Antique Oak Buffet Refinished

Buffet Before

Buffet After

A lovely antique buffet made of tiger oak was an absolute joy to refinish and restore. Our customer wanted this old beauty to be lighter so to match her dining table and chairs, also tiger oak. This piece, refinished with lighter stain, really brought out the lovely pattern in the woodgrain, enhancing its natural beauty.

This buffet was comprised of two main components; the bottom with drawers and doors and the top which was a beveled mirror framed by curved oak pieces that matched the overall design of the buffet. Lots of craftsmanship went into the construction of this fine piece, therefore it deserved the best refinishing treatment possible. Each piece was carefully stripped, sanded and stained, then preserved with two coats of satin polyurethane. As always, we take the time to polish all the hardware so it too sparkles and shines, as does the newly refinished buffet. The hardware was all in tact and original, made of solid brass, the “jewelry” or “bling” of the furniture.

That beautiful beveled mirror really added so much elegance to this buffet. The interior was reinforced with a few nails (to secure the bottom panel) and the shelf was reinstalled upon delivery. This was one of our favorite pieces as it shows just how rewarding the restoration process can be.

Updated Cricket Maple Rocking Chair

New Silk Fabric Replaced Original Corduroy

This is what is called a “cricket” rocker. The rocking mechanism is actually hidden underneath the seat and skirting of this cute little chair, allowing it to rock without moving the legs, as in a traditional rocking chair. I have done a chair similar to this one many years ago. It had the same rocking mechanism, but was a Windsor style chair with more exposed wood and no arm rest covers. You can see that chair here:
http://finalefurniture.blogspot.com/2012/09/the-ugly-rocking-chair.html

While similar to the other rocking chair, this one had many more components, thus required more work. But, since I had done a similar chair, I knew what to do on this one and in what order to work on each segment. As with the other checkered gingham chair, I began with the seat cushion. Like the gingham chair, it too had cording running along the top and bottom edges that curved around the shape of the foam. Luckily I was able to use the same foam for this chair. The fabric, a high-quality woven silk, required each raw edge to be serged so that they would not fray over time, causing the seams to split apart long before their time. This was an additional but necessary step.

fter I finished the seat cushion, I chose to work on the skirting and bottom part of the chair. I replaced the old, pushed in webbing with new upholstery webbing which is 3 inches wide and much stronger than the old rubbery plastic that was used. I attached the webbing with upholstery tacks (preferable to staples) and protected each raw edge with string tape. Once the webbing was done, I replaced the original webbing cover with another piece of the new fabric, with finished edges that were cut at angles in the corners to match the original.

I measured the two skirting sections, front and back, and cut two very long, continuous strips of fabric for each one. I measured each pleat to be 3 inches between pleats and it worked out to be the perfect amount to fit evenly from beginning to end for the front and again for the back. Remembering the difficulty I had attached the pleats in the other chair I had done, this time I stitched the pleats on the sewing machine, then carefully measured them against the chair before attaching them permanently.

After the skirting was complete, I made the arm rests, copying them from the original pattern as I did with the rest of the pieces and attaching them to the arms with two sets of Velcro straps so they don’t slide off. They were tricky because I cut the fabric to flow with the curve of each arm’s end. It looked much better having these arm covers fit the exact shape of the wood beneath.

The back cushion had its own challenges. The original cushion had four snaps that held it in place from the back of the chair. Anticipating the outcome, I made the new snap straps long enough to be adjusted when the time came to attach them. Prior to sewing the cushion front to back, I placed the straps where I thought they would go, pinned them in place, then sewed them to the back side of the cushion with long basting stitches. Once the cushion was done, I realized the straps didn’t quite reach the snaps, but no worries. I opened up the seams and pulled the straps further out to reach the snaps. Boy, was I glad I left additional fabric to reach the snaps once the cushion filled the fabric sides. (Experience really is the best teacher). Because the other chair also had snaps, I knew longer fabric would be necessary to make the new straps reach. (The other chair had three snaps on the top edge only, while this chair had two snaps on the top and two on the bottom).

