- Furniture refinishing services
- French polish
- Antique furniture preservation
- Finish color matching, water & heat damage elimination.
- Restoration of damaged elements.
- Replacement of missing veneer and restoration of loose/warped veneer
- Structural repair and reinforcement
- Replacement of missing pieces
- Lamp & Chandelier rewiring, crystal replacement and glasswork (antique or not)
I work out of my workshop in Malden, MA.
I can also work on-site*, at your home or business, if preferred, especially if the furniture you need restored/repaired is a challenge to transport to my workshop.
*Always taking precautions, and following CDC guidelines.
What’s the difference between Restoration & Repairing?
Restoration may be as straightforward as a cleanup to get rid of some dirt or grime, like on the surface of a painting, or it may include close to complete reconstruction or replacement, as can be the case with old vehicles or a piece of furniture. Restoration is often done in preparation for sale or by a collector upon getting a brand new piece. The main goal of restoration is to “restore” the original appearance or functionality.
There are plenty of distinctions between restoring and repairing. You can accomplish functionality with a simple repair, however restoring an item properly is an art-form that requires specific set of skills. Finishes may be stripped and redone, however it’s essential that the first patination is preserved, whenever possible. Complete stripping is merely done as a final resort, particularly with an antique piece of furniture.
Often with antique restoration, there also are alternative problems as well for example: an “over restored” item will be lowered in its worth, thus in certain cases a complete restoration is not advised. Therefore, restoration of valuable objects should be left to professionals that are knowledgeable in the subject, and will restore only the parts that will increase a value of a piece of furniture or some other antique item.
Most restorers, including Rafael, have years of expertise in their field, whereas others are self-taught volunteers. Given that one piece of furniture may include parts of wood, glass, animal skin, inlay, cloth and even have several shades of color within it, antique restoration encompasses many skills.
“French Polishing” was the industry commonplace in Europe throughout the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, pushed aside by the efficient advantage of modern ways within the historic period. Lacquers and spray systems replaced the first French polish finish, which is impractical for mass furniture production due to the labor-intensive method of application. Because the need for antiques wasn’t idle, neither was the necessity for them to be appropriately restored; therefore, the trade has been kept alive by a thread.
To sum up, hiring a professional antique furniture restorer is a must when it comes to bringing your antique furniture back to life. It requires a specific set of skills, and should be done properly to make sure the value of your antique piece goes up in value and not down. If you are have a piece that needs repair or refinish, contact Rafael today.
