Blog Tips for Restoration and Painting

A great website I have found for information on artist’s paints is:   http://www.gamblincolors.com/     Truly, it is worth checking out!

So, have I used magic markers to touch up furniture?  Yes, I have, particularly on edges.  Because of the solvents in them, they amalgamate with furniture finishes.  Therefore, you must be very careful and I suggest only using markers on the edges of furniture where the finish has been rubbed through.

In my experience, the best way to care for antique furniture or really any furniture with a varnish, shellac, urethane or rub-oiled finish is to paste wax the piece every six months, or if you’re not quite up to that, how about once a year?  I like to apply the paste wax with some OOOO steel wool.  It is very fine steel wool.  I rub the steel wool into the wax and then apply a thin coat in the same direction as the grain of the wood.  I find applying the wax in this manner also removes dirt due to the light abrasion.  With that in mind, I would never apply the wax to a high gloss lacquer finish in this way; instead, I would use a soft cotton pad.  All paste wax has some solvent in it, and this helps clean the furniture as well. Of course, if the piece has a fair amount of dirt on it, a little 409 and a damp sponge and paper towels go a long way in cleaning (always test a spot first to make sure it doesn’t harm the finish as it might if the finish is shellac), for most other finishes, that’s the best way to clean them. After you apply a thin layer of wax, buff it out and your piece will look lovely.  The wax will add moisture protection and prolong the finish you have on your piece.  What it will NOT do is become sticky or discolor your piece over time, something that often happens when some of the “polishes” on the market are used. As with all tips, proceed with caution and remember, I do not take responsibility for anyone’s work but my own.