Do I Need Furniture Repair, Restoration or Refinishing?

DIRECT ANSWER:

You do not need to diagnose the service yourself. Furniture repair generally addresses physical damage or function, refinishing focuses primarily on the surface and finish, and restoration may involve a broader effort to preserve, repair and return a piece to an appropriate condition.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO KNOW WHAT TO CALL IT.

YOU JUST HAVE TO SHOW US WHAT'S WRONG.

REPAIR

Repair may address:

Broken parts

Loose joints

Structural problems

Missing components

Function

REFINISHING

Refinishing primarily addresses:

Worn finish

Surface appearance

Color

Finish failure

Some scratches or staining

RESTORATION

Restoration may combine:

Repair

Preservation

Surface work

Component recreation

Functional improvement

Careful treatment of existing material

ONE PIECE MAY NEED MORE THAN ONE

A table might have:

Loose joints

Water damage

Missing veneer

Worn finish

The final scope may cross several categories.

START WITH THE PROBLEM

Instead of asking:

"How much to refinish this?"

Try:

"This was my parents' dining table. One leg is loose, the top has water damage and we'd like to use it again."

That tells the story.