Restoring Antique Furniture

Book excerpt: If you're one of the many people who like to buy and restore antique furniture, then this is the book for you! Brimming with tips and advice from a skilled craftsman and teacher, this profusely illustrated woodworking guide will enable you to determine the age of an antique, assess its quality, and learn how to restore and preserve it effectively and profitably. Focusing on American furniture made between 1750 and 1850, the author explains how to repair construction joints, replace lost hardware, strengthen fractured parts, cover damaged areas, and much more. In addition, readers will find clear, step-by-step instructions for restoring an early rocker and chest of drawers, repairing a table leg, constructing a drawer using a dovetail joint, replacing the swing rail on a gateleg table, forming a molding, and more. Numerous examples, with over 250 illustrations and photographs, include such restored pieces of furniture as a Shaker tilt-top table, c. 1810; a cherry chest of drawers, c. 1800–20; an American Empire secretary, c. 1825; a primitive chest, c. 1840; and a country cupboard, c. 1850. Hobbyists, collectors, dealers, and woodworkers will find this excellent guide contains not only the clear, practical directions they need, but also indispensable advice on avoiding mistakes commonly made in the restoration process.