If you possess a valuable piece of furniture, you might be debating if it’s worth going through the restoration process. Wood pieces are delicate and require plenty of attention and time to restore. So, let’s learn how to determine whether wood furniture is worth restoring.
Is It High Quality?
There is no point in restoring your wood furniture if it lacks quality. Companies started to mass-produce their furniture to maximize their profit—mass production results in low-quality furniture, and as such, the furniture is also less valuable. Anything after 1960 likely isn’t worth your time and money to refurbish. Additionally, ancient pieces (from the mid-1800s or before) may lose their value if you try to give them a touch-up. If you have any ancient pieces, let their character shine, and don’t ruin them by trying to improve them.
Is It In Solid Condition?
How can a layperson test their furniture to see if it’s in good condition? Well, the easiest way is to test your piece by taking it carefully through various actions. Something as simple as shaking it back and forth will test its sturdiness. If it falls apart from your tests, you’ll know if it’s worth the investment of fixing it. Furthermore, if you or the seller practice fundamental maintenance tips, odds are the piece is looking sharp.
Will Restoring It Be Too Challenging?
Restoring wood furniture takes a lot of time, effort, and money. Therefore, assess the situation to figure out the difficulty of the project. You’ll be able to get a basic understanding of how long it will take based on the craftsmanship of the furniture piece. For example, something like carvings may take a while to refinish. Essentially, sometimes restoration isn’t worth it, so if a certain piece isn’t up to snuff, it’s okay to move on.
How Will the Finished Product Look?
You may have an ideal picture of how things will look once the restoration process is complete. However, your dreams can shatter within a blink of an eye if any missteps happen. Luckily, you can get a solid grasp of the finished product by studying the original wood, which can typically be found on the back or the underside of a drawer. If that’s a look you are fond of, you can proceed with the restoration. Just know that older wood may come out darker than you imagine.
These four questions help answer how to determine whether wood furniture is worth restoring. The answers can make for a difficult decision. But now you know the proper steps to take to ensure you make the correct choice.
