Nathan Furniture is a great investment for those who want to flip high-quality furniture as a business or just for their use.
As Nathan Furniture has been in the business for over 100 years, plenty of vintage pieces are waiting to be restored to their former glory.
In this simple guide, we’ll give you ten easy steps to follow to restore your Nathan Furniture pieces.
#1 Source Your Furniture
Before we get into the process, you can buy pre-restored Nathan Furniture from some high-quality furniture stores. This can save you time and money if you’re not confident in restoration, especially if you’re not reworking furniture as a business and want an excellent piece of your home.
However, if your business is in flipping furniture, you may be able to find vintage Nathan Furniture online on things like Facebook Marketplace or eBay. You may also be able to find it at things such as estate sales and car boot sales, in which people may need to learn the value of what they have. These are all excellent ways to find a good deal!
#2 Strip The Existing Finish
You Will Need Gloves, masks, Protective Glasses, strippers, Paint Brush, Paint Scraper, and Steel Wool Ball.
Sometimes, when a piece of wooden furniture has been used for a long time, its glossy finish will become scratched and worn. An important part of restoring a piece of wooden furniture is removing this finish so you can give it a fresh one.
First, put on a pair of protective gloves, glasses and a mask. These are important tools for ensuring that you don’t inhale fumes and that your skin doesn’t come into contact with the stripper.
Brush your stripper onto the furniture, coating every inch of it in a product layer. You don’t need to leave this to sit for too long – about 5 minutes should do the job nicely. Then, use your paint scraper to remove the first layer of the finish.
You may have to repeat this process up to three times, as the furniture may have multiple coatings. After scraping, you can use a steel wool ball to help you get rid of small particles of finish that may be stuck.
#3 Sanding Down
You Will Need: Gloves, Mask, Protective Glasses, Sandblock, Sandpaper.
Wrap a piece of sandpaper around a sanding block and gently sand in the direction of the grain. Use long strokes instead of circular motions, and apply only a little force. If sanding veneer, you must refrain from using a mechanical sander, as this could ruin the grain.
#4 Seal With Hard Wax
You Will Need: Hard Wax Oil, Gloves, Mask, Protective Glasses, Wire Wool.
You can use many different sealers during restoration, but we recommend hard wax oil as it is a natural product that produces a quick-dry finish. It can help you to get a longer-lasting, more durable finish for your Nathan Furniture products.
Fold your cloth until it is palm-sized, then dip it into your hard wax oil. If your oil looks a little thick, you can dilute it with white spirit to thin it slightly, making it easier to spread.
Start at one end of the furniture’s surface and apply the oil in long strokes, following the direction of the wood grain.
You will know which areas of the wood have absorbed the oil, as they will immediately change colour. Ensure all areas are coated, then leave it to dry overnight for at least 8 hours before moving on.
Note: Oil is highly flammable if exposed to a flame. Leave your cloth out to dry up before disposing of it.
#5 Sand, Again
Once your oil has absorbed and completely dried, it’s time to sand again. Repeat step 3.
#6 Repairing Scratches And Dents
You Will Need: Masking Tape, Repair Cubes, Naked Flame (Lighter, Match), Gloves.
One of the most important parts of your restoration is repairing the scratches and dents on your Nathan Furniture.
To do this, take small strips of masking tape and create a frame around the area you want to work on. Pick a scratch repair cube that matches the colour of your furniture and heats the corner with a naked flame, holding it closely over the dent you want to fill.
The melted wax drips into the dent or scratches, filling the cavity. You can then use a scraper (or even an old credit card or plastic card) to push the wax into the dent gently. Remove the masking tape and repeat this scraping until all excess wax has been removed from the wood.
The scrape or dent should now be filled. You can lightly sand over the top to complete the smooth surface of the furniture.
#7 Second Coat Of Hard Wax
If you’d like to give your Nathan Furniture some extra protection, repeat step 4.
#8 Wax Polish
You Will Need: Wax Polish, Wire Wool, Gloves
Dip your wire wool into your wax polish and ensure it picks up a good amount. Just like the previous steps, follow the direction of the wood grain, and you’ll notice the wood changing colour, so you can see where you still need to apply polish.
Once you have a smooth, matte finish, please leave it to dry and harden for at least 20 minutes before moving on to the next step.
#9 Buffing
You Will Need: Buffing Cloth, Gloves.
The final step is to buff your furniture. Using a buffing cloth, use linear strokes to buff from left to right. This will help your Nathan Furniture to develop a nice shine – making it appear as good as new!
#10 Optional Reworks
You can do this step if you’re happy with how your furniture looks. However, if you want to make it a little shinier, wait a few days and then repeat steps 8 and 9.
Conclusion,
We hope this guide to restoring Nathan Furniture has been useful, and we wish you the best of luck with your restorations.
Remember, if you have doubts about the restoration process, it is always better to consult a professional for help before making any mistakes that can’t be fixed.