Each cushion received a zipper in the back and bottom for easy removal if they require washing or dry cleaning. Making these type of seat cushions isn’t my favorite thing to do, but it is a great feeling to know that it is a skill I have developed with experience and a LOT of patience.

Vintage Wing Chair Gets New Fabric

New Gingham Fabric

This chair had an outdated blue and white plaid fabric which had been popular in the 1970’s. While still in good condition, an updated look was in order, so my customer choose this lovely gingham checkered fabric which suited the style of the chair as well as the era.

This chair was quite challenging because of the many components and sections it had. Because of these many components, I had to carefully remove them all, taking good photos and tagging each one, so I could refer to them later when I put the new fabric on each section. I decided to tackle the hardest piece first and worked on the bottom cushion, then the back cushion. Unfortunately, I have no photos of the chair before I began working on it, but I did take a photo of the cushion so I knew how to put it together.

Old Cushion

Because the bottom cushion had cording on the top and bottom edges, all the way around, and wrapping around the chair’s arms, I knew this was going to be a difficult job because I had done a chair such as this before and knew what was involved. Lining up the cording to match the curves is difficult, to say the least as you have a very narrow and sharply curved area in which to create a tightly fitted, finished corded seat. This was indeed the hardest part of the cushion.

Once that was complete, I “tested” it by slipping it over the cushion and was not pleased that the brand new seat I had just spent four days on no longer fit the original cushion. I opted for not making another cover, but getting a brand new cushion, custom made to fit my cover. The Foam Factory was a life-saver! I took my fabric piece there and left it in their capable hands to make a workable cushion that would look great and be extremely comfortable and fit well. Indeed, the new cushion was perfect and all the work I did was worth it because the seat was super comfortable and fit the chair perfectly.

The wing chair portion had fabric that faced the inside and outside, so each piece had to be marked, “inside facing right, outside of fabric, inside of fabric," etc. This method of marking my photos proved to be invaluable when I put it all together. The padded armrests were yet another story. The original foam was deteriorated and had suffered “dry rot,” which happens when foam cushions basically fall apart, leaving a dusty yellow residue. I replaced them with leftover cushion from another project which worked great. I used my scroll saw to cut and shape the 3” cushion. You can use an electric knife to cut thick cushions, but since I don’t own an electric knife, my scroll saw worked wonderfully, slicing right through the foam like butter. Having the right tools is essential for any project! Finally, the chair was done with new fabric and look pretty good if I do say so myself.

Maple Plant Stand

Plant Stand Before

Plant Stand After

Once in a while we get a small job, such as this solid maple plant stand, which was custom made by my customer’s husband. This plant stand resembled a giant chess piece and was made from three solid pieces of maple, which must have been cut from the actual tree, using each section as a whole piece as there were no splices within the piece. While smaller by comparison to most jobs we do, it was nonetheless very time-consuming to sand down to the bare wood. This was due to the nature of the hardwood itself as well as the finish used, which was varnish. I estimate it was made sometime in the 1960’s by the color and style, but I’m not sure. I used my favorite tool, my orbital sander for the top and bottom and a small hand sander for the posts in between.

Unfortunately, the hand sander wasn’t adequate to smooth the grain sufficiently to make it smooth enough to stain, so I ended up using the orbital sander on its side to get access to the sides. It took a long time and by the time I was done, my right hand was quite sore from holding the sander with one hand and supporting the object with the other hand. I chose Varathane Walnut stain which brought out the natural tones and colors of the beautiful maple. After two coats of satin polyurethane, it was done. Short and not too simple, but nice looking when completed.

Old Steamer Trunk Renewed

Steamer Trunk Before

Steamer Trunk After

They say “every picture tells a story.” Well, if  This antique steamer trunk could tell a story, it sure would have plenty to say. We estimated this trunk dated back to around 1846, based on its condition and the materials used to create it (blunt end nails and very old leather straps). The exterior had seen better days (that’s the understatement), and the interior wasn’t much better. Needless to say we had our work cut out for us. Where do you begin on this type of enormous project? How do you start? It’s not like it comes with its own “restoration" manual.

