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all the Frequently Asked Questions.
Refinishing/Restoring
Antiques
Stripping furniture so you can finish or paint
Do you paint furniture?
Dipping Vs. Hand Stripping
Flooded Furniture Restoration
Damaged spots or white rings
on furniture
Veneer has broken off or is
missing
Black marks from water on furniture
Particle Board/Non-wood furniture
Providing "ballpark"
estimates
Moving Damage / Insurance Claims
My Service Area
Pickup & Delivery Service
On-Site Repairs
Furniture Modifications
Payment Questions - Cash,
Check or Credit Cards?
Shop Visit, Drop-off, and Pickup Policy
Woodworking Lessons and/or Apprenticeships
Refinishing/Restoration
of Antiques
Q. I've heard that it's bad
to refinish antiques because it reduces their value.
Is that true?
A. Yes and no. There are
antiques that are quite valuable because of the patina
that develops as a piece ages. In such cases, I employ
techniques to enhance the existing finish and mask
imperfections without disturbing the finish. However,
most old furniture does not fall into the category
of "rare" or "museum quality"
and therefore can be improved with some restoration
work. Some mixed messages have been received as a
result of the PBS series Antiques Roadshow.
This is what Antiques Roadshow had to say
concerning furniture refinishing:
| "Well-conceived and well-executed refinishing
and restoration usually enhances the value of
just about any piece of old furniture. Exceptions
are those rare (often museum-quality) pieces that
have somehow survived in great `original' condition.
If we say or imply the contrary, we should be
called on it." - Peter B. Cook, Executive
Producer of Antiques Roadshow |
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Stripping Furniture so You can finish or paint it
Q. Will you strip doors and furniture so I can apply the finish?
A. No. I only strip pieces that I am going to finish and cannot provide stripping service for anyone else. I like to see a project through from beginning to end, and would like you to get the best results!
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Painting furniture, faux finishing, etc.
Q. Will you paint my piece? I'm interested in a distressed French antique look.
A. No. I do not paint furniture, nor do I do faux finishing. There are plenty of folks that do this and more often than not, it insults the piece they are trying to improve. I prefer to not have any part of that.
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Dipping vs. Hand Stripping Furniture
Q. Do you dip furniture to strip it?
A. No. My feeling is that "dipping" any item to strip its finish or paint should be a last resort, not a first step. The exception to that rule would be multiple layers of paint or especially stubborn old varnish, and even then I'd only have architectural items dipped (doors, mantles), not furniture. Although some shops will contend that modern dipping chemicals are not as volatile, I always take the more cautious route. Dipping furniture can be very hard on the wood, destructive to glues, and destroys any patina fast. I hand strip only using the least invasive procedure possible to arrive at the best end result. If you have items that you want dipped, they will have to go elsewhere.
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Flooded
Furniture Restoration
Q. My furniture was flooded
after Hurricane Katrina. Can it be saved or should
I throw it out?
A. If it is a valuable or especially important antique, I will consider restoring a flooded piece. Otherwise, I am no longer accepting flooded furniture from Katrina. After 5 years of doing flood restorations, it's time to move on. Anything that's been stored this long is likely in pretty bad shape anyway!
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Damaged Spots
or White Rings on Furniture
Q. I sat a glass full of ice
tea on my end table and it left a white ring. What
should I do?
A. This is a very common
question. There are a lot of products on the market
claiming that they can remove the white rings left
by moisture. Most of them work really well, but you
can accomplish the same objective using things you
may have around the house. Some experts say you can
rub creamy peanut butter into the white ring. It acts
as a mild abrasive and the oils will be forced into
the wood to condition it and release the moisture.
An old British technique is to mix cooking oil with
ashes and rub into the damaged spot. Both work well.
If these methods don't work, I can take a look at
it and more than likely remove the spot with some
of the more aggressive compounds in my repair kit.
Q. Can you fix burn mark on
my desk?
A. Yes. However this goes
beyond a finish issue as burns usually reach the fibers
of the wood as well. However, I can remove the damaged
area, spot fill and finish the area so that it will
be difficult to tell the burn was ever there at all.
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Veneer
is Broken off or is missing
Q. A piece of veneer chipped
off my cabinet when we moved. Can you fix it?
A. Yes. If the old piece
of veneer is still intact, it can often be reglued
and the edges blended to suggest it never broke off
at all. If the veneer is missing entirely, I have
a stock of various veneers that I can use to replace
the missing material.
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Particle Board, MDF, Non-Wood Furniture
Q. I have a damaged cabinet that looks like glued sawdust and wood chips covered with cheap wood grain plastic. Can you fix it?
