How French Polishing Can Revive Your Antique Furniture

Whether you have recently picked up a vintage or antique dining room table, chest of drawers, sideboard, wardrobe or any other hardwood piece of furniture from a second-hand store, you may find that it needs some TLC to restore it to its former glory. Thankfully, there are a number of different antique furniture restoration services that will help you to do this without stripping the original character or losing its heritage.

Within these services, there are a number of techniques that craftsmen will use to help restore antique pieces and one of the most effective is French polishing. This technique was widely used throughout the 18th century and it is incredibly effective in achieving a beautiful wood finish on vintage or antique pieces. If you’ve never really considered turning to a French polisher before when restoring furniture, below is more about how this technique can revive antiques. 

Removing common stains 

On lots of antique pieces of furniture, especially dining tables, coffee tables and side tables, things like water rings and small burn marks will be ruining the whole appearance, and unfortunately they can be virtually impossible to remove yourself. 

When you turn to a French polisher, they will be able to remove any unsightly stains from your furniture and then apply many thin layers of French polish, shellac, to give the piece the glossy surface it would’ve traditionally had. You won’t have to worry about getting the stains removed affecting the finished look of the furniture when you opt for French polishing. 

Disguising scuffs and scratches 

Due to the fact that vintage and antique pieces will have been used for many years, they will likely have suffered a lot of general wear and tear. Things such as scuffs and scratches aren’t uncommon and they can make a piece look tatty and tired. 

Should you wish to disguise these scuffs and scratches, a French polishing service is one of the best ways to do so. This is a tried and tested technique that can repair and shine furniture if you’re wanting to restore its look and by using patience and skill, a French polisher will completely remove the sight of these imperfections in your piece. 

Fixing dents and chips 

Moving pieces of furniture from one home to another over the years or even just around a room when changing the layout can cause dents, chips and other damage. Often, people assume that these things can’t be fixed on antiques, but this isn’t necessarily the case. 

Should you turn to an antique furniture restoration specialist and an experienced French polisher, they will be able to reconstruct parts from scratch to fix the piece. Once any dents and chips have been filled, the French polishing technique can then be used to give the piece a glossy finish which will complete the look and make it as good as new. 

Brining the colour back to life 

Over time, the colour of vintage and antique pieces will fade and they can start to look quite dull. Thankfully, this is something else that a French polisher can help with and they can restore the original colour of the piece. 

There are different hues and shades of French polish and you have the option of everything from bleached shellac which is a white polish to Garnet shellac which is a rich brown polish. Of course, with home furnishings being a number of different colours nowadays, when restoring them, if required they can be sprayed or painted to restore their original colour too. 

Reducing future wear and tear 

It is worthwhile pointing out that once a piece has undergone the French polishing process, it will be able to better resist scratches, cracks and other general signs of wear and tear. You will also find that your furniture’s surface will be a lot easier to maintain as well. 

Finding a French polisher in Wrexham

Ultimately, it goes without saying that French polishing really can make a huge difference to the look of a piece of furniture and it has the ability to completely transform any antiques that you own. Using French polishing restoration services can provide you with the stunning finish you are wanting for your antique furniture and you can guarantee that you will always thank yourself for reaching out to a professional for assistance in this regard. 

If you’re looking for an experienced French polisher in Wrexham, or the local area, who can assist you with the restoration of a piece of antique furniture, please don’t hesitate to contact us here at Alexander Christian. Our team can perform the French polishing technique perfectly and we promise the highest level of artistry to give your furniture the signature finish you’re looking for. We always use the finest quality professional polishes, waxes, oil treatments, stains and wood fillers, so you can trust that your antiques are in safe hands with our team.