The first piece of advice when you are thinking of antique furniture repair is to stop. Don’t do anything until you’ve read this blog – it could save you (or gain you) thousands.

Every antique dealer has horror stories to share — there’s the woman who stripped the old paint off of an antique table before showing it to the expert who had to tell her she had devalued it by half when she stripped the paint, or vintage candelabras ruined by well-meaning jewelers.

The best piece of antique furniture repair advice you can get is to have an expert or a dealer with a great deal of knowledge look at the piece before you begin any repair.

Since they likely don’t deal in antique furniture repair themselves, they are not likely to give you self-serving advice, and you have the potential of preventing real damage to the piece.

If you have some woodworking or metalworking skills and a knowledge of antiques, there may be repairs you can complete and still preserve or even increase the value of the piece.

If you have only a minor scratch, then you could try a good quality scratch cover. Howard’s Restore a Finish is one that does well with surface scratches and other marks.

More significant marks may require the use of a furniture marker. You’ll need to purchase a marker in the same color as the furniture you’re touching up for the best results. If you have a dark piece and you’re debating between a lighter and darker maker, you may want to choose the darker version. The eye doesn’t differentiate the darker color, but may notice the lighter.

Crayon type fillers work well for small cracks. Run the crayon over the crack several times to let the waxy substance fill the crack. Some 0000 steel wool rubbed over the crack will remove extra residue.

After consulting with a professional, you may repair small nick or dings or missing veneer with Quick Wood, an epoxy based substance that sticks to nearly any surface.

There are also repair cover powders that allow you to repaint over the repair, but it’s a job for professionals in most cases.

For antique furniture repair of dirty pieces, there are products you can use to clean and restore to life to an area that needs to be cleaned. Oz cream is one of the standards used by antique specialists and furniture lovers everywhere, or you can buy the kits that contain cleaner, buffer and shiners that are great for cleaning your antique furniture.

You should expect to pay about $60 for the cleaning kit. Using this method requires a bit of elbow grease, but the results are worth it. One caution; be sure you don’t rub too hard, or you will remove the finish from the furniture.

Replacing old latches with newer, magnetic style latches is an easy antique furniture repair, but is not always the recommended repair. Before replacing a sticky latch, try 3 in 1 oil on the latch and see if it fixes the problem. Consult a professional before replacing a latch.

Photo Credits: arekd

Originally posted 2009-06-06 05:55:56. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

• Barrister Bookcase   Dealers -> Furniture -> Bookcases Patented in 1892, a barrister bookcase is a special type of bookcase that's enclosed with clear glass covering the front, differentiating it from a typical open-shelf bookcase. These bookcases got their start in the UK, but became popular worldwide because of their unique stackable......
• Antique Doors Antiques -> Architectural and Garden -> Doors Antique doors have much to offer the private collector and many of these, depending on the materials used, and the designer may actually be worth quite a lot of money. Whether you are looking for a collectible that you can put to good......
• Antique Door Locks Antiques -> Architectural & Garden -> Doors The look of antique furniture and hardware can lend such old-fashioned charm to a room, so it's no wonder than an antique door lock is a popular item that can look great in all but the most modern décor. Someone searching for this......
• Antique Lighting Antiques -> Decorative Arts -> Lamps Whether you are trying to restore an older home and would like to keep it in the period style, or you just appreciate older light fixtures, antique lighting has much to offer. There are many different styles from Victorian, to Art Deco to Modern......
• Antique Singer Sewing Machine Antiques -> Sewing -> Machines and Machine Parts If you love sewing collectibles and are trying to build up your collection, one of the best additions you can find is an antique Singer sewing machine. These machines can enhance any personal collection and may even be the focal point in......

• 6 Tips for Getting Your Lawn Ready for Winter Even though you may be done with mowing for the year, that doesn’t mean that your lawn doesn’t need more attention before winter strikes. Whether you live in a warm climate or a cold one, by taking the time to take care of your lawn before winter comes, you can......
• How to Remove Wallpaper Whether you bought a new house that had some truly hideous wallpaper, or you just want to refresh a room, removing wallpaper can be a big job, especially if you are not using the right tools. While the age of the paper and how it was applied can have a......
• How to Distress Furniture Perhaps you own a dresser that isn’t quite your style.  Or it could be that you have a pair of end tables that are looking rather ragged.  In either of these cases, you may be considering purchasing new furniture replacement pieces.  But, that isn’t your only option.  You may want......
• Basic Tools – A Home Repair Guide Anyone who has had to hire someone to perform a simple home repair for them knows that it’s just not worth it. Repair services charge a lot to fix even the most basic problems, and if you have a major issue then it’s that much worse. Many people have been......
• 6 Easy Preventative Measures for New Tenants Just in Case Unfortunately, not every landlord or property management is honest, and it is sometimes difficult to figure out what you should expect from such a relationship until the point where you become a tenant. Leases and contracts are designed to protect both the owner and the tenant, but there is unfortunately......

• With Cover Inflatable, Kid Pools Pools Pools & Spas Yard, Garden & Outdoor Living Nursery
• Mailbox Cover Wooden Planters, Pots & Window Boxes Gardening & Plants Yard, Garden & Outdoor Living Nursery
• Tools & Repair Stands Accessories Cycling
• Trash Cans & Wastebaskets Cleaning Supplies Housekeeping & Organization Home Store
• Kit Color Reference Pool Chemicals & Testing Pools & Spas Yard, Garden & Outdoor Living