Restoring an antique piece of furniture is a delicate process that requires technical expertise, history, and taste. Not everything needs to be restored, and not everything can be restored: figuring out what to do with a piece of heirloom furniture is already half the battle.
When it is worth restoring
It is worth restoring an antique piece of furniture when: it has a sentimental value important, it is in solid wood of quality, has a still solid structure, and when the finished piece of furniture can be used (not a museum piece, but a living piece of furniture). A piece of furniture in veneered with very thin sheet it is hardly worth a complete restoration.
Conservative restoration or complete restoration
The conservative restoration It maintains the original patina, repairs only the necessary damage, and leaves visible signs of aging. It is the correct philological choice for furniture of historical value. full restoration Restores the furniture to a "like-new" condition: the old finish is removed, sanded, and repainted. It's best suited for everyday furniture that we want to bring back to life.
What we check before accepting a job
When a customer brings an antique piece of furniture to our workshop we look at: structural state (joints, legs, doors), the presence of active woodworms (requires disinfection), the type of original finish (shellac, wax, varnish), previous interventions (some furniture has been “retouched” badly and must first be brought back to its pure state).
Typical times
A small piece of furniture (a nightstand, stool) takes 2-3 weeks. A sideboard or wardrobe can take 6-10 weeks. The time depends greatly on the condition of the piece and the type of work. Natural varnishes (buffed shellac) don't require a shorter time to complete: each coat should be applied with a little time.
When it is worth more not to restore
A badly damaged piece of furniture made of ordinary wood, with no sentimental or historical value, will cost more to repair than it's worth. In these cases, we honestly recommend: a new piece is better. tailor-made, well made, that will last another 50 years, rather than spending on a piece that has reached the end of its life.
The only restoration we are always happy to do
We always restore family furniture with a history, even modest ones. These are pieces that cannot be bought again. The cracks, scratches, and patches become a story. Our job is to extend their life by another 50 years.
🌿 Do you want to see our completed projects?
Discover our custom furniture portfolio or Contact us for a free inspection in our showroom in Bari.
