and secured to the back, I adding the final piece of fabric, folding the edges and finished it with piping.