Do you hate to get rid of your thrift store buffet, but you acknowledge it requires some sprucing up? Do your kitchen cabinets need restoration, minus altering any of the unique features? Will your master bedroom finally be complete with the addition of an imitation of your favorite antique bedside table? Or possibly you have a wooden staircase or outdoor deck that has survived a fire, flood, a teething puppy, or just overall wear and tear.
In regards to wooden items in your home, there is some truth to the saying “They don’t make them like they used to”. There are good reasons for that. Most poorly made old furniture was dumped into landfills long ago. The ones that are still around are the ones that were built better originally. On occasion, restoring an older piece of wood furniture may seem more expensive than buying a new one, but a cheaper replacement may also be second-rate.
The same goes for wood restoration on home exteriors and interiors, including trim. Original wood can maintain a sense of the age, style and uniqueness of a home. Restoring the wood is usually the only way to maintain that aesthetic, as replacing it or swapping it out for vinyl siding or new trim can be less pleasing to the eye and can even devalue a home.
Before you make a decision about what to do, you should ask about your options with an Santa Clara County wood restoration professional in the larger cities of San Jose, Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, Mountain View, and Milpitas, or the smaller towns of Holy City, Monte Vista, Morgan Hill, Mountain View, Redwood Estates, and Saratoga, or your area.
Think about these two things:
Sentimental Value
Does your wood furniture or other wooden items have sentimental value? Maybe it is a family heirloom with many fond memories. Obviously, these pieces are well worth restoring. You will be preserving a piece of woodwork, and also passing history and family lore on to the next generation.
Function
Does the wooden furniture or other wooden items match your family’s needs and lifestyle? For instance, you could decide to replace a dining table that is too little for your family. Nevertheless, if the problem is simply that the furniture is not in good working condition, wood restoration is frequently your best option.
There aren’t licensing bureaus or governing boards that regulate wood restoration companies, so it is critical that you take the time to find the right specialist for your particular project. Although wood restoration professionals tend to be well versed in all styles, each may have a specialty. You wouldn’t take a broken leg to an allergist. Ask about the professional’s area of expertise. For example, if your table needs to be refinished, be cautious of a craftsman who wants to paint using French polish and then says you’ll be eating from your table in one or two days. French polish is usually saved for show pieces like armoires and it is not used on surfaces that are susceptible to to spills and burns. Be patient for a good expert will not rush the process.
Wood restoration specialists can offer you several options. Some of those options are:
Wood Reconditioning Services
All woodwork can be professional cleaned which will remove old wax and dirt build-up. Afterwards there will be touch-ups along with color-blend of nicks, scratches, and abrasions, and tone-in in light areas. A matching finish can be applied to all affected areas; scuff-sand all surfaces, then two coats of a premium grade finish will be applied. The last step in reconditioning is to steel wool between lacquer coats to attain a smooth finish.
Wood Restoration & Touch-Up Services
This involves touch-up along with color-blend of nicks, scratches, and/or abrasions. Afterwards a matching finish can be applied to the affected area.
Wood Maintenance
This service will touch-up and color-blend nicks, scratches, and abrasions. It also involves a matching finish to the affected area and an application of a non-oily liquid wax to the entire surface.
Refinishing Wood
The existing coating is chemically removed to bare wood, any voids are filled in, and all surfaces are sanded smooth. Then the desired color is stained on along with a premium grade finish, and steel wool between the lacquer coats to attain a smooth finish.
Although your main contact will in all probability be the firm’s principal, most wood restoration companies have numerous employees, each having a different area of expertise. Make sure you know who is working on your project and what they will be doing. The person who reproduces the leg of your table might not be the one who completes it.
Do not be nervous to ask about the employees’ educational backgrounds, as well as whether they are trained in a specific style. Inquire about where they have worked and with whom. Additionally, request to see their portfolio and to speak with some of the references. Speak to the references. They know the work, and can tell you if the fees exceeded the estimate, or if the work took twice as long as you would expect or—the best situation—if the work was beautifully done.
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