Furniture Refinishing

Our In-shop Services- Refinishing, Stripping, and Repair

Call now about special pricing on pick-up and delivery within our service area.
At Furniture Physicians refinishing can be separated into several distinct services so consumers may choose only the process they need. This can allow some hobbyists to share in the restoration or you can simply have us do all of the services listed below as needed in your particular project.

Refurbishment- This is a new term to most consumers but nothing new to quality restoration shops. We have always offered this service when a piece can and should be done this way.
Refurbishment usually consists of cleaning the existing finish, minor touch-up of nicks, scratches, gouges etc., and the application of a few more thin layers of new matching coating. The thin layers of new coating actually will "melt in" with the original coating. We would like to stress that it is the condition of the piece itself which dictates if this process can be done. Many coatings have lost so much of their original ingredients as well as evidence of more severe types of damage to the wood can easily prevent this type of restoration. We can however do some testing on your furniture which will tell us if this is a possible treatment. We have seen many examples of poor refurbishment over the years which seriously damages the value of the pieces.

Stripping- Furniture stripping is the first step that is usually done in a total restoration process. We determine first if this is necessary. Sometimes this should not be done because of historically significant coatings or repair of the coating is needed instead. (See Repair below.) From hand stripping, sanding, flow-over, or quick chemical immersion methods we can accommodate budget and quality without compromising glue joints or thin veneers. Our stripping also includes pH adjustment and application of sizing agents. These last 2 steps will make a new stains and coatings last longer (laboratory and exposure tests show up to a 400% increase) and apply more evenly. We are also one of the few companies in central Ohio that still remove paint from furniture.

Repair- Cosmetic- Many times people assume that refinishing must always involve stripping. Cosmetic repair is repairing the stain or coating rather than stripping it off. Sealers, fillers, conditioners, and color are sometimes all that is needed to retrieve much of the original luster of the piece. For furniture that would lose special effects old coatings in stripping this is the only way to preserve them.

Repair- Structural- Much of the furniture that comes to us is put back in daily use in homes. A broken leg or drawer must stand up to this use. Since our records indicate that less than 1/10 of 1% of our repairs fail we can offer you this unique limited warranty.
Limited Repair Warranty- If the structural repair we have done fails do to our poor craftsmanship and does not show signs of abuse or excessive wear and tear we will repair the area for a second time for FREE. Warranty claims are honored with your original receipt (work order) presented along with the re-work. (This warranty does not cover the tearing of surrounding woods because our repair did hold.) Furniture Physicians reserves the right to turn down a repair or offer, at the customer’s own risk, non-warranteed repairs.

Refinishing- From yesteryear’s fragile French Polish finishes to modern tough catalyzed coatings we can protect your heirlooms. Our standard finishing process includes the stain color of your choice with 4 to 6 coats of tough environmentally friendly coatings. From dull to high gloss we can very the look without affecting the durability of the finished product. Our artistic skills, experience, and technical expertise combine to give you a beautiful finished piece of furniture. Another feature of our coatings is their “patchability” if damaged. No matter where you move any competent restoration professional can easily touch-up your refinished furniture.

Free Estimates

It’s easy to get a free estimate on your refinishing or restoration project. Just pick up the phone and call our main number, (614)855-9720. A “rough” phone quote can be given to you based on your description of the furniture. All phone quotes are finalized in writing before any work is done. If you are in the Columbus or nearby surrounding areas we also can do a FREE in-home quote for you. Bringing or shipping a piece in from distance? Just take a few photos of the item, and some measurements of overall size, and drop them in the mail. You may also just tap on the Can You Afford to Restore button on the left and someone will give you answers, pricing, etc., in 24 to 48 hours. We can then e-mail, call you and/or fax a quote to you. Since we’ve restored over a quarter of a million pieces of furniture over the years we’ve probably worked on a piece like yours before!

Our Special In-shop Services- Re-veneering, Metal Stripping, Brass& Copper Stripping, Polishing, & Lacquering
Refinishing & Repair Supplies

The field of wood restoration overlaps into some specialties that you may find useful for a variety of projects around the house or business.

Wood Veneer Repair- Veneer is the thin layer of wood many times glued over solid wood stocks and other materials. The veneering process is centuries old and originally was done to obtain particular cuts of decorative wood. Veneering use extends into most kitchen cabinets, automobile dashes, paneling and trim, and many other areas where you “think” you might have solid wood stock. We can always tell you if a surface is veneered and what we can do to repair it. In most cases it has evolved into method of cutting costs and extending the use of many hardwood trees. We are often asked about replacing or repairing this thin surface. When veneering is chipped or completely removed from a surface it is necessary to repeat the construction steps and match the wood species and graining textures to replace it. With our current technology and materials we can provide excellent repair of missing areas or chips of veneer. We do however try to avoid whole sheet replacement if possible. New veneers just don’t match the look of older veneers and many times cannot lay perfectly flat unless applied by a process called “vacuum bagging.” We do have another veneer specialty company that we recommend locally if you need that service. Just call our main Furniture Physicians Co. number for that information.

Carving Replication- Many old pieces of furniture have lost some of their “carving appliqués.” These were carvings made of solid or even compressed wood, cut out separately, then glued and wire nailed to the surfaces of the furniture. Over the years the glue fails or the carvings catches on the edge of something during a move and are lost. Many times these were Bendix style carvings (compressed wood cutouts). The die cutters in many cases have survived and we can get these carvings very reasonably through our suppliers. What about missing solid carvings??? It’s a little more complex but in this case we can usually do re-casting. Since these pieces of furniture are fancier to begin with the carving pattern may be duplicated somewhere else on the furniture. We use a special theatre grade latex compound to take a “mold” of the duplicate area. We then can use a combination of epoxies and fiberglass materials and cast the missing part. Color and even strengtheners can be cast into the new carving replica for exacting looks and great durability. No one but the owner of the piece will know that it has even been replaced!

Parts Replication- While similar to carving replication, parts replication can be a little more challenging. This may involve casting a duplicate of a missing wooden knob, a decorative brass key plate, or even part of a fancy turning or trim block from a bed. Using a multi-dimensional molding process, the mold is most often broken into two halves using alignment pins for reassembly. Sometimes the part can even be cast directly back into place with steel pins or screws providing an anchor into the wood itself. In most cases your parts replication is only limited by our imagination!

Metal Stripping- Wrought iron, cast iron, steel, aluminum, and many other metals can be stripped. Just call us with a description of the piece and a phone quote can be given to you.

Brass & Copper Stripping, Polishing, & Lacquering- Brass, copper, pewter, and many fine metals can be stripped, polished, and lacquered by our shop. Much of this is done by hand and machine methods. These items are difficult to quote over the phone and may require an in-shop inspection before an estimate can be given.

Refinishing & Repair Supplies- We carry the best in refinishing & repair supplies. Many hobbyists will prefer to do their own finishing or repair work. Names such as General Finishes, Restorco, Mohawk, and of course, Furniture Physicians Co. brand products are not found in your local hardware stores. Finishes, glues, polishes, and sandpaper are few of the items we sell to our customers. We even have our self-produced finishing video that can be rented to aid in your project.