Looking After Your Antique Furniture

Furniture items, especially older pieces, were made to be loved and used, so you shouldn’t worry unduly about having them around the home and incorporating them into your daily life. However, if you have items that are particularly valuable because of their age, then it’s important to understand how to look after them. This will help preserve your investment, as well as ensuring that your furniture lasts and looks good for as long as possible.

If any of your precious furniture has already suffered damage, then that can often be rectified by antique restoration or by using the services of a traditional upholsterer. But in the meantime, you can reduce damage by taking on board the following tips.

Keep Your Furniture Out of Direct Sunlight

The sun’s UV rays can penetrate through glass, and will cause fading and damage not only to fabrics but finishes and wood as well. Fabrics will lose their colours and finishes might become yellowy or opaque in appearance if exposed to sunshine on a regular basis. Make sure you position your furniture away from strong sunlight, and make use of curtains, blinds or shades if sunlight is unavoidable in the room.

…And Away From Other Heat Sources Too

Also keep wooden pieces well away from direct heat sources like fires, radiators, ovens and even air conditioning vents. Anything warmer than ambient heat can cause shrinkage of the wood. That can lead to loose joints and any marquetry, veneer or inlay work beginning to peel or work away from the item.

Avoid High Humidity and Overly Dry Conditions Too

Maintaining a regulated atmosphere in the room is essential if you want to preserve wooden furniture for the future. Extremely dry air can cause wood to shrink, crack or develop brittle qualities. Too much moisture in the air over a longer period of time can lead to mould and wood infestations. And constant changes in humidity between the two extremes causes wood to expand and contract, which will result in loose joints – that can weaken and damage the furniture’s structure and stability.

Keep Fabrics Clean, Dust-Free and in an Even Temperature

Believe it or not, dust particles can cause friction and abrasion in older materials which can cut through fibres, causing tears and rips in fabrics. For that reason, it’s best to keep textiles on furniture as clean as possible. Vacuum surfaces regularly but gently. Extremes of temperature or humidity can also damage soft furnishings in particular, so if your antique upholstered chair is not currently being used to adorn a room, don’t store it in a loft, cellar or outhouse.

Protect from Pets

We do love our household animal friends, but they can be a disaster when they come into contact with antique furniture. It almost goes without saying, but keep them well away from valued and valuable old wood and fabric pieces. Use protective coverings on fabrics and divert cats’ attention away from your prized possessions by providing scratching posts and discouraging them from attacking all furniture.

Ask the Experts

Don’t be afraid to ask for help from professionals for restoration and reupholstery if necessary. JDB Upholstery, a well-regarded and skilled upholsterer in Ludlow, can assist with anything from reupholstery of antique pieces to sofa spring repairs.