How to Tell If Wood Furniture Is Worth Refinishing?

Do you still reminisce the antique wardrobe rotting away in your attic or storage unit? Rather than forking over cash for new expensive furniture, invest a little time and love to refurbish that forgotten wooden furniture. Refinishing wooden fitments will help you save costs and let you flaunt the items you might have grown too attached to. Plus, it makes an excellent family or friends DIY project for a rainy day.

If you were considering tossing some old furniture to the dumpster, it is vital to identify when a piece can be saved or trashed out. It is common for wooden furniture to worn off that fresh look after years in direct sunlight or frequent rugged use. One should examine their antiques and question if the pieces can be salvaged to their original beauty and functionality. Use this article to understand if it is worth the effort of restoring that forsaken furniture or simply call an end for it.

1. Antiques

Antiques are officially described to be at least a century old and not all would be quantified at the same value. It is a general idea to sort out professional furniture restorations for antique pieces predating 1850 because amateurs may lack the knowledge to expertly conserve such artifacts. One can consider refinishing antiques if the personal sentiment value is higher than the retail worth but remain cautious to not damage the furniture and lessen its value.

Wooden furniture dating between 1850 and 1960 are ideal for home DIY projects. Such pieces were sturdier and can be counted to be more reliable than what is built today. Refinish them for their original charm or change the color scheme so it can match better with your modern interior layout. Some ways to estimate a furniture’s manufacture period is either through dated company imprints or hardware installed.

2. Previously Painted or Not

While examining the furniture, observe if the wooden furniture is previously painted or not. Many wooden articles are not coated with paint and are left alone to shine in their own skin. One should remain vigilant about the things that are painted – usually it is the case to hide something. Paint jobs are an easy short term cosmetic fix to cover any damages, burns or filled holes. It is not worth it to plan a refinishing task for damaged furniture because they would not yield the same visual result.

3. Examine the Bones

Pull out your magnifying glass and check the condition of the wood structure. Wood is a durable foundation but can be easily damaged if exposed to excessive water. You can apply the rocking test to see how sturdy the furniture piece is. Gently shake it back and forth to observe if any loose joints become visible. If the article is not solid, refinishing will take much more of your time as now you will have to take it apart and reglue it all over again. Reglueing can be a tedious and time-consuming assignment, which also requires a spacious workstation. If the structure of the wooden furniture is weak, evaluate if you can commit to such an onerous responsibility before you start.