fixing up antique chairs

[Stephen Sebed]

I found 2 old chairs this weekend in a grainery on our property. We have owned the property for 25 years and the chairs were in there before we bought it, but I don't have a clue as to how old the chairs are.
We took the chairs, which were completely covered in dust and dirt, and washed them with water and murphy's oil soap. We discovered that the chairs are made from oak. There is no finish of any kind on them anymore, and they are missing a few spindles from the backs. I can't post any pics because I don't have a digital camera yet.

I plan on turning new spindles to replace the missing ones, but how can I get new oak to match the existing pieces?

I think that I will have to sand the entire chair to get rid of all the dirt and get to good wood. what finish would you recommend for pieces like this?

Any advice on restoring antique furniture like this would be appreciated, I don't have any previous experience in this area.

Thanks,
Stephen

[Chris Padilla]

Stephen,

A good start would be Bob Flexner's book Understanding Wood Finishes: How to Select and Apply the Right Finish.

This book will provide the basics to understanding how to finish wood and what is available out there and what goes with what. He covers oil, varnish, shellac, lacquer, dyes, pigments and all the aspects associated with them and how they work together. It is a great first book on wood finishing.

[Bob Aquino]

The only thing I would consider is that much of the value of an antique is in its original finish. It might not look like much to you, but if there is anything left of an original finish, say milk paint or varnish, sanding the piece will definately destroy whats left. Course if the pieces aren't worth much or anything, then you have nothing to loose. Maybe taking them to an antique shop would give you some clues as to how old and how much.


I found 2 old chairs this weekend in a grainery on our property. We have owned the property for 25 years and the chairs were in there before we bought it, but I don't have a clue as to how old the chairs are.
We took the chairs, which were completely covered in dust and dirt, and washed them with water and murphy's oil soap. We discovered that the chairs are made from oak. There is no finish of any kind on them anymore, and they are missing a few spindles from the backs. I can't post any pics because I don't have a digital camera yet.

I plan on turning new spindles to replace the missing ones, but how can I get new oak to match the existing pieces?

I think that I will have to sand the entire chair to get rid of all the dirt and get to good wood. what finish would you recommend for pieces like this?

Any advice on restoring antique furniture like this would be appreciated, I don't have any previous experience in this area.

Thanks,
Stephen