Wood Furniture Repair

Wood furniture repair is a very important aspect of carpentry, woodworking, wood repair and wooden furniture care, due to the fact that furniture made out of wood has to be maintained, look attractive and be eye catching. The reasons for degradation of wood furniture are varied. The following are the commonly found causes of damage and deterioration that tend to occur in wood furniture.

• Weathering is is one of the most common causes that contribute to the degradation of wooden furniture. Atmospheric humidity and heat are some of the many geographical factors that tend to mar the beauty of wood furniture making it look dull and unattractive.
• The second cause is us – humans. Very often the surface of the wooden furniture is subject to harsh treatment that degrades the quality of the wood. For example keeping a cup of very hot coffee on the top of the wooden surface, or banging down objects on the surface. This not only causes damage, but also tends to drastically disturb the fiber and the grain of the wood.
• The third factor that damages the wood to a great degree is the presence of biological components, namely, micro organisms. These organisms thrive on the natural and organic substances of the wood and propagate by the existence of humidity. The basic method to avoid the damage done by micro organisms is to keep the surface of wood clean and polished, thus rendering it moisture resistant. Another natural factor that I forgot to mention is insects, like termites, that tend to feast on wood. However, keeping the surface of the wood well maintained is the only option to prevent the attack of such insects.

Repairing Wood Furniture
Mankind has been using wood for a very long period of time due to several of its merits. Craftsmen, wood workers and carpenters have perfected and improvised many methods of wood repair that have been implemented in repair of wooden furniture. The following are some of the commonly used techniques of wood furniture repair.

Wood Furniture Repair #1
Wood furniture scratch repair is a very important method of repair when it comes to the repair of wooden furniture. Wooden furniture that is severely affected by weathering or by continuous use begins to look dull and ugly due to loss of perfection in the smoothness of the wooden furniture. There are several ways of removing the scratches that appear on its surface. One of the most common methods that is used is refinishing the entire surface. Wood furniture refinish is basically a procedure where the color and polish of the furniture are re-done or rather reapplied. During the process of refinishing, scratches and cracks that are small or big are covered up by the polish and are then colored and camouflaged in the wood. This type of touch up has two basic advantages; firstly, the wood that is covered up with the polish is protected from external damage and secondly the polish and color of the wood furniture display the layering, structuring and the grain of the wood, depicting a highly attractive appearance.

Wood Furniture Repair #2
Sometimes a small dent in the furniture also causes severe damage to the wood. The dent is similar to small crater where dirt and moisture often tent to settle in severely damaging the wood. The same is the case for cracks or any such small damages. The disadvantage of all such minor damages is that they not only spoil the surface and appearance of the wood but also tend to erode the wood further. To get rid of all the small damages on the surface of the wooden furniture artisans often resort to what is known as stripping. Stripping is a very important method in wood furniture repair. So what basically artisans do while stripping, is that they remove the old surface of polish and paint, with the help of scratching or application of wood friendly solutions. After the polish and paint has been removed, the small cracks and craters are filled up with the help of different resurfacing and wood working methods. The furniture is again polished and colored, which makes it look as if it is brand new.

Wood Furniture Repair #3
Restructuring another method that is commonly used for wood furniture repair. Repairing wood furniture with the help of restructuring is very complicated as a result of the greater magnitude of damage that is caused. Often due to mishandling, it so happens that large cracks and crater, appear on the furniture. The wood furniture has to be thus restructured, which in fact involves the expertize of highly skilled artisans. Some of the most common processes that are involved in restructuring are removal of deep scratches, dents and dings, use of shellac sticks, repair of burns, removal of alien matter and growth from the wood (for example: dirt ad fungus), repair of blisters and rectification of disrupted veneer.

If you have any antique furniture or furniture that is pretty old, it is better that you repair it now because it might get damaged further. If the furniture needs refinishing or stripping, perform the task all by yourself at home. However if it requires restructuring then it is better that you take it to a professional artisan who is an expert in wood furniture repair.