Antique Restoration Process: How Is This Done?
July 29, 2015When decorating, it is essential that you create the perfect home environment that is relaxing, warm and pleasing. And when it comes to designing your home beautifully, you want to make sure that your antique furniture is updated. In fact, broken or worn-out looking antiques will detract from the look you are after, making your home appear sloppy and unkempt.
What is more, you cannot just display any piece of furniture and assume it looks good. In order to retain its beauty and unique appeal, antiques need to be periodically restored.
What is Antique Restoration?
Antique restoration is the process of restoring a work of art or an antique to a like-new condition. It also involves the conservation of antiques to help prevent further deterioration. And when an antique is well maintained it helps preserve its matchless beauty for years to come.
Restoration
The restoration of an antique can be simple or complex. For instance, the process can involve a light cleaning to get rid of unsightly dirt or grime. Restoration may also include complete over-all rebuilding or the replacement of components.
The main objective of antique restoration is to restore the piece to its original appearance or functionality. It may seem like restoration only includes repairing a piece, which is generally all that is needed to obtain functionality. However, proper antique restoration is an art form and requires upmost skill and craftsmanship. Largely, this is because it is vital that the original patina be retained.
In the eye of an antiquity expert, poor restoration is the misery of an experienced restorer. There is nothing worse than trying to undo the damage of a poorly restored antique. For instance, many collectors value aesthetics that show the age of a piece and/or the “patina". And when an antique is over-restored, it often loses its worth and its aesthetics. For that reason, it is imperative that you have a professional restore your valuable antiques.
How is Antique Restoration Done?
Although a few repairs can be done on site, most repairs need to be carried out in a workshop where the skilled craftsman has access to proper materials and equipment. The first step in antique restoration is to remove any wax and dirt build-up in order to prevent further damage. This process also allows the craftsman more flexibility to attain a cleaner repair.
As a rule, the next step is to take apart the piece that needs repaired. Oftentimes this procedure involves the disassembly of other parts in order to complete the task successfully. Also, during this step extra challenges are exposed such as old screws breaking off. In this case, the old screws will need to be drilled out cautiously.
Depending on the project or antique, the next step includes repair or replacement of a broken piece. At this stage, damaged or missing veneers are replaced. When all parts are in good working condition the piece is then reassembled. Again, expertise is required to ensure that the piece is plumb and square. In addition, some pieces need tightening and corners need shoring up or supported.
Once the piece is completely repaired then the craftsman needs to make the repairs vanish. This process entails true artistry. Prior to adding aesthetics, the old finish needs to be removed carefully and without damaging the patina. This requires numerous stripping methods and a lot of work by hand. This especially reigns true if the piece has carvings, turnings or other elaborate decorative mouldings or elements. A professional then uses a combination of feathering, color matching, blending, sanding and hand rubbing in order to create a finish that is identical to the original piece.
Contact Us
Rear 404 Burke Road, Camberwell VIC 3124
Mobile: 0417 585 207
Email: rod@lordsantiques.com.au
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