Antique Table and Chairs Whitewashed and Painted

Antique Table Before

Antique Table After

This antique table had been in the customer’s family for generations, however, she wanted an updated look for her lake house and decided that lighter and brighter would accomplish that. I recommended painting the chairs and legs and then using a “whitewash” technique for the table top. This was not an entirely new experience for me, as I had done something similar with a teak table and chairs set. However, this one was slightly and required a few additional steps. The table top was stripped and the legs got a better-than-average sanding, Next step was two coats of primer on the legs, then two coats of Sherwin-Williams "Pure White" paint. This table had a unique feature; the leaf extensions pulled out from each side then lifted up to the same level as the rest of the table. Because of this feature, the underside of these extensions had to be painted white to match the legs, since you could see them when the extensions were being used.

Very Old Pie Safe

Pie Safe Before

Pie Safe After

This pie safe was very, very old. My customer had told me it belonged to her great-great grandmother and had originally come from West Virginia. She believes it dates back to the mid-1800’s. It is one of the oldest pieces of furniture we have restored and refinished so far. (Another one is a steamer trunk, also from the mid-1800’s which will hopefully be done this month, so stay tuned!)

This pie safe had been through many, many years and oh, the stories it could tell if it could speak! It had been around during the civil war, the great depression and had paralleled the election and death of many presidents as well as welcoming many children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren to this world.

While it had “good bones,” it needed a great deal of work and of course, time. The top was bent and warped, the metal and body had been painted numerous times and was literally “caked” on, so it made sense to take this oldie apart and restore each piece separately as this allowed better access to the metal work and gave Jim a chance to straighten out and repair a few things, such as the broken bottom drawer and bent, warped top.

After removing a few layers of paint from the body, Jim painstakingly began a 7-week process of removing all the paint from the tin, which had a lovely pattern which was all but hidden beneath that paint. He chose to use a drill bit that matched the size of the holes to remove the paint which had seeped into each hole, then used a wood carving tool to remove the rest. This was a very long, tedious process, but it was the only way to do it right. Once done, he had to prime then paint the metal and let it dry completely before I could paint the body.

The customer had originally wanted the pie safe stripped and stained, but once the old paint was removed, the wood used to create this pie safe wasn’t stain-worthy, so we opted for painting it white with copper spray paint for the metal inserts which had a beautiful circular design, practically invisible under all that paint. The copper was an excellent choice, as it highlighted the beautiful paint color, Sherwin-Williams "Cotton White.” For a finishing “fun” touch, I selected polka dot knobs to replace the old wooden ones to add a touch of whimsy.

After this old beauty was done, the results were absolutely stunning, one which will go into our “Finale Hall of Fame,” for sure. Definitely a great and beautiful item of furniture which will be lovingly used for many years to come.

Ship’s Wheel Stripped

Ship's Wheel Before

Ship's Wheel After Stripping

Every once in a while we get an unusual job, not your everyday furniture. This teak ship’s wheel was such a job. He had also brought two other small things, a cup holder and a t.v. remote (or cell phone) holder. The customer had wanted this ship’s wheel to match his boat, so he wanted it stripped only. He would take care of the staining.

I started with the wheel lying flat on the table, then decided it would be easier to work on in an upright position, so I had Jim cut a small hole in my work table and I used this to position the ship’s wheel in it and spun it as needed to get into all the small areas on the spindles. It turned out to be a great idea as it helped me access areas that would otherwise have been very difficult to reach otherwise. This ship’s wheel took a full three days of detailed, time-consuming hand-stripping and sanding to remove the worn, peeling polyurethane.

The wheel had no stain on it, just polyurethane, but had begun to wear off and in some areas had suffered water damage. While sanding, I focused on those areas, but after it was to be stained, it would cover those areas completely. When I had completed the sanding, I took an old toothbrush and used brass cleaner to remove the oxidation from the center, which was made of solid brass. It look great when all that oxidation was removed and with a bit of elbow grease and brass polish, it shined up and looked brand new. This final touch made the ship’s wheel look great.

