The Advantages of Furniture Restoration

Furniture restoration involves refurbishing and repairing different pieces of furniture in order to bring them back to their original condition. This may include repairing any damaged wood, reupholstering the furniture and refinishing the item. Antique furniture is often restored as a sentimental heirloom in a family that has been passing it down from one generation to the next or as a piece that can be resold at a higher price.

Furniture Restoration to Extend Its Life Span

When you have a piece of furniture that you love and you want to extend its life for as long as possible, furniture restoration can step up to the plate. It can give a breath of new life to the pieces that you cherish and it’s a much more sustainable option compared to purchasing brand-new items. Furniture restoration greatly reduces the amount of waste that goes to the landfill and has a positive impact on the environment in many other ways.

Restoring your furniture also provides more value to your pieces. This is especially true if you have an antique piece of furniture or perhaps some high-end furniture that you want to restore. There are a lot of people that deeply appreciate both the craftsmanship and the beauty that can be found in older furniture and when it is restored the correct way, the value of the piece can be significantly increased.

Antique Furniture Restoration

This is a specialized form of restoration. Antique furniture is usually more delicate and intricate than modern furniture and requires special care. It can be extremely rewarding to restore your antiques and allow them to continue telling their stories from the past. You’ll be able to enjoy the history that belongs to the furniture and its beauty for many years to come.

Antique furniture restoration also gives you the opportunity to pass the antique piece to future generations. A lot of antiques are irreplaceable and when you restore them you’ll be preserving this history for your family. When you’re working with antique restoration, however, it’s always best to connect with a wood furniture restoration company that understands the delicate nature of antiques and has specialized craftspeople that will treat the furniture as if it was their own.

Look for a Reputable Wood Furniture Restoration Company

When you need to work with professionals, look for the best restoration company available. Your wood furniture deserves only the best! If you have a piece of furniture that you want restored professionally, it’s an obvious conclusion that you love the furniture and would never want to see it damaged or mistreated in any way.

At Lanciano Furniture we have built up an impeccable reputation in the field of refinishing, restoring and repairing wood furniture. We are extremely proud of what we’ve accomplished during our years of service and we invite you to look through our website to see what we stand for and how we can help you make your special piece of furniture come to life once again.

How to Refinish Your Wood Furniture like a Pro

If you have wood furniture that needs new life breathed into it, it’s time to refinish the wood. While this can be a do-it-yourself project, you’ll need to be committed to giving the furniture the time and effort it deserves to look its best. Once you’ve completed the project, however, you’ll be proud of the work you did and will be able to enjoy it for many years to come. 

Furniture Restoration Starts with a Good Cleaning

Thoroughly clean the furniture to remove all the grime and dirt that have built up on it. You can use a mild dish soap that is mixed with water to clean the wood. Simply use as much dish soap as you would usually use to wash the dishes and then use a sponge to scrub the wood surface. If you have to get into any moldings or carvings, dip a paintbrush into the dish mixture to use for the cleaning job. Once you’ve finished cleaning the surface it’s time to rinse it off using clear water and a clean sponge. Allow the wood to dry completely before going on to the next stage of the furniture restoration.

Remove the Old Finish

There are different ways to remove the finish on the wood. Paint can be scraped off carefully using a paint scraper but you need to be careful not to scratch or dent the wood while doing the scraping. It’s a lot easier to do your furniture refinishing by using products on the market that will dissolve the old finish so that it can simply be wiped off. 

This must be done in an area where there is a lot of ventilation and certain products will recommend that you wear a mask to avoid inhaling the fumes. If you are able to take the item outside to do the furniture repairs you may want to consider doing that. Just make sure that it isn’t windy so that dust and debris don’t blow on the furniture and check the weather report to ensure that there is no precipitation expected.

It’s Time for Any Furniture Repairs

Assess the current state of the furniture you are working on to locate any necessary repairs. It’s best to get these done before you add the new finish to the wood. If you happen to notice any damaged molding or chipped wood, this can be easily fixed using a proxy putty. The epoxy turns into a light colour once it has hardened and it can then be stained to match the rest of the wood and sanded. You’ll want to be sure to do this step before adding the finish. 

Paint or Stain the Wood

If you don’t want to highlight the natural look of the wood but would prefer to paint or stain it, this would be your next step in your wood furniture restoration project. It’s always a good idea to test the stain or paint in an inconspicuous area of the furniture to make sure that the colour and the tone look right. Stain or paint a small area, allow it to dry and then apply another coat. Then, if everything looks good, continue with the rest of the furniture refinishing by fully covering the piece with a final protective coating.

Apply the Final Finish

The last step in your furniture restoration project is to apply the final coat of finish. Wipe the newly stained or painted piece of furniture with a dry cloth to remove any dust that may have fallen on it. Apply a liquid wipe-on finish or choose a gel finish that can be applied with a rag. Make sure that you cover the entire piece of furniture with the finish using a swirling motion like you would use if you are waxing your car. Any excess finish should be wiped off by following the direction of the grain. Allow the final finish to dry overnight and you can apply a second coat if you feel like you may have missed some spots.