A. I will not work on particle board furniture. It's extremely difficult to repair because it is usually built in the cheapest way possible with the lowest quality craftsmanship. It's not built to last. If it's broken, replace it (but this time, buy real wood furniture!)
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Providing "Ballpark"
Estimates
Q. I have an old desk is damaged
and needs to be refinished. Can you give me a "ballpark"
estimate of what it might cost?
A. On some items I am able
to provide a rough estimate. Most of the time, especially
when it comes to restoration work, it is very difficult
to provide an accurate estimate with a vague description
of the piece. More often than not, a piece that requires
refinishing also will entail some sort of repair work
or structural enforcement. If you have digital pictures,
feel free to send them via email. I can not accept photos via cell phone. If you're not able to send photos, a detailed description and dimensions of the piece are helpful. That greatly assists me in
providing you with the "ballpark" estimate. For extremely large pieces, I may be able to come to you for a personal evaluation. As far as custom work,
no two pieces I build are exactly alike as each is
made to customer specifications. I can provide rough
estimates after we iron out a few details.
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Moving Damage & Insurance Claims
Q. My furniture was damaged by movers. Can you come evaluate the damage and provide me with a repair estimate to submit to them?
A. Because of some past experiences, I do not provide this service. Just like any other repair, you're welcome to send me photos of your damaged pieces or bring them in for an estimate. I do not travel to evaluate moving damage.
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My Service
Area
Q. I live in Baton Rouge and
have a rocking chair to fix. Can I bring it to you?
A. I generally limit my
service area to the New Orleans metro area as I like to refer work to qualified local craftsmen. However, clients are always welcome to bring their
work to me if they are from out of town. Some of my
services are highly specialized and many clients are
willing to make the trip because they know the job
will be done right.
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Pickup & Delivery Service
Q. Can you pick up my furniture and deliver when it is done?
A. I offer limited pickup and delivery service depending on the size of the job, and will need to know from the beginning if this is a service you require. Large pieces that will not easily fit in a car are candidates for pick-up and delivery. If you have multiple pieces to restore, it is often easier and safer for your pieces if I handle their transport. If you're willing to wait until I'm in your area for another pick-up or delivery, I can make exceptions, but that most likely means you'll be waiting a lot longer. I will also provide pickup and delivery service for those who have difficulty with moving their furniture or arranging transportation to get it to the shop. There is a minimum charge of $65 for pickup or delivery service unless your final bill exceeds $1,000.
On-Site Repairs
Q. We have a table
with a lot of scratches and damage. Do you do on-site
furniture repairs?
A. I am no longer performing on-site repairs as there is often just too much going in the workshop to take out time for travel.
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Furniture
Modifications
Q. Can you convert an old cabinet
into an entertainment center?
A. You bet! It is smart
to maintain the charm of old furniture and adapt it
to modern use. I can add shelves, drawers, convert
the doors to pocket doors that will conceal, and install
proper ventilation and power supply for modern audio
and video equipment. Now if it's an antique, that's
another story. Some furniture is meant to live the
way it was born.
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Payment
Questions - Cash, Check or Credit Cards?
Q. How do I handle payment?
A. There are many ways
to pay for the services I provide. The preferred method is check or cash, but I also accept most major credit cards. In most cases deposits are only necessary for larger ticket items.
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Shop Visit, Drop-off, and Pickup Policy
Q. Thinking of dropping in to let you see my piece or discuss my project. Is that ok?
A. No. It's only ok if I know you're coming. Shop visits are by appointment only. Since I am a one man shop, I can't stop my detailed work to accomodate an unexpected visitor. You're welcome to come to the shop, but please make an appointment first. My regular hours are posted on the "contact" page. I'll do my best to work with your schedule. If you drop by unannounced, be prepared to be sent away - I won't sacrifice the quality of the work. All I need is some advanced notice and I'll be happy to see you.
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Woodworking Lessons and/or Apprenticeships
Q. I want to learn woodworking and can't find any classes locally. Will you teach me? Do you need an apprentice or can I help in your shop?
A. I get at least 2 or 3 emails every week asking me this. I do not offer lessons and rarely take on an apprentice. The best way to learn is by doing it and that can often be accomplished by starting with simple projects using tools you may already have. There are a number of great books out there as well and it's worth checking them out to get you started in the right direction, not to mention the wealth of online resources (just the woodworking videos on YouTube are numerous). Investigate the materials out there to teach yourself the basics and then you'll be in a much better position to determine what direction you want to go in the field.
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