Furniture Restoration Course

Lesson 1 • History of Furniture Styles

Survey major Western and Eastern furniture periods from antiquity to modernism. This context drives accurate dating and style-appropriate restoration decisions.

Lesson 2 • Furniture Construction Methods

Examine traditional joinery, frame-and-panel construction, and case goods assembly. Understanding original construction guides disassembly and reassembly without damage.

Lesson 3 • Wood Species Identification

Identify common hardwoods and softwoods by grain, colour, and texture. Correct species identification informs finish selection and structural repair choices.

Lesson 4 • Workshop Safety and Organisation

Establish safe chemical handling, ventilation, and tool storage practices from day one. A well-organised workspace reduces accidents and improves workflow efficiency.

Lesson 1 • Finishing Supplies Overview

Introduce stains, sealers, topcoats, and application tools before dedicated finishing chapters. Early familiarity with product categories reduces confusion during later hands-on sessions.

Lesson 2 • Essential Hand Tools

Introduce scrapers, chisels, mallets, and marking tools used in furniture restoration. Proper grip, sharpening, and maintenance extend tool life and improve results.

Lesson 3 • Adhesives and Consolidants

Compare hide glue, PVA, epoxy, and consolidants for structural and cosmetic repairs. Reversibility, open time, and gap-filling capacity determine the correct adhesive choice.

Lesson 4 • Power Tools for Restoration

Cover routers, random-orbit sanders, and detail oscillating tools suited to restoration work. Students practise controlled material removal to avoid over-cutting original surfaces.

Lesson 1 • Reinforcement and Blocking

Add corner blocks, glue blocks, and internal bracing where original construction was inadequate. Reinforcements must be hidden and reversible to meet conservation standards.

Lesson 2 • Regluing Loose Joints

Clean, fit, and reglue mortise-and-tenon, dowel, and dovetail joints using correct clamping pressure. Students practise achieving tight glue lines without starved or squeezed-out joints.

Lesson 3 • Repairing Broken and Missing Parts

Fabricate replacement tenons, dowels, and small structural components from matching wood. Students learn to splice, patch, and shape repairs that align with original construction.

Lesson 4 • Case Goods and Drawer Repair

Address warped panels, broken drawer runners, and failed case joints in cabinets and chests. Proper shimming, planing, and regluing restore smooth function without altering appearance.

Lesson 1 • Mechanical Stripping Methods

Use scrapers, heat guns, and sanding to remove finish where chemicals risk substrate damage. Mechanical methods require controlled pressure to avoid gouging or flattening profiles.

Lesson 2 • Preserving Patina and Original Surfaces

Distinguish areas where stripping should stop to retain authentic aged character. Selective stripping and cleaning protect value and meet conservation ethics established in Chapter 1.

Lesson 3 • Identifying Existing Finishes

Use solvent spot tests and visual cues to identify shellac, lacquer, varnish, oil, and paint. Correct identification prevents finish incompatibility and guides stripping chemical selection.

Lesson 4 • Chemical Stripping Methods

Apply and neutralise solvent-based and caustic strippers on flat and carved surfaces safely. Students practise controlling dwell time to lift finish without raising grain or softening glue.

Lesson 1 • Fillers and Putties

Apply wood putty, grain filler, and two-part fillers to voids of varying depth and size. Students learn open-time management and overfill technique to allow for shrinkage and sanding.

Lesson 2 • Colour Matching and Toning

Use dyes, pigments, and toners to blend repaired areas with surrounding original wood. Students practise layered colour application to match complex grain and aged tones.

Lesson 3 • Veneer Repair and Replacement

Reglue lifting veneer, fill blisters, and cut in replacement veneer patches on flat and curved surfaces. Veneer repair demands thin adhesive films and controlled clamping to avoid telegraphing.

Lesson 4 • Assessing Surface Damage

Categorise dents, gouges, cracks, burns, and stains to select the correct repair approach. Damage type and depth determine whether filling, patching, or colour correction is needed.

Lesson 1 • Shellac Finishing Fundamentals

Mix, apply, and pad shellac to achieve smooth, even film builds on bare and stained wood. Shellac's fast dry time and reversibility make it the foundation of traditional finishing.

Lesson 2 • Oil and Wax Finishes

Apply penetrating oils and paste waxes to achieve low-sheen, tactile finishes on period pieces. Students learn cure times, buffing technique, and maintenance requirements for each product.

Lesson 3 • Varnish and Hand-Rubbed Finishes

Brush alkyd and polymerised oil varnishes and rub them to satin or gloss using abrasives. Rubbing out eliminates brush marks and produces a surface quality superior to spray alone.

Lesson 4 • Glaze and Toner Application

Apply oil-based glazes and toners between finish coats to add depth, age, and colour variation. Glazing is a critical step in matching antique finishes and blending repaired areas.

Lesson 1 • Lacquer Finishing Systems

Spray nitrocellulose and pre-catalysed lacquers to achieve fast-drying, sandable film builds. Students practise gun setup, overlap, and speed to eliminate runs, sags, and dry spray.

Lesson 2 • Staining and Colour Layering

Apply wiping stains, gel stains, and dye stains to achieve uniform colour on blotch-prone species. Students use washcoats and conditioners to control penetration and prevent uneven colour.

Lesson 3 • Water-Based Finish Application

Apply water-based polyurethane and acrylic finishes by brush and spray with grain-raise control. Water-based products require faster application speed and careful intercoat sanding.

Lesson 4 • Finish Troubleshooting and Repair

Diagnose and correct fisheye, blush, orange peel, runs, and adhesion failures in applied finishes. Students learn to repair defects in place without full stripping when possible.

Lesson 1 • Webbing, Springs, and Padding

Install jute webbing, tie coil springs, and layer padding materials to restore seat support. Correct spring tension and padding density determine long-term comfort and shape retention.

Lesson 2 • Fabric Cutting and Application

Cut, align, and staple or tack fabric to achieve smooth, wrinkle-free upholstered surfaces. Pattern matching and corner pleating technique determine the professional quality of the result.

Lesson 3 • Decorative Hardware Cleaning

Clean, polish, and preserve brass, iron, and bronze hardware without removing original patina. Students match cleaning intensity to hardware age and client preference for aged vs. bright finish.

Lesson 4 • Upholstery Removal and Assessment

Safely remove fabric, webbing, springs, and padding while documenting original construction. Careful removal preserves pattern alignment references and reveals hidden structural damage.