Antique wooden furniture can be very lovely due to its glow and warmth. This is what differentiates new wooden furniture from antique wooden items. It takes several years for this glow and warmth (known as a patina) to develop and build up. In fact, there are kinds of wood that can take centuries to develop a patina.
Marks or scuffs on the surface of antique wooden furniture add charm and character to the furniture. Antique wooden furniture needs proper care and treatment to increase its lifespan considering the fact that it can easily be damaged (at times beyond repair). If you have antique wooden furniture, ensure that you take care of it. How can you take care of antique wooden furniture? Here are tips to help you.
Wax Your Antique Wooden Furniture on a Regular Basis
The patina that we mentioned earlier in this article needs some maintenance. Proper maintenance of antique wooden furniture will maintain the glow and warmth of your piece of furniture. Waxing your antique wooden furniture on a regular basis is key to protecting the surface of your furniture.
In addition, the wax will bring out the grain’s colour and nourish the wood further down. Natural beeswax is usually the best option for waxing your furniture. It is not a good idea to use modern spray polishes as they can damage your furniture over time. Waxing is a straightforward process.
All you have to do is to put a small amount of wax on a soft clean lint-free cloth, and rub in the direction of your furniture’s grain until the surface of the furniture’s surface shines. Furniture that has been dry for a long period of time often absorbs wax very quickly.
If your furniture soaks the wax quickly, apply the wax until the furniture becomes shiny. It is recommended that you polish your antique wooden furniture every few months and dust it in-between to protect the surface by encouraging a hard wax skin.
Look for a Good Place to Store Your Antique Wooden Furniture
Many people believe that antique wooden furniture is something that should be displayed in a home and not something to hide. If you choose to display your antique wooden furniture, ensure that you store it in a good place. For instance, an antique rocking chair may look good when stored by the window but this is not the best place to keep it.
Keep in mind that direct sunlight can bleach wood and make your furniture’s colour uneven. Exposure to direct sunlight can also make the veneer lift off in pieces or cause wood to crack. Therefore, it is good to avoid placing your furniture in direct sunlight.
Central heating can dry the wood out. Therefore, it is good to protect your furniture by waxing it from time to time. Antique wooden furniture can be affected by several environmental factors. As such, it is good to ensure that you avoid keeping your furniture in a place with environmental factors that can negatively affect your furniture. Keep your piece away from direct sunlight, in a room that has a fairly stable temperature and humidity and that is well ventilated.
Moving and Handling
Your antique wooden furniture can be a victim when moving house and it is good to treat your antique furniture with care when moving houses by moving it very gently. Statistics have shown that most furniture items are broken or damaged when moving houses. The reasons for this is the fact that the moving process involves moving furniture items in crowded vans or squeezing them through narrow hallways.
You can avoid damage to your furniture items by getting enough help when moving house. Look for 2 people to help you so that you can avoid chipping and dragging. Avoid tilting your antique chair back on its legs since this can cause damage to the joints.
Instead, use furniture glides or castors to help you protect the base. Lift your antique wooden furniture form the lowest part of the frame and remove any drawers before moving units. Keep in mind that rough handling is the leading cause of antique wooden furniture damage.
At times, despite our best efforts, antique wooden furniture can be damaged. When this happens, don’t worry as a furniture restorer can help you repair your damaged antique wooden furniture. The good thing is that a good restorer can match the unique style of your piece hence making it hard for people to detect repair.
Repairing your antique furniture all by yourself is not a good idea as the job requires a lot of equipment, is time-consuming and requires a lot of skill. As such, it is good to leave this job to a professional restorer. If you would like to find out more information about repairing or taking care of antique wooden furniture, take a look at The Abbey Group.