Restoration and brightening of an oak cupboard

The top cabinet presented in this example was glazed with a black colour. Although the black colour contrasts nicely with the brass fittings, it is precisely such large pieces of furniture as this that look oppressive and constricting in black.

Inside the wardrobe, the natural oak wood was still visible. In terms of colour, the whole cupboard was to go in this direction - in consultation with the customer.

Removing old varnish from oak

When stripping varnish from oak, it is important to remember that using lye can discolour the wood. Iron brushes and spatulas should also not be used. The tannic acid in oak reacts with iron, turning the wood a dark bluish colour.
So we decided to use a dissolving paint stripper.

Brass spatulas and brushes can be used to remove the paint dissolved by the stripper. A gentle method is to work with hot water and a root brush. With veneered furniture, there is a risk that the veneer could peel off, but this cannot happen with solid wood, of course. The brief exposure to water is not harmful to the wood.
After stripping, the wood looks dirty and uneven - this is completely normal. The surface is now sanded, irregularities are puttied and sanded down.

Oil or wax? Which provides the most beautiful surface?

As a surface sealant, we decided on a natural wax that gives the wood a satin finish.
Before applying the wax to the oak wood, it is advisable to apply a primer. Since we also like to work with natural materials here, we decided to use a shellac primer. Shellac is quick-drying and odourless after drying - especially important in the interior of the piece of furniture. The wax can then be applied and polished to the desired gloss level.

The result is an oak piece of furniture in a beautiful warm colour - with solid columns set off in black and cleaned brass fittings. Of course, in the course of the restoration, all shrinkage cracks were closed, keys were remanufactured and drawers were made moveable.

We would also be happy to restore your antique piece of furniture!

Simply contact us via e-mail, SMS or WhatsApp. If you send us some photos of the object to be restored, we can usually give you the approximate restoration costs based on the pictures.

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