Wood Furniture Repair Toronto

There are a lot of wood restoration projects that you may want to tackle on your own but there may be others that should be left to a professional. If you have an old antique that has sentimental value or is worth a considerable amount of money, you may not want to do it by yourself. You can ask for an online quote by sending in a picture of the item that requires furniture restoration or refinishing and we will get back to you quickly. You can also get in touch if you have any questions at all regarding furniture repairs for your valued pieces.

How to Choose the Right Wood Finish for Your Project

When you decide to refinish a piece of wood furniture it’s important to find out which finish you should be using on it. The best finish will depend on the type of wood you are using and along with your preferences. Each finish comes with its own benefits and it’s important to know exactly what they are before you get started.

How to Refinish Wood Furniture with the Right Product

The first thing to consider is the kind of wood that you’ll be refinishing. While one piece of wood can be extremely porous, others are not. If the wood is porous, such as pine, the finish can soak into the wood easily. This makes it difficult to achieve an even finish. Make sure that you choose a finish that has been designed for the sort of wood that you will be refinishing.

You may also have to choose the product based on your budget to refinish wood furniture. Shellac and Danish oil, for example, are much less costly than varnish or lacquer. Choose the highest quality finishing product based on what you can afford and how valuable the wood furniture is.

You’ll also need to take into account the durability of the product. If you are going to be refinishing a wooden table that will be used often, for example, you’ll want to choose a durable finish that will be resistant to daily use, heat damage and scratches.

Another thing that will help you decide on the best wood finish for your project is how easy it is to apply. You’ll have your choice of spraying on some types of finishes, brushing them on or using a roller. Read the directions on the wood finishing product to learn about the suggested application method. If you have never worked with a spray finish before, you may find it difficult to get an even finish. If you’re a beginner, a cloth or a brush is often the best way to apply the finish to make the job look professional.

Varnish

Choose varnish when you want your furniture to have a glossy appearance. This finish will also protect the wood from water damage, stains and scratches. The varnish can be brushed or sprayed on according to your level of skill.

Shellac

Shellac isn’t as durable as varnish but it can provide a temporary shine to your wood. This finish cannot withstand solvents and water and is usually sprayed on. If you love the look of shellac, you’ll need to be dedicated to reapplying another coat as necessary.

Oils

There are various oils available for furniture refinishing such as tung, Danish, cedar and linseed oil. Linseed oil penetrates deep into the wood pores and provides a long-lasting durable finish. Tung oil is often the finish of choice for boat hulls since it is extremely water resistant. Both cedar and Danish oil will highlight the natural features of your wood and give it a deep, lustrous appearance.

Wax

Wax is one of the easiest furniture finishes to apply and provides good protection from scuffs and scratching. Waxing isn’t durable, however, so it must be reapplied quite often. The wax can also become dull and need to be buffed up to look shiny again. Wax can be applied with a brush, a cloth or it can even be sprayed on.

How to Restore Old Wood Furniture Safely

Safety must also be taken into account when you’re planning on refinishing a piece of wood furniture at home. Make sure that you work in a well ventilated area, even if you are working with a finish that doesn’t come with a lot of safety precautions. You’ll be in the same area for an extended period of time and it’s always a good idea to have a good flow of air circulating through the room while you are doing the job.

Some finish instructions will advise you to wear a mask when applying the product. Make sure that you choose an appropriate mask that will keep you protected from the chemicals that are emitted from the finish.

When you have a piece of wood furniture that needs refinishing and you don’t have the time or expertise to do it yourself, turn to the experts at Lanciano Furniture to get professional results.

Antique Furniture Refinishing – Should You Restore Your Antique Furniture?

This is a question that is on a lot of people’s minds these days. Is it okay to refinish antique furniture or should the furniture just be left as is? Fortunately, there is no black and white answer to this question since it boils down to a person’s own preferences and it also depends on the type of antique furniture and the condition it is in.

Antique Furniture Restoration According to the Experts

Many people have been watching reality TV shows that showcase people looking for antiques and then cashing them in for big money. You’ll notice that many individuals on the shows have rare finds that are worth thousands of dollars. The experts on these TV shows recommend not refinishing or restoring antique furniture but they are looking at things from a biased point of view.

Most people have antiques that aren’t worth thousands upon thousands of dollars. If you do have something that dates back for years and is worth a lot of money, it would be worth getting a second opinion as to whether antique furniture restoration would be right for that piece. In most cases, however, refinishing antique furniture is a great idea – especially if restoring the piece would make it look better.

Antique Furniture Defined

Most antique sellers define antique furniture as an item that is more than 100 years old. Another definition that is used most often by auctioneers and appraisers of pieces that are highly valued is the furniture that was made before the start of the industrial age. This means that the piece of furniture would date back to the 1840s.

Another important part of the definition, however, that is not strictly anchored in time is the rarity of the furniture piece in question. Something that dates back to the early 1920s, for example, that is rare and hard to find may be considered to be an antique by some professionals. This is especially true if the wooden furniture piece still has its original finish and there have been no major losses or modifications made to it.

