Whether you need a white ring removed onsite or the table top completely refinished Niki Francis Restorations can take care of your needs. We will hand strip your valuable furniture, sand and detail, fill and stain the wood, then apply a seal coat of finish, a base coat and a top coat of finish to insure its beauty and longevity.
We will analyze the need and pick the best finish for your project. Our finishing shop offers premium Wax, Shellac, Lacquer, Conversion Varnish and painted finishes.
The History Furniture Refinishing
Over the years there have been many methods for the refinishing of furniture. The original method was to dip a piece of furniture in a tank of solvent. This was known as dipping and although it is no longer legal in most states there are still many places that use this form of refinishing. The problem with dipping is the extent of damage done to the wood, glue joints and veneers by the solutions used in both hot and cold tanks. Other forms are gelled and liquid strippers, heat or flame, planes or cabinet knives, hand and power sanding and one of my favorite’s is striping with broken glass pieces. Here at Niki Francis Restorations we focus on protecting the original piece so in most cases we test the finish and determine the best method to reconstitute the finish so that it can be repaired or replaced, For example a dried shellac finish, even one over one hundred years old, can be turned back into a liquid shellac by adding denatured alcohol and wax can be dissolved with mineral sprits. These finishes can then be reworked without having to remove them. Other finishes are better to replace. The type of work all depends on the pieces and what needs to be done to restore it.