Antique Restoration Techniques
About the Antique Restoration Techniques
This course is designed as a practical introduction to working on and restoring antique furniture and will cover many of the main areas and techniques required for repair and refinishing.
Ideally students will have some woodworking experience or have attended our ‘Sharpening and Tuning’ course, so that structural repairs and splices etc. can be attempted with confidence.
This course is, however, equally relevant for the complete beginner who can use the course to enter the world of furniture restoration and gain the confidence of working on their own furniture in a controlled and supportive environment.
Specific techniques will be covered in a logical progression, with plenty of time set aside each day for project work, when students may work on the pieces of furniture that they have brought with them, or concentrate on increasing their skills in particular elements of the course which most interest them.
Students are invited to bring up to four pieces of furniture to work on, and for advice and guidance on an appropriate approach for their repair. Due to the relatively short duration of the course, projects may need to be completed at home.
What You Will Learn
- Useful tools and jigs
- Dismantling furniture – releasing and cleaning joints
- Re-making / repairing joints
- Glues – types, properties, preparation, uses and application
- Assembly techniques – cramps and cramping techniques
- Veneers – re-laying, removing, making and patching
- Cleaning old surfaces – chemical and mechanical- the controlled approach
- Reducing stains and water marks
- Cleaning ormolu and brass fittings
- Polishes – making shellac and wax
- Finishing – basic techniques of applying shellac and wax polish, cosmetic colouring systems
- Metal work – ageing and colouring
Read what our recent students say about the Antique Restoration Techniques course
“This is a fantastic introduction to antique furniture restoration with a good balance of instruction and hands on working on your own pieces. Do not be too ambitious with what you bring – its only a 5 day course!”
“Great teacher, highly recommended. It is advantageous to have had some woodworking experience but not necessary.”
“Learning the value of traditional methods. The reversibility of animal glue and shellac.”
“It has given me a lot of confidence and knowledge .I have read quite a lot on anqiue restoration but I always think working with someone in a workshop ,that metaphorical can hold your hand ,whilst you apply knowledge practically, is by far the best way for craftsmen to learn. I learn a great deal in the 5 days I was with you. For me I felt it all came together in the latter part for the week particularly as I had by then got a realistic assessment of my project and what I could achieve . I enjoy the banter and yes I certainly would recommended the course.”
“I like the structure of the course taking you through the steps when restoring with the practical hands-on practical work. Learning from someone as experienced as John was great.”
“The workshop is well laid out with plenty of room around each bench and in the central area. John is always available to ask advice from and has a range of tools that can be used whilst you are on the course, which allows you to gain experience in using a new tool if you have not used that type of tool before.”
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