Furniture that was mass-produced in the 20th century will become increasingly rare as the years go by. Because it was mass-produced and distributed widely, however, these pieces shouldn’t be expected to appreciate a lot in the near future. When furniture isn’t original, this can be considered to be a liability. In many cases this mass-produced furniture could have its value raised with antique furniture restoration.

Furniture Restoration Toronto – To Restore or Not to Restore?

The first thing you’ll need to do to answer this question is to properly assess the piece of furniture in terms of its rarity, condition and age. Also take a look at how useful it would be in your current environment. If in doubt, you’ll probably need to have an expert take a look at your furniture to give it a proper assessment in order to determine the right approach to take to save your furniture. In some cases a good cleaning is all that would be required while in other cases the furniture piece would need to be recoated or completely stripped and refurbished.

A professional will inspect the furniture and look for any identifying marks or labels to help determine its origin. The piece may also have a special carving that would help identify its age and origin. If you find out that it’s a very valuable item you should not attempt any do-it-yourself restorations on it but should leave the work up to a professional that is qualified to work with high-end antique pieces.

If you discover that the furniture piece isn’t rare it will be up to you as to whether or not furniture restoration Toronto should go ahead. When working with antiques, however, professional restorers are always the best option since you’ll know that you’ll be leaving your furniture in good hands. There are also times when the integrity of the structural design of the furniture has been compromised and needs to be addressed. In these types of scenarios you should turn to the experts to get an opinion as to whether the piece is salvageable or not.

Important Points to Note before Refinishing Antique Furniture

Here are some of the main points that you should be considering before refinishing any furniture that you think may be an antique:

• Was the piece of furniture constructed by a manufacturer or a craftsman that was or is still notable? Regardless of the age of the furniture, search for special marks or labeling appearing either at the back or on the bottom of the piece that would show its origin.
• Would you consider the piece of furniture to be out of the ordinary? Do you think it’s a masterpiece? Take another look at it to ensure that antique furniture refinishing won’t lower its value.
• Do you think that the furniture only requires light repairs or a good cleaning to make it look better? If so, start by cleaning it up and then do only minor repairs on the furniture. Antique furniture refinishing should always start with the least invasive techniques and then move forward with more complicated techniques as required.
• If you believe that your furniture piece may hold some value, concentrate on antique furniture restoration rather than completely revamping it whenever it’s feasibly possible.

Antique furniture refinishing and restoration often requires a combination of doing some research and using good old common sense and your best judgment. When you need help, get professional advice from expert antique woodworkers to ensure that the antique furniture maintains its value.

It’s also important to note that some people don’t worry about the value of the antique furniture and just want to make the piece suitable for their own home. If this applies to you, go ahead with your antique furniture restoration plans as you see fit. 

When you need help with antique furniture refinishing, call the furniture restoration Toronto specialists for guidance. Browse through our website at lancianofurniture.ca to see why our clientele consider us to be the best Toronto antique furniture restoration company.

Furniture Restoration Toronto – Best Ways to Repair a Dent in Wood Furniture

When you notice a dent in your wood furniture your first thought might be that it’s beyond repair. Fortunately, smaller-sized dents can be removed from furniture that has a soft wood surface. By using the combination of moisture and heat, you may be able to get that dent out quickly and efficiently and save your wood furniture. Use this furniture restoration Toronto tip to smooth out the dent to make your furniture look as good as new.

The one thing that you won’t want to do, however, is work on the dent if you notice that there has been any chipping or breakage around it. If you see this, it’s time to call up a professional to get it fixed to avoid any further damage.

Step 1
Start by filling the dent with a small amount of water. Pour approximately 1 ounce of water or less on top of the area that has been affected. You’ll want to make sure that the dent is covered along with a small section of the wood that is surrounding it. You should notice that there is a pool of water that has accumulated in the dent and this is a good sign that enough has been applied.

The best way to apply the water is using a kitchen baster or an eyedropper. This gives you more control over where the water is dispersed and how much is added.

Step 2
Once the dent has been dampened, place a thin piece of dampened cloth or dampened paper towel over it. Make sure that the paper towel or the cloth aren’t too wet and wring out any excess water if necessary. These items will create a buffer between the iron and the wood and more moisture to the area that is being worked on. If you choose to use a cloth, make sure that you choose one that you don’t mind ruining. An old rag would work perfectly for this.

Step 3
Give the water some extra time to ensure that it has soaked well into the wood. Wait another couple of minutes before continuing on with the process. You’ll want the water to penetrate deep into the wood to ensure that the steaming process is as effective as possible. The water makes the wood softer and more pliable. This allows the wood to expand when heat is applied to the spot, allowing the dent to lift up on its own.

Step 4
Heat up the iron and place it at its highest setting. Give the iron time to warm up completely since it must be as hot as possible for this to work. Once you feel that the iron has reached its maximum temperature, run the iron along the dented area. If the dent appears in a corner of the wood furniture or on the side of it, you may need to use your free hand to keep the cloth or the paper towel in place while you are ironing.

