Two-Tier Antique Mahogany Table

Table Before Repair

Table After Repair & Refinishing

This table came to me as you see in the photo on the right, with three legs that were broken, the center piece which held them together was missing on two out of the three legs.

These missing sections had to be reconstructed using a template, traced from the legs themselves. This was an lovely antique two-tier table commonly seen during the 1920's and 1930s. Many people remember these tables in their grandparents homes, so they now hold a special place in our hearts along with all those memories. Commonly used for knick-knacks, plants, collectibles and many other
lightweight, small items, this table was ripe for restoration.

Table After Leg Repair Before Restoration

A bit of ingenuity, generous amounts of wood glue and clamping, and the legs were soon good as new. The leg had to be repaired before the chair could be refinished, since the table could not stand otherwise.

The leg repair involved removing the original center pieces and recreating new 1/8" inserts, which were glued to the center of leg, making it complete. Then they would be glued to the table's existing dowels. This was the basis of the construction; the legs glued into the dowels at the base of the table's center.

Once the legs were dry and secure, the rest of the table was then stripped, sanded and stained with mahogany stain, which look great with the original mahogany wood. I always polish brass elements on my furniture. This table had three brass claw tips on the legs which I removed, polished and put back on the table once it was all finished.