Five ways to preserve vintage wooden furniture
Here are five tips that will help you preserve antique wooden furniture
Your dadi jaan’s chair, table and dresser that have been passed on to you are some of your most prized possessions. With intricate carving on wood and classy designs, these furniture pieces could lose their essence due to daily wear and tear.
What is not known to many is that the way these vintage are pieces treated must be different from the way modern pieces are. As compiled from antiquesworld.co.uk, here are five tips that will help you preserve antique wooden furniture.
Keep pieces away from heat: Avoid placing antique wooden furniture in direct sunlight and other mediums of heat, which could loosen glued joints, veneers, inlays and marquetry. So, keep your furniture away from heating and air-conditioning vents, radiators or stoves. Use a humidifier or dehumidifier to maintain humidity levels and minimise effects of moisture on the pieces.
Rid house of pests: Cockroaches and rats damage furniture due to the staining effects of their excrement. Insects such as termites eat mature wood grain, leaving exit holes and causing fine sawdust called frass under the furniture. Consult an exterminator to rid your house of pests and remove furniture from infested areas.
Handle with care: Rough handling causes irreparable damage to antique furniture. Before moving pieces from one place to another, check for loose or damaged joints. Chairs should be carried by seat rails and not the back splats, top rails or arms, and tables, by the apron or legs instead of the top. They should be lifted and not dragged across the floor.
Opt for finish restoration: For pieces that require replenishing, it’s essential to keep their original finish intact. Visit the furniture market in Saddar, Karachi and Al Hamra Town, Lahore to get finish restoration on antiques. Other than restoring the furniture’s original finish, the process of finish restoration helps in removing dirt that accumulates on the pieces over the years.
Polish and clean regularly: Instead of using oils to enhance the finish and appearance of furniture, apply a coat of high-quality paste wax on them. Apart from wax, dust pieces with a soft, lint-free cloth on a regular basis will help sustain the original look of the furniture while protecting it from erosion.
Compiled By: Maria Ahmed
Published in The Express Tribune, October 11th, 2014.
What is not known to many is that the way these vintage are pieces treated must be different from the way modern pieces are. As compiled from antiquesworld.co.uk, here are five tips that will help you preserve antique wooden furniture.
Keep pieces away from heat: Avoid placing antique wooden furniture in direct sunlight and other mediums of heat, which could loosen glued joints, veneers, inlays and marquetry. So, keep your furniture away from heating and air-conditioning vents, radiators or stoves. Use a humidifier or dehumidifier to maintain humidity levels and minimise effects of moisture on the pieces.
Rid house of pests: Cockroaches and rats damage furniture due to the staining effects of their excrement. Insects such as termites eat mature wood grain, leaving exit holes and causing fine sawdust called frass under the furniture. Consult an exterminator to rid your house of pests and remove furniture from infested areas.
Handle with care: Rough handling causes irreparable damage to antique furniture. Before moving pieces from one place to another, check for loose or damaged joints. Chairs should be carried by seat rails and not the back splats, top rails or arms, and tables, by the apron or legs instead of the top. They should be lifted and not dragged across the floor.
Opt for finish restoration: For pieces that require replenishing, it’s essential to keep their original finish intact. Visit the furniture market in Saddar, Karachi and Al Hamra Town, Lahore to get finish restoration on antiques. Other than restoring the furniture’s original finish, the process of finish restoration helps in removing dirt that accumulates on the pieces over the years.
Polish and clean regularly: Instead of using oils to enhance the finish and appearance of furniture, apply a coat of high-quality paste wax on them. Apart from wax, dust pieces with a soft, lint-free cloth on a regular basis will help sustain the original look of the furniture while protecting it from erosion.
Compiled By: Maria Ahmed
Published in The Express Tribune, October 11th, 2014.