Use circular, slow motions as you run over the dent a few times. Then, start to widen the area and continue ironing until you see that the cloth or the paper towel is dry. Lift up the corner of the towel or cloth in order to see what progress has been made.

Be sure to keep the iron moving and not let it sit in place too long. This could cause the wood or the cloth to become scorched. The heat of the iron along with the moisture will make the wood that was previously compressed swell up, allowing the wood to return to its original shape.

Step 5
Repeat the process if necessary. Once the cloth or fabric has dried up completely, it’s time to wet the wood and another cloth if there is still any sign of the dent. In some cases the dent cannot be entirely removed and you will need to call in a professional furniture restoration Toronto company to get help. In some cases, however, you may notice that the dent has been leveled out enough to make it much less noticeable and you may be completely happy with this result.

Wood Swell Products for Furniture Repair Toronto

There are products on the market you can use to help raise the dents if you want to save yourself the time and energy of using a hot iron and moisture to get the dent out. Wood swell products for furniture repair Toronto can be found in home improvement stores. It is available as a liquid and is applied directly to the area. In most cases you’ll have to wait 24 hours to find out if the application was successful or not. Be sure to read the instructions provided by the manufacturer of the wood swell product that appears on the packaging.

Furniture Restoration for Deep Gouges or Dents

Deeper gouges and dents may need additional work. If you decide to do this yourself you can fill in the dents or gouges with wood putty that has been specially designed for furniture restoration, allow it to dry and then sand it down so that it is level with the rest of the surface. You’ll need to make sure that you find a putty that matches the rest of the furniture as best as possible. It can be difficult, however, to get the exact tone that you want so you may or may not be happy with the final results.

If you find that you aren’t satisfied with the work you did on your wood furniture, feel free to get in touch with us at lancianofurniture.ca. We can let you know what we can do for you in order to get the piece of furniture looking its best again.

We are a leading furniture restoration and furniture repair Toronto company with a solid reputation in the field. Whether you need modern or antique furniture restoration Toronto, we are the ones to call first.

How to Weather Wood for Furniture Restoration Toronto

These days, using barn wood for furniture restoration Toronto has become a popular trend. It has become so popular, in fact, that it has become increasingly difficult to get your hands on this type of wood. As well, when you find barn wood to reclaim, it comes at a hefty price. This leaves us with the option of buying new wood and weathering it ourselves to make it look just as spectacular as the unique patina that you would find with barn wood that has been aging gracefully while outside.

Homemade Wood Stains

If you’re up to the task of weathering your own wood you can use homemade stains. These homemade stains are great for furniture restoration Toronto when you want to create the effect of weathered wood. It’s all about creating an oxidizing solution. Grab a piece of fine or medium steel wool and put it in a mason jar with white vinegar. Put on some gloves and rip apart the steel wool so that it will dissolve as quickly as possible. Close up the jar and let it sit for 3 – 7 days.

When the steel wool has dissolved you’ll be left with a concentrated stain that needs to be diluted by 50% with water. This will give you 2L of this stain for your furniture restoration Toronto projects. It’s best to start by diluting the mixture with 50% water but this can be fine-tuned according to your own personal preference.

As a stand-alone stain, the vinegar, water and steel wool mixture will provide a wonderful weathered effect to spruce, cedar, oak and other wood that contains a lot of tannins. It will darken them up and provide a nice look that may be enough for you.

Using Black Tea for Wood Finishing Toronto

If you choose another type of wood that doesn’t have a lot of tannins naturally occurring in it, you’ll need to be sure to use some black tea as a base. You can also use black tea for wood finishing Toronto if you want to achieve a weathered look that is darker than the effect created by the oxidized vinegar solution.

Brew a pot of tea and make sure that you leave it to infuse for a minimum of 1 hour. This will provide the highest concentration of tannins, which is what works best for this type of project. 

When you apply strong, black tea on woods with low tannins it will activate the vinegar solution and provide great results. You won’t notice a difference when you simply coat the wood with the black tea but just wait until you put the vinegar solution over the tea. You’ll see amazing things occur as the 2 solutions react with one another.

Run a Test First

When you don’t know whether your wood has a lot of tannins it’s always a good idea to do a test run first to see what the results would be. If the wood is already loaded with tannins and you apply the black tea and the oxidized steel wool and vinegar solution, the wood can turn almost black. If you are going to be doing wood finishing Toronto on a piece of furniture, do some tests on an inconspicuous area before staining the rest of the furniture.

How to Apply the Oxidizing Solution and the Black Tea

It’s best to use a paintbrush with synthetic bristles to apply either mixture. Although you are using all-natural ingredients and the solutions themselves are not dangerous to work with, they may smell bad so make sure that you are working on a well-ventilated area. If you are applying tea and then the vinegar solution you can apply the vinegar and water mix right away before the black tea has had a chance to dry. There is no waiting time involved with this wood finishing Toronto technique.

