Rescuing Old Furniture By Refinishing

Sometimes the finish is just too far gone and the old piece demands a refresh to make it attractive and usable. Here's one success story.

- Ray Tschoepe

We all have hand-me-down and garage-sale pieces that don't warrant a curatorial approach.

This article references middle-of-the-road furnishings without provenance and with badly damaged finishes. As a historicpreservation specialist, I offer this caveat: a lot of 18th- through early-20th-century pieces keep their value only if the finish is original. Furthermore, some finishes that appear badly damaged can be brought back without removal. Before altering any finishes, check with an antiques appraiser whom you trust.

You may come across a decent find that's affordable precisely because the finish is a goner. Depending on the finish and the history of the piece, the finish may have been damaged by water, by ultraviolet light, acid or another spill, nicotine, or pollution.

Some finishes tended to polymerize over time, contributing to darkening and alligatoring. Your find may have spent too many years next to the fireplace or sitting in direct sunlight. Or a barn.

Recently I tackled such a project. The small parlor side table, a rather generic 19th-century piece, was relatively intact save for a loose joint or two. Its finish, however, contributed nothing.