Ship's Wheel hole in Table

Spline Caning Chairs

Spline Caning Before

This dining chair was one of two which needed new caning installed in

Spline Caning After

the back only. The old caning had been broken (not uncommon for dining chairs) and needed replacement. This chair required the spline caning, which of the caning styles is the easier one compared to strand caning, which is much more time consuming.

While easier than strand caning, this particular chair was a bit harder due to the extreme curve of the top. This required paying attention to keeping the caning straight while installing because it becomes quite noticeable if caning is crooked. Therefore, keeping it straight and taut throughout installation is essential for a properly caned chair. Although the customer didn’t request the seat to be replaced, the new caning back  freshens up the chair and looks much better than the old, broken caning.

Antique Rocking Chair w/caning

Rocking Chair After

Rocking Chair Before

This antique rocking chair was quite wobbly and needed the caning replaced. This chair had been made using "strand" caning, a different style than the push in caning which is held in place by using a spline. Unlike spline caning, this chair's construction was designed for using strand caning because of the holes surrounding the border of the back and seat.

First things first. After I removed the original, damaged caning, Jim took care of the broken and loose joints by taking the chair apart, then gluing it back together so it would be strong enough to endure the caning process, which required a lot of pulling and pushing through the strengthened holes. Then I sanded the old finish and stained it with walnut stain. Once the stain had dried, I sprayed the first coat of semi-gloss polyurethane so it would have some protection for caning. Then came the "fun" part.

I had done spline caning before, but this was the first time I had done "strand" caning and I have to tell you, it was extremely time-consuming work as you have to draw each strand of cane through the holes, secure the cane with pegs and work your way throughout the entire chair, first going front to back, then side to side, then the weaving starts. There are six (or seven) steps involved in this type of caning, the last steps are the diagonal weave, which creates the "holes" that define the design. It is tedious work, but if you follow the steps in the instruction booklet, you can do this yourself. I also watched a YouTube video put out by the manufacturer that we had purchased the chair kit from and found it extremely useful and referred to the video as well as the booklet many times during the process. The finished product was a lovely antique chair that will look elegant as it graces the parlor of a sitting room, hopefully for another century.

Bloodwood Rocking Chair

Bloodwood Rocking Chair Before

This chair was the rocking chair version of a chair I had done previouslyhttp://finalefurniture.blogspot.com/2018/10/sturdy-cherry-chair.html This chair was identical to the first one, except for it being a rocking chair. I made an interesting discovery while stripping this chair. I  thought the first chair was made of cherry, thus the extreme reddish tones and variations of color throughout the chair.

Bloodwood Rocking Chair After

for the same person. You can read about that chair by clicking on this link:

This rocking chair had even more differential color tones in red, yellow and gold, so after some research, I was able to identify the true wood as bloodwood, an exotic hardwood grown in Brazil and Australia. I had never actually worked with bloodwood, but was familiar with it just by working with various woods over the last seven years. As you can see by the “before” and “after” photos, the old stain was hiding the glorious colors and tones of this unique wood.

The stripping process was tedious and very time consuming for this rocking chair, but necessary to expose the beauty beneath. Once stripped and thoroughly sanded, I chose red mahogany stain, as I did for the first chair which brought out the natural beauty. It seemed like the best choice as it worked well before. As with the first chair, I applied two coats of semi-gloss polyurethane for a smooth, even finish.

Antique Dresser With A "Secret"

Antique Dresser Before

Antique Dresser After

We love antiques. We love the look and feel of them as well as working with them, because unlike mass-produced furniture you tend to see in today's market, antiques have a unique profile, form and structure that is lacking in "modern" furniture. This specific dresser has a great story as well as a unique feature that was discovered after we brought it home.

The photos on the left and lower right are the dresser as we had seen it in the antique store (top) and after we got it home (bottom right). We had purchased the dresser right here in Marine City in December, 2015. Jim and I were