Using Over-The-Counter Weathering Products

There are weathering products that you can purchase over-the-counter at your local home improvement centre that can be used for furniture restoration Toronto. Some of them perform better than others so it’s best to look for reviews on the Internet before making a purchase. You’ll need to make sure, however, that the products you are using contain no dangerous chemicals. Look for warnings on the packaging and if you do decide to use one make sure that you are working in a well-ventilated area.

Antique Furniture Refinishing

The vinegar and black tea process is preferred by many individuals that work on antique furniture refinishing since the results can be adapted to your own taste. If you are working on a special antique piece of furniture that is close to your heart, however, it would be best to work with an experienced wood furniture restoration company. You’ll be able to let the restorer know exactly what you want and you can rest assured that your special piece will be handled properly. 

An antique furniture refinishing company can also provide repairs when required to all different types of wood furniture. When you have restoration and repairs to do on your furniture, you can get it all done in one shot when you use the right restoration company. 

When Things Go Wrong and You Need Some Help

If you have tried to do furniture restoration Toronto and things went wrong and you didn’t end up with the results you wanted, give us a call at Lanciano Furniture. We are often called when an individual has tried to do something on his own but either didn’t get the desired results or had to abandon the project for one reason or another.

We are experts in antique furniture refinishing and wood finishing Toronto. We can work on wooden furniture and other wood items you may have around the home. Get in touch with us today with any questions you may have regarding furniture restoration Toronto by visiting our website at lancianofurniture.ca. We will let you know exactly what we can do for you.

Fire and Smoke-Damaged Furniture Restoration Toronto

If your furniture has recently suffered fire or smoke damage, the first thing that needs to be done is to assess the amount of damage to see whether or not the furniture can be salvaged. If the furniture hasn’t been burned badly the furniture may be saved but in extreme cases the furniture may be beyond repair. If you aren’t sure whether a piece can be salvaged you should contact a furniture restoration Toronto company for further advice.

You may be able to do furniture restoration Toronto on your own on pieces that have only been slightly damaged. Here are some restoration tips you can use if you are handy and feel that you can tackle the project.

Safety First
Before getting started on any type of project such as this you’ll need to make sure that there is no chance that any lingering sparks are close by. The fire must have been completely extinguished and all items in the home must have had time to cool down sufficiently.

A lot of the cleaning materials and solvents that you may need to use for this fire furniture restoration Toronto project are extremely flammable. Make sure that there is no chance that the cleaners could ignite another fire. Once you are completely certain that you are working in a safe environment in terms of fire prevention, make sure that you have selected an area to do your project that has a lot of ventilation.

In many instances the furniture may have been damaged by not only fire and smoke but by water used to extinguish the flames. If this applies to your furniture, you must also ensure that the pieces have completely dried out before starting furniture restoration Toronto.

Wood Finishing Toronto to Handle Smoke Damage

If your piece of furniture wasn’t damaged by fire but only suffered from smoke damage, you may only need to clean it with a solvent. Most wood finishing Toronto involves using either paint thinner or denatured alcohol to remove any smoke stains. Using a cloth with a rough surface, apply the solvent to the cloth and then rub the area thoroughly.

Once the stains have been removed, use a damp cloth to go over the surface again and then use another smooth, clean cloth to dry the furniture. Once the furniture has dried, the wood finishing Toronto is almost complete. You’ll simply need to polish the piece using the waxing material that is recommended. The recommended wax will be determined by the type of stain, lacquer or finish on the piece of furniture.

How to Handle Fire Damage
If your furniture has any burn stains or has been scorched lightly, you can use sandpaper to remove the stains and to make the wood smooth again. If the burn stains are too deep, you’ll need to call up a wood finishing Toronto restoration company for further advice. Only attempt to work on surface burns that haven’t greatly damaged the furniture.

Working with Smoke–Damaged, Fabric Covered Furniture Pieces
If the furniture piece you have has smoke-damaged fabric on it, use the following recommendations. First, vacuum up any soot residue with an attachment that has a flat brush on it. Next, sprinkle some baking soda onto the fabric and allow the powder to sit for at least 24 hours. After this time, vacuum up the soda and then immediately sprinkle more baking soda onto the fabric. Vacuum up the second baking soda treatment in 24 hours and then wash the fabric using cold water.

There are special washing detergents that you can buy that have been made to specially get rid of bad odours like smoke. After the fabric has been washed, allow it to air dry. This will also help remove any lingering odours.

If you find that your fabric-covered furniture pieces can’t be salvaged this way, you’ll need to use an antique furniture restoration or wood finishing Toronto company to reupholster the piece of furniture.

Find out Whether Your Insurance Will Cover the Costs
Having a fire is extremely traumatic and you may not want to deal with any of the furniture restoration on your own. This is completely understandable and in many cases insurance companies will pay for the work done by furniture restoration Toronto companies. Before deciding to tackle everything on your own, talk to your insurance company first.

