There's nothing like having a wooden chair collapse into pieces while you're sitting on it to get you thinking about your furniture. Yes, it indeed happened to me, yet I don't mind being the fall guy this time, because I learned a lot about furniture quality and care that I'd like to share with you. Hal, the furniture fixer
Fortunately, you don't need an experience like I had to get some valuable tips about furniture care you just need practical expert advice. I found it at The Village Woodsmith in Phoenix . Hal Resnikoff has seen it all, nail polish, burns, scratches and splintered wood. He's a master at restoring, but he refuses to completely refinish your furniture that is strip it to the core and start over unless there is no other option. The good news is that there are lots of other options, provided we know how to choose furniture and use the proper products on them. Restoring vs. refinishing Restoring a piece of furniture means working with the original finish. All that's needed to bring a piece back to its original look is careful cleanup and light repair. Refinishing, on the other hand, is the major surgery and intensive care of furniture repair. It means stripping the original finish, repairing any structural damage, staining the wood to add a colorant and then beginning the tedious process of multiple layers of lacquering, sanding and finishing. Refinishing a piece may take between six and eight weeks.
Have a seat not! Chair repair is a big part of Resnikoff's business. “Two reasons for that, he said. Special for The Republic “Chairs get so much use that the joints loosen up often, and a lot of furniture just isn't made well these days. Instead of a chair being held by corner braces, they just shoot staples into the chair, so they're not as sturdy. “The average customer is not going to know what to look for when buying a chair, and if it's not important to making the sale, the salesperson probably won't bring it up. Whether it's a chair, table or bookcase, Resnikoff say's he's “too much of a purist to put nails into anything as a quick fix. “Everything I do from re-gluing to restoring must be reversible. Trying to get nails out of a piece of furniture can further damage it, he said.
Wood you like tips? The next time I buy a chair, forgot the love at first sight stuff. You can bet I'll be turning that thing upside down to check the quality. Here are a few valuable tips from a certified furniture repair master:
The Village Woodsmith, 14644 N. Cave Creek Road . #7 (602)867-2681.
Watch for Jan's home and lifestyle features from 11 a.m. to noon every Monday and Thursday on Channel 12's Arizona Midday. You also can hear her radio show from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturdays on KFYI-AM (550). |