 Our
Restoration Process
The process we use is not a "refinishing"
process. Ours is a "restoring" process that requires
a little more work than the standard processes of today. It is
the ONLY method approved for "true" restoration by
high quality antique dealers across the country.
Click on any
of the images below to view
an enlarged before-and-after photo.
Stripping
The stripping process we use is one that is not commonly used
these days. We strip every piece by hand. We have our own stripper, mixed to our specifications,
for our process.
 Most people would be surprised at how fast and
safe this method can be. No water rinsing, no sanding unless
necessary to remove deep stains or after repairs, and no neutralizing
with tri-sodium phosphate. We apply our stripper to an area,
scrape it off, steel wool it dry, and re-apply one more time
repeating the steel wool process again. Other than fine brass
brushing detailed areas and picking corners, we are done. We
wipe down the piece with a special agent that takes any residue,
silicones, or waxes off that might be left. We are ready to stain
or finish.
Staining
 We apply a variety of types of stains
depending on the color required. In general we will apply a sealer-based
stain by hand and wipe it off. We can color match period pieces
as well as color match new furniture in touch ups. We have a
method of "toning" which allows us to deepen or offer
a hue to the color of any piece. This method is called tinting.
We mix a special tinting color into the finish and apply to the
depth or color desired.
Finishing
 We finish with three new types of finish.
We have recently upgraded all our finishes and now offer the
best European technologically advanced, environmentally friendly
finishes on the market. This means you, our customer, get the
most durable, top of the line, longest-lasting finishes available.
Our grades of finishes range from a 6 month guarantee, next a
5 year guarantee, and last a lifetime guaranteed finish. The
5 year and lifetime finish have additional charges added to our
customers, as our cost is quite high. All our finishes are sprayed
to achieve the smoothest, most flowing result possible. After
the staining process is completed, all pieces are allowed to
dry for at least 24 hours. We now first coat with any one of
our three finishes. After the dry time has elapsed, all pieces
are sanded and further prepped with rubbing by steel wool or
special rubbing pads. Now we blow the piece off, tack cloth it
to remove further dust, and re-apply another coat of finish.
Consecutive coats are applied as needed, using the same preparation
process between coats.
Repairing Processes
Repairing requires extensive
tooling for what might be considered the smallest of repairs.
Our shop is highly qualified for nearly all wood repairs, including
reproduced custom hand carvings from missing sections. We are
constantly upgrading and adding to our tools to insure that we
have the proper means to complete all repairs correctly, and
for a long duration.
 When we repair, we clean all joints before
re-assembly, removing all old glue and/or wood/parts from previous
attempts that may have failed. It is imperative that all wood
be able to touch fresh wood for glue to adhere correctly. Glue
does not stick to old glue.
Chair dowels and holes get re-drilled
and replaced when needed.
Tabletops get perfect a 90 degree
machine cut AND biscuit cut with biscuits inserted, before gluing.
This double method of joining tabletops insures our repairs STAY
together. Seams on tabletops are repaired precisely enough that
they can not be seen other than the difference in wood grain.
All joints get re-surfaced for
proper adhesion of glue. We have a multitude of styles of clamps
for almost any repair.
Our repairs are guaranteed, and
marked as such. If a piece cannot be guaranteed, we mark the
reason why, and can generally tell you up front, when we cannot
offer this guarantee.
Our restoring includes color
matching, replacement parts,
veneer replacement and patching, and finish appearance authenticating.
Delivery & Care
 We pick up and deliver orders with a
minimum dollar amount for specific areas. Our service is mainly
in Iowa, however we do serve the United States in a variety of
ways. We offer a service for commercial businesses for the state
of Iowa. We will also serve residential customers from across
the country, but our delivery range is limited. If you are in
a state other than Iowa and would like us to do your restoring,
please contact us by e-mail
and we will make arrangements for shipping from your location
to ours, and back to you again.
Our recommendations for protecting
and preserving your wood products can be found on our Caring
for Wood page.
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