Many people get overwhelmed by these types of projects. Even individuals that are very handy may get quite emotional handling their own furniture that has been fire, smoke or water-damaged. It’s always a good idea to let the professionals do it for you whenever possible. This is especially true for pieces of furniture that you hold dear to your heart and have a sentimental value.

Hire an Antique Furniture Restoration Company

One last word of advice is to use the services of an antique furniture restoration company in Toronto if you have a valuable or antique piece of furniture that you want to save. Restoring an antique back to its former condition can be tricky even in the best of circumstances. If the antique is special to you, don’t spend time trying to restore it on your own. You may end up damaging it even more and in some cases it can be damaged to the point where restoration becomes almost impossible.
Lanciano Furniture is an antique furniture restoration Toronto company that can help you with any type of restoration project. Whether your damaged furniture is new or old, we can help you restore it. We will let you know exactly what can be done for your furniture up front so that you can know what to expect. We are committed to details so don’t hesitate to call us when you have any type of damaged furniture that needs new life breathed into it.

Visit our website now at lancianofurniture.ca to get our contact details and to learn more about our company. We are dedicated to providing 100% customer satisfaction to all of our clients.

Basic Guide to Furniture Restoration Toronto

If you have a piece of furniture that you absolutely love or you are holding onto furniture that is considered to be a family heirloom, here is a basic guide to furniture restoration Toronto. Restoring your old furniture can breathe new life into it. You should understand, however, that restoring furniture is not a fast process but rather one that will require some time and patience.

Furniture restoration Toronto is a process that must be done step-by-step. You will need to choose the right products and tools for the job in order to do it right. Everything involved in the process will be simplified when you have these products and tools at hand before starting the job. Therefore, it’s very important to take the time first to get the proper supplies so that you are ready to start your project on the right foot.

Antique Furniture Restoration Toronto

Here is a quick rundown of the steps you should be following for antique restoration Toronto. Whether you have an older piece of furniture that is an antique or newer furniture that you need revitalized, the following steps should be taken to ensure that the project is done properly.

1. Put Your Safety First
Antique restoration Toronto may require the use of chemicals that may be damaging to your health if you don’t take the proper precautions. You should gather up protective gear or go out and purchase some if you don’t have any already. The following restoration protective supplies are highly recommended:

• Protective eyewear
• Masks
• Rubber gloves
• Long-sleeved shirt
• Long pants
• A safe work environment

It’s important to keep your whole body covered when you are working with potentially dangerous chemicals to prevent getting burned if any chemicals should splatter. A safe work zone must also be set up where there is adequate ventilation. In some cases antique refinishing Toronto involves removing paint that contains lead. This can be especially damaging to the lungs and should only be attempted in an area that is well ventilated.

Oily rags should be stored according to the specific instructions provided on the package of solvent you purchased. Oily rags can lead to combustion and if you store these rags in your home they can emit dangerous fumes. If you aren’t comfortable working with these safety precautions or have any doubts at all about doing the job, it’s time to call up an antique restoration Toronto company to help get your furniture piece looking great again.

2. Identify the Finish
Once you have your safety protocol well in place it’s time to take a good look at the piece of furniture that you want to renovate to find out what type of finish the wood has. It can be difficult to identify the different finishes such as lacquer, varnish and shellac and you may have to experiment in order to figure out what type of finish is on the furniture.

Start by trying to wipe away the finish with alcohol. If the alcohol removes the finish you can safely assume that the furniture has been covered with shellac. If the alcohol doesn’t take it off, try using a lacquer thinner. If the finish can be removed this way you’ll know that you are dealing with lacquer. If neither the lacquer thinner nor the alcohol removes the finish, the odds are good that a varnish has been applied to the furniture.

Enamel and paint can be easily identified since they present themselves with a finish that is pigmented. If you notice that the furniture looks dull and isn’t shiny, you may be dealing with a wax or an oil finish. Furniture restoration Toronto does require some experimentation at first in order to determine exactly what you’re dealing with.

3. Stripping or Re-amalgamation
In certain cases an older furniture piece will require complete stripping of the finish while in other cases it can be re-amalgamated. Re-amalgamation involves using a solvent on cracks and scratches to buff them out. The solvent chosen will depend on the finish. If it is lacquer then a lacquer thinner should be used and if it has shellac on it then denatured alcohol will buff out these imperfections. If the furniture piece has been varnished, however, re-amalgamation won’t work in most cases.

Once you determine that re-amalgamation would work, the solvent should be applied to the surface where the imperfection is found with a bristle brush. Rub back and forth with the brush quickly before the solvent dries out. At first, you’ll notice that the surface looks glossy and then once it is fully dry it will become duller. The scratch or the crack should have disappeared. The area can then be buffed lightly using steel wool in the direction of the grain. A hard wax paste can then be applied to make the area shine again. Many antique restoration Toronto projects can be handled this way.

Stripping involves taking all the finish and paint off of the furniture. The stripping formula should be applied at the top first and then the finishing will take place from the top down. The stripping agent should be applied in one direction with extra product applied to any areas that have been carved. You’ll need to wait up to 20 minutes for the stripping formula to do its job, and then it’s time to scrape the furniture surface using either a stripping tool or a putty knife.

