Old World Furniture Refinishing and Antiques


	Old World Furniture Refinishing 1145A Chesapeake Ave - Columbus, OH 43212 Phone: (614) 481-9357 Fax: (614) 481-9026 Email: owfr@aol.com


		"How do I know which refinishing shop to choose?" By far, this is the most important question you can ask yourself. Skill levels and procedures vary from shop to shop. Therefore, the answers that you get to your questions are the only way that you can differentiate between shops. We feel some very important questions to determine your choice of refinishers should include: Will refinishing hurt the value of my antique or vintage furniture? How will my piece be stripped? How is the stripper neutralized? How are color and finish applied? Does the shop have a standard "rub-out" procedure, and if so, what is it? What's the difference between an open-pore and closed-pore finish? How long will it take to have the furniture stripped, repaired, and refinished? How much will my refinishing cost? Is my furniture worth refinishing? We believe that when choosing a company to restore your furniture, you should inspect examples of the company's work to see if their standards meet your expectations. In order to help you determine which refinisher is right for you, feel free to print out and use our handy worksheet as a tool to help evaluate potential refinishers. At Old World, you have an open invitation to visit and take a tour of our facilities.

Will refinishing hurt the value of my vintage or antique furniture?: Which of the following pieces of furniture would you rather have to enjoy or view in your home or office? Without proper care, the piece on the left will deteriorate much more rapidly than the restored example on the right. On the whole, american made furniture from 1900-1960, while excellent in quality, is by no means an original Sheraton or Hepplewhite. Quite often your furniture will appreciate after restoration, rather than depreciate. If, after evaluating your piece, we feel that restoration would hurt it's value, we will inform you that this is so.
How will my piece be stripped?: We hand strip with a semi-paste stripper. In our opinion, the methods of stripping are (in order of preference): By hand (using a semi-paste or liquid stripper) Flowover Chemical immersion While some pieces are suitable for flowover, by far the best method is to hand strip with a semi-paste stripper.
How is the stripper neutralized?: Will it be Solvent-wiped or water washed (aka "power-washed")? Because many glues are water soluble, we solvent-wipe. Also, water washing can have the effect of raising or furring of wood fibers. It is very important to control the moisture content of wood in order to minimize warping and splitting. Water washing makes this control much more difficult.
How are color and finish applied?: The two basic methods of applying color are Dying or staining the raw wood, and then sealing with a finish. Mixing the dye or pigment with a finish, and then applying. We dye or stain the raw wood and then seal with clear finish coats. This provides better adhesion of the finish to the wood, and also produces a depth and clarity of finish that is superior to that resulting from mixing color with the finish.
Does the shop have a standard "rub-out" procedure, and if so, what is it?: At our facility, primary surfaces such as tops are always wet-sanded and hand rubbed or machine-buffed as the final touch.
What's the difference between an open-pore and closed-pore finish?: Examples of "open-pored" woods include mahogany, walnut, & oak. When these types of woods are finished, the pore structure is visible on the surface as an indentation. This is called an open-pored finish. Filled-pore finishes are achieved by using a paste wood filler, multiple coats of finish, and wet-sanding, resulting in a smooth surface. They are traditionally found on pianos, formal dining tables, etc., and are also more labor intensive, therefore more expensive.
How long will it take to have the furniture stripped, repaired, and refinished?: Our standard turn around time is approximately 2-4 weeks, however without actually evaluating your piece, it is difficult to give an exact answer. We welcome the chance to look at your piece, and will be happy to provide time and cost estimates.
How much will my refinishing cost?: Quality refinishing is not inexpensive. The cost of refinishing is directly proportional to the amount of time required to restore a piece. Our shop rate, much like that of a mechanic's garage, is calculated by the hour. That said, oftentimes the cost of refinishing a piece of furniture is much less than would be buying a new piece of comparable quality. We will be happy to evaluate your project and submit a firm bid to you upon your request.
Is my furniture worth refinishing?: Typically furniture is restored for one or more of three reasons: aesthetic value, sentimental value, or historical value. The first and last are simply calculated financial considerations. Is the cost of restoration less than that of purchasing a comparable piece in good condition? Sentimental value, however, is not calculated easily. Family history is often associated with furniture handed down through the generations. Obviously these pieces deserve special consideration when weighing the cost of refinishing. We will be happy to discuss your project with you to determine whether restoration of your piece is financially feasible.