Taking Care Of Antique Furniture

by Chad Isenberg

The value of antique furniture increases through years thus it should be taken care of if one wants his or her precious antique furniture to last a long time. There are several things that should be done in order to preserve the beauty of antique furniture. And every responsible antique furniture owner should be able observe them.


When placed inside the home, it should not be placed near a radiator or any other heat source. If there is no choice but to place the furniture near a fireplace or a radiator, a heat barrier should be made. This could either be a fireplace screen or anything that will reduce the amount of heat directed towards the antique furniture.

Any antique home furniture should also be protected from humidity. A central heating can create an environment which could create negative effect for any antique furniture which is more often than not, rarer than a contemporary furniture [http://www.bestpricedfurniture.com/] piece. Thus it is recommended that if a home has a central heating system, a humidifier should also be installed.

Unlike when buying discount furniture from furniture stores, a homeowner should consult a specialist when it comes to picking the right humidifier. One can either use an electric or a non-electric humidifier. These humidifiers work in different principle but all of which are designed to maintain a safe level of humidity inside the home.

Since antique furniture pieces are very valuable, investing on a good quality humidifier is a good step as any antique furniture is a good investment especially with the fact that the price of antique furniture goes up with every passing year.

One should also use a hygrometer to check the level of humidity inside the home. According to experts, the humidity should be maintained at levels of between 50 and 55 percent.

When moving antique furniture pieces, care should be observed. Always lift up furniture by their strongest units. Thus, one should be able to understand the construction of certain furniture to determine where its strongest points are. Also, a furniture item, especially an antique one should not be dragged at anytime. But if a situation presents itself when antique furniture cannot be moved without being dragged, the dragging force should be as close to the floor as possible.

Things that can ruin an antique furniture piece are scratches and bruises. Thus, a valuable antique item should be placed somewhere it can be away from anything that could bang against it which could result on scratches.

Solvents could also wreak havoc on the surface of antique furniture pieces. Therefore, any homeowner should be careful around precious furniture items and not to drop any solvent on its surface. If a solvent is inadvertently spilled on said item, it should be dabbed off. It should never be rubbed dry since a solvent could soften the surface finish. Thus, rubbing it off would strip the surface finish which could ruin the whole look of the furniture.

These tips should be observed by any antique furniture owner to make sure that their antique items would last for decades to come.

About the Author
Chad Isenberg is an antique collector. This 33-year-old is based in the Midwest constantly on the road looking for antiques. He is also venturing on his own furniture business. On his free time, he can be found designing new furniture.