This can take quite a bit of time, and you’ll need to be patient. As well, it will require multiple applications in order to remove all the paint, stain or finish entirely.

4. Refinishing
The last step in furniture restoration Toronto is refinishing the furniture to make it look its best. If you’re going to be applying a stain, use a bristle brush and wipe up any excess that has accumulated with a cloth. The next day it can be sanded using sandpaper with a 220 grit and then this step should be repeated. The furniture piece can then be finished with polyurethane, varnish, lacquer, shellac or wax.

Antique Furniture Restoration Toronto Company

When it comes to restoring furniture the process can be quite complicated – especially if you want to make sure that the piece looks as good as possible. If you have a family heirloom or an antique that is very dear to your heart, it’s well worth it to use an antique furniture restoration Toronto company to make sure that the job is done properly.

Find out more about our furniture restoration services in the Toronto area by visiting our website now at lancianofurniture.ca.

Expert Furniture Sanding in Toronto

When you want to revive your wooden furniture and make it look great again, sanding is often the important first step of the process. Sanding is done before finishing the wood in order to remove any small defects from the surface. These defects can affect the performance and the appearance of finishes if not sanded out right from the start. Lanciano Furniture provides the sanding services you need the most in order to begin refinishing your valuable furniture.

Sanding Out Defects for Antique Furniture Refinishing

If you require antique furniture refinishing, we likely will have to remove the existing finish before starting the sanding. Then we can start working on the defects. There are a number of defects that may be spotted on your antique wood furniture such as the following:

• Burns
• Cutter marks
• Indentations
• Raised grain
• Glue spots
• Scratches

When the effects only encompass a small area of the wood, sanding can often get rid of them completely. Larger defects, however, such as gouges, may need more work. Many types of discolouration marks will also require additional techniques to get rid of them entirely.

The Sanding Procedure

The first part of the sanding process involves making a plan for the sanding. The goal is to eliminate defects quickly while at the same time leaving the surface as smooth as possible so that tiny scratches aren’t visible once the finish has been applied to the wood. The process usually begins with coarse  80-100 grit sandpaper to remove the first layer of the defect. Higher grit sandpapers are then used in order to remove the scratches that were created while using the lower grit sandpapers.

An example of this would be using an 80 grit paper first followed by a 100 grit, 120 grit, 150 grit and then finally finishing up with a 180 grit sandpaper. The progression made through the different grits is subject to change as the wood is being sanded. Sanding specialists can usually gauge ahead of time what grade of sandpaper they will use based on the type of wood. In some cases, however, the procedure must be changed based on the wood’s reaction to the different papers being used.

Sanding Various Types of Wood

Oak is an example of a wood with a coarser grain and large pores and this type of wood tends to sand better than finer grain wood. The coarser grain and larger pores hide the sanding scratches a lot better than wood with a finer grain and smaller pores. Finer grained wood tends to show the sanding scratches more, so it takes an expert in the field to determine the right grain of sandpaper that would be best for the job. Quite often, a finer sandpaper such as 220 grit would be used for the final stage of sanding.

When selecting the best sandpaper for this final stage, it’s also important to consider the type of finish that will be applied to the wood. In the case of antique furniture refinishing (that is, using a finish that is oil-based), it’s best to use sandpaper with a higher grit such as 400 to avoid highlighting any scratches that were made by sanding. If the antique furniture piece is going to be stained, however, the colour of the wood can be affected by the sanding paper that is used. In this scenario, the wood should not be sanded to an extremely smooth finish.

Sanding for Water-Based Finishes

Sanding creates microscopic ridges and valleys and wood cell slivers that are attached to the wood. These slivers and sanding ridges spring up and swell when a water-based finish is applied. This makes the surface appear fuzzy and rough and it is commonly referred to as grain raising. In order to eliminate this appearance, water can be applied and then left to dry. Then, the wood should be sanded in order to remove this raised grain.

Removing Dents and Other Large Defects

Some of the larger defects found on wood include gouges, smears, dents and splits. All of these problems must be removed before the wood finishing begins, otherwise the finish will look rough. These larger defects are often harder to eliminate from the surface of wood than smaller scratches.

Dents can usually be removed by putting a few drops of distilled water on the dent and allowing it to soak in. A clean cloth should then be placed right on the tip of an iron that has been heated. This is placed over the dent while being careful to make sure that the wood doesn’t burn. When the heat is transferred to the wood from the iron, the original wood fibers that became compressed will start to decompress and recover the dimensions they originally had. This may take more than one cycle of wetting and heating. Once the dent has been treated and left to dry, the wood can be sanded.

Wood Finishing Toronto

Lanciano Furniture is a wood finishing Toronto company that employs highly-skilled craftspeople for furniture restoration, refinishing, painting and much more. We can handle all of your refinishing needs.

