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How To Restore Chinese Antique Furniture?
By Chinese furniture
Learn how the antique chinese are restored/refurnished to improve the finish available so that you can select the right antique chinese pieces.


Because the refinishing process is done with meticulous care, and with the goal of bringing out the object's inherent character, the craftsmanship and restoration brings you the best quality possible. In short, it is a very complicated way to ensure the best possible restoration and refinishing of Ming and Qing special Chinese Antique.

According to the appearance of the classical furniture, there are three kinds of restoration methods: Ancientness maintenance; Bark maintenance; Renovation. The examining standard and schedule are very strict during the restoration; the quality control is throughout the whole process.

Ancientness Maintenance
It means: After repaired by carpenter, the parts with white surface can be scarped and polished; but the other original lacquer and decoration must be kept.

Operation flow: selection -- Removal - Replacement material - Boards joint -- Test for makeup -- Assembly

- Antique Chinese selection:
Observe how mildewed and rotten the is to see if it can be repaired on the basis of the Ancientness maintenance.

- Removal:
The craftsmen in the restoration workshop will take each piece apart, this is a very important procedure. The quality of the restoration depends on it.

Remove it after watching its structure, when removed, the order that is contrary to the original makeup order should be adopted. The damage of the original lacquer should be lowered to the least. The scraper cannot be used.

Take off all hardware and metalwork and keep them.

- Replacement material:
The worker will firstly use sandpaper and special tools to make each piece smooth but Max. keep the old laqure , painting and carving to keep the chacraters of the

old piece.

Watch the furniture’s original texture, the damage degree and parts to see if it really need material replaced, if so, the same texture, color and grain are in need. Generally, the light colors are preferred. Refinish the surface with several layer of laquer (With several times of polish ).

In such a way it can get the pieces max keep the charater (Color , Surface Defect of Long Time Using etc.) of old item. It look much like old piece.
Antique restoration by Wu in Tianyuan Cixi

The next step is to repair and clean the bronze and other metalwork according to the your request and replace them back on the furniture.

- Boards joint:
The joined board should be made an angle of 30 degrees with the sideboard. The joint with paste powder should be operated under certain pressure and temperature; the operation method is to clip the boards for 4-8 hours firstly, then take out and place it for 24-48 hours. The requirement after joined is to keep the boards straight; no gap; no paste print, no crack.

- Test for make-up:
The requirement is the same as the renovation.

- Assembly:
According to the original structure, when assembling, the tongue-groove structure should be tight, the frame is flat and straight, the surface is smooth, no paste print.

- The requirement of the cabinet style is:
1, to keep the gap between the door and door, the door and the frame homogeneous, generally within 5mm.

2, to keep it easy to open and close the drawer; the gap around it is within 3mm;the vertical stays and bracket arms should be added in the back or the bottom to keep the Chinese antique in a long use.

- The requirement of the chair style is to join the tongue-groove structure well, according to the damage degree.

- The requirement of the table style is to keep the joint of the rim and the cap tight; the bracket arm should be used in.
Mandarine Furniture & Crafts (Shanghai) www.antiquescn.com www.folkartcn.com

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