We offer professional sanding services to customers that want to revitalize their older furniture. Our company has been operating for more than 40 years and this has provided us with the experience necessary to properly sand any type of wood. We understand that you want your wooden pieces revitalized and brought back to life and this is what we deliver.

When you bring your furniture to us for sanding, our wood finishing Toronto experts will take extreme care during the entire sanding and finishing process. If you’re looking for experienced craftspeople to take care of your furniture projects, we are the professionals to call first. Visit our site at lancianofurniture.ca for more information about our company and our services and feel free to fill out the contact form on the website to request a free quote.

Choosing the Right Stain for Your Furniture Refinishing Project

When it comes to types of wood, not all are created equally. This applies to durability as well as to the beauty of the wood. Some types of wood look absolutely beautiful in their natural state while others could use a nice coat of stain.

There are many reasons why you may want to stain your wooden furniture, including:

• Make the wood look old
• Emphasize the grain of the wood
• Lighten the wood
• Darken the wood
• Make a common wood look rare
• Restore colour to areas that have been bleached
• Pull together the colours to create one colour in a furniture piece that has two colours.

Tips for Furniture Refinishing in Toronto

If you are going to be undertaking a furniture refinishing project, you’ll need to be sure that you are using the right stain to make the wood look its best.
Here are some helpful tips that you can use right away:

Which Types of Wood Should Be Stained?

Before staining any piece of furniture, it’s best to determine and assess the type of wood it has been made from. If it is made of a rare type of wood or pine, rosewood, maple, mahogany or cherry, you may want to reconsider staining it. These woods are beautiful in their own natural colour.

On the other hand, if the wood has a grain that’s relatively indistinguishable and is light in colour, there is a good chance that it will look better after being stained. Some of the woods that are often stained include gum, ash, birch, poplar, pine and beech.

Oak wood looks great whether it has been stained or not. When you’re trying to decide whether you should stain your oak furniture, try to picture how it would look first. Browse through some Google images to see pictures of stained and unstained oak before making a final decision.

Personal Preference

Wood staining should be determined according to your own personal preferences. Some people like the look of dark wood while others prefer light wood. If you are undecided, you can purchase some stain and try it out on an inconspicuous spot of the furniture. You’ll notice that doing this will bring out the grain while also making the wood darker.

Take a look at the area and decide whether you like the wood stained or would prefer the more natural look. There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to staining and you should choose what you like best according to how it will look in the room.

How to Choose the Best Stain

As you walk through a home improvement store you’ll notice that there are many different stain types available. Some of these include:

• Sealer stains
• Varnish stains
• Wiping stains
• NGR (non-grain-raising) stains
• Water-based stains

If you’re planning on sealing the stain, you may want to consider buying a sealer stain since these products have combined the stain and the sealer into one.

However, if you plan on using a polyurethane varnish as a finish, you’ll need to make sure that you purchase the right stain. There are some stains on the market that cannot be used with polyurethane. Look for a stain that says it is compatible with polyurethane varnish, and if you’re not sure, ask a store associate for help with choosing one.

NGR Stain

This type of stain consists of a dye that has been mixed with a volatile spirit like methanol or with denatured alcohol. They are not easy to use and are quite expensive. It is best to use them on hardwoods with close grains and in cases where an oil stain wouldn’t be properly absorbed. They do not perform well on softwoods.

Pigmented Oil Stain

If you use a pigmented oil stain for your furniture refinishing project, please note that this type of stain can mask or blur the pattern of the wood grain. It is made of pigments that are non-penetrating and have been mixed in mineral spirits, turpentine, linseed oil or another solvent. These stains are quite simple to apply and are relatively inexpensive when compared to some of the others, so you may be tempted to purchase this type when shopping for a stain.

Pigmented oil stains don’t work very well when applied to hardwood, but if you have maple, which has a close grain, it can be applied to darken the wood slightly.

Penetrating Oil Stain

These are very popular stains that consist of a dye that has been mixed either with turpentine or with another solvent. They are also very easy to apply and are affordable as well. The problem with this type of oil stain is that it often doesn’t penetrate evenly. They are useful for staining softwoods such as pine but don’t perform as well on hardwoods.

Sealer Stain

This is a mix of both a sealer and a stain. It consists of a dye that has been mixed with a lacquer, shellac or varnish base. Once the sealer stain has been applied, paste wax should then be applied on top as an extra layer of protection.

Organic Stain

There are several different stains available that are organic-based. They are commonly used for pine, although they can also be used on other types of wood. Some of the materials used for organic stain colours include:

• Tobacco
• Berries
• Roots
• Tea
• Bark

Organic stains are recommended for people that are already experienced with staining wood in order to get the best results from them.

Furniture Repairs in Toronto

Get the most out of your furniture refinishing project by choosing the best stain for your wood. The right stain will elevate your furniture piece to a brand new level.

If you are in Toronto and need help with a furniture repair project, please contact the professionals at Lanciano Furniture. We can help you restore your furniture pieces to make them look new again! Use the contact form to get in touch at lancianofurniture.ca or call us directly today with any questions you may